Ruby Rings - Stylish and Elegant Jewelry

While diamonds may be a girls best friend, increasing number of women and men alike are turning to ruby rings for their jewelry needs. Why? Simply because of all gemstones, none have the alluring tones and grace of a well cut ruby. For generations, people have seen the ruby ring as a rare and unique piece of jewelry that bears connotations of wealth and style. The deep red colors found in many rubies have a certain way of captivating all attention. For this reason, more people than ever have been choosing rubies as accents or centerpieces in wedding rings, engagement rings, and anniversary rings. The rubies used for a ruby ring come in all sorts of shades, cuts, and styles, leading to a large breadth of variety. In addition to alterations in the ruby itself, changing the metal used for the band can add a great accent as each metal contrasts with the vibrant ruby tones in different ways.

What Is A Ruby?

The ruby is obviously the centerpiece of a ruby ring, but what is it exactly? Where does it come from and why is it so precious? Technically speaking, a ruby is aluminum oxide colored by chromium or sometimes iron. This means that it's got the same chemical makeup as sapphire or emerald but with a different coloring agent. The precise quantity and concentration of the coloring agent is what gives each ruby its distinct color and tone. This is typically determined over centuries and centuries of heat and pressure deep within the earth. Important characteristics of rubies include the tone, hue, and cut. Briefly, the tone refers to the depth of color, the hue refers to the dominant color of the ruby, and the cut is the shape of the gemstone. The most common cut for rubies is the oval cut, but many others can be found if you look hard enough for them.

A ruby engagement ring

Ruby Engagement Rings

Engagement rings have traditionally been the sole and total domain of diamonds. However, recently many people have been using diamonds as a mere accent to a different precious gemstone. Increasingly this choice has been the ruby ring. Why do people choose a ruby ring as an engagement ring? The number one reason is looks. Each ruby in the world has its own distinct style which is determined by its hue, tone, and cut. A ruby engagement ring is a great choice, therefore, for the unique and independent woman who isn't defined by the norm. A ruby ring bears its unique elegance with a grace and style that few other gemstones can match, making it a popular choice for those that aren't defined by older traditions.

Unique Ruby Ring Designs

The ruby ring tends to attact unique styles from designers across the world. Maybe it's because the rubies have such variety in their precise colors and personalities. Maybe its the rarity and history of rubies themselves. Regardless, a uniquely designed ruby ring is one of the most sought after jewelry pieces in the world. This kind of ring makes a perfect gift for nearly any special occasion as it shows just how much the person means to you. This effect is typically enhanced by choosing a piece that includes additional rubies or other gemstones. Ruby rings found with diamond accents are not too uncommon, but rubies set with sapphires or emeralds are more unique. By contrasting multiple colored gemstones, you can wind up with an end design that's simply stunning. Many award winning jewelry designs feature rubies as the primary gemstone because of the way that they captivate audiences. The ruby ring has definitely been blessed by the talented efforts of many expert designers.

A floral designed ruby ring

An award winning six ruby ring set in 14k gold

A unique ruby ring design accented with smaller diamonds

Men's Ruby RIngs

The ruby ring was not intended solely for women. In fact, older ruby rings worn by kings and despots across the world featured rubies as their primary gemstone. At one point in time, a well colored and cut ruby was valued much more highly than diamonds because of their rarity. Men's ruby rings tend to be a bit broader and more monolithic. These rings tend to feature a single large ruby as the centerpiece, often surrounded by smaller gems in more expensive models. Men tend to like rubies above other gemstones because of their strong and defiant colors. A darkly hued ruby ring is a great gift for any man who enjoys asserting strength and confidence in his jewelry.

A ruby ring designed for men

Ruby Ring Band Materials

Ruby rings have been set in many different materials across the years, but some have been chosen more often than others. Many more expensive and elegant models of ruby ring tend to use platinum and white gold for the band material. This is because the contrast between the light sheen of the metal and the dark hues of the ruby set up a classy dichotomy which adds to the appeal of the jewelry piece. This same idea can be achieved with sterling silver for a lesser cost. Gold materials have also often been used for ruby rings in a variety of different styles. When looking into any precious metal material for the ruby ring band, make sure to take account of the karat used. A lower karat means a lower purity metal alloy, which lessens the value of the piece. High karat values, however, typically result in materials which are too soft for jewelry purposes. For yellow gold, sticking to a 10k gold alloy or higher should be fine so long as you don't exceed 18k. Sterling silver is typically 92.5% pure - anything higher than this could be trouble. Platinum band materials tend to be mechanically sturdy enough to ensure that the ruby ring will be safe and beautiful for years to come.