July (Ruby)

• Medium-pink, fuchsia, blood red
• Moh's scale of hardness 9

Interestingly, rubies belong to the group of mineral known as corundum. Corundum is available in a variety of colors, though only the red varieties are known as ruby. All other colors are called sapphire. The red color, from which it derives its name (Rubeus), is caused by trace amounts of the element chromium. The best shade of red for ruby jewelry is often given the name "pigeon blood red", but rubies can be any shade of red up to almost pink. High quality rubies may be referred to as Burma-ruby or Siam-ruby. A unique variety of ruby includes the Star Ruby. This gemstone has crystal inclusions of rutile that are oriented in such a way as to cause a six-rayed star effect, known as asterism. Often cabochon cut, these Star Rubies make beautiful ruby jewelry pieces.

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