Ruby Rings

Shopping for an accessory featuring a deep red gem that is the color of heat and passion? Find unique estate and vintage ruby rings today on 1stDibs.

Choosing a ruby ring can be a little like choosing a red lipstick. When it comes to these stones, the truest, most vivid reds are fiery, skewing slightly orange. Other shades are deeper, with blue undertones, for a pinker, raspberry color.

Ruby jewelry features one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money. Just consider the Van Cleef & Arpels “scarf” necklace the Duke of Windsor presented to the Duchess on her 40th birthday, in 1936 — set with diamonds and dripping with rubies, a testament to the deep-red gemstone’s power — or the slippers encrusted with 4,600 rubies that Harry Winston made to commemorate The Wizard of Oz’s golden anniversary. 

Rubies are considered precious stones — along with diamonds, sapphires and emeralds — and have a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs Scale, surpassed only by Moissanite and diamonds. (Given the stone's durability and its relationship with romance, a ruby engagement ring is a brilliant choice if your budget permits and your sense of style leans toward the unexpected.)

In the July birthstone, the red of the gemstone — and the various hues seen in sapphires — are produced by the presence of trace elements. In the case of a ruby, this element is chromium. Rubies range in color from vermilion to a violet red. They are also pleochroic, which means that a stone’s hue can vary depending on the direction of viewing. The most sought-after color is pigeon’s blood: pure red with a hint of blue.

When shopping for a vintage ruby ring — whether it's a ruby cocktail ring, a ruby solitaire or another accessory — remember that the 4Cs of selecting the perfect diamond — color, clarity, cut and carat — also apply to rubies.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, the color of the July birthstone should be a vibrant to slightly purplish red, and the stone should be clear and inclusion-free. Accordingly, the cut should show off its color and clarity. As for the last criterion, fine rubies more than a carat in weight are rare. Often, large rubies are more expensive than diamonds of comparable weights.

Find extraordinary antique and vintage ruby rings on 1stDibs.