Ruby Watches

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

Choosing a piece of ruby jewelry 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 wristwatches and pocket watches feature 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.

A decorative watch is the world’s most versatile accessory. Whether in bracelet, pendant, brooch or ring form — or a more conventional timepiece set with rubies and other gems — jewelry watches can be worn with anything from casual looks to cocktail wear to full evening dress. And yes, it is perfectly acceptable — in fact, perfectly au courant — to wear a watch with a ball gown, despite some objections to the contrary. Watchmakers have tucked their movements into all manner of precious baubles, from lapel pins to cocktail rings. The result is dazzling, wearable art that will get you to the party on time.

King Edward VII of England called Cartier the “jeweler of kings and king of jewelers.” Established in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the French maison was from its beginnings a darling of the aristocracy. But it was the founder’s grandson, Louis Cartier, who cemented its reputation as a trendsetting watchmaker. The brand, refusing to be confined by the round form, is the master of shaped watches. In fact, a 3D, semicylindrical case of a notable 1941 model is flanked by festive flower clusters composed of 16 rubies totaling four carats. The floral motif was a house favorite during the prewar era.

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 ruby watches on 1stDibs.