Ruby Jewelry
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century American Retro Ruby Jewelry
Emerald, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Medieval Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
1920s European Art Deco Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Spanish Retro Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Nouveau Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Classical Roman Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold, Gold Pl...
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Ruby Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire,...
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century European Edwardian Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Swiss Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Opal, Ruby, Sterling Silver
1960s French Post-War Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
1760s Italian Rococo Antique Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Emerald, Silver, Gold Plate, 18k Gold
1880s French Victorian Antique Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Modern Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, White Diamond, Diamond, Platinum
2010s Italian Modern Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
20th Century Portuguese Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Ruby Jewelry
Emerald, Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
1990s French Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Garnet, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
Mid-20th Century European Ruby Jewelry
Citrine, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Ruby Jewelry
Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Israeli Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Indian Art Nouveau Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Ruby Jewelry
Star Ruby, Ruby, Silver, Gold Plate, 18k Gold
2010s American Artisan Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Jade, Ruby, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Peridot, Ruby, Topaz, 18k Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Dutch Modern Ruby Jewelry
Quartz, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
Early 2000s Thai Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Pearl, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White G...
2010s American Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold
1990s Thai Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Jade, Onyx, Ruby, 18k Gold, Enamel
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
2010s Italian Artisan Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Ruby Jewelry
Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
2010s American Modernist Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Topaz, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
1970s French Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, White Diamond, Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Asian Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Chrysoberyl, Emerald, Garnet, Moonstone, Blue Sapphire, Y...
2010s American Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Retro Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Amethyst, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Ruby Jewelry
White Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Ruby Jewelry
Pink Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Thai Art Deco Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century European Retro Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Ruby Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire,...
1970s Georgian Russian Revival Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold
1960s European Retro Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Ruby Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
2010s Thai Artisan Ruby Jewelry
Amethyst, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage and Antique Ruby Jewelry for Sale on 1stDibs
This deep red gem is the color of heat and passion — vintage and antique ruby jewelry is perfect for those born in the middle of summer.
Rubies are 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. July babies have permission to adorn themselves with this beautiful red stone even when it’s not their birthday.
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. They are composed of corundum, a colorless mineral that is also the basic material of sapphires. 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.
Rubies that are hosted in dolomite marble are the most prized: Because the marble is low in iron, so are the rubies, resulting in a more intense color. Rubies found in basalt, which has a higher iron content, are generally darker and less intense.
When shopping for antique and vintage ruby jewelry, 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 a collection of ruby necklaces, ruby rings and other accessories on 1stDibs.