Ruby Earrings

Antique & Vintage Ruby Earrings

Rubies are one of the most expensive gemstones available and their vibrant colour makes them a popular choice for statement earrings. Ruby earrings traditionally come in combination with 18 carat white gold, rose gold or yellow gold which brings out their rich colour. Rubies and diamonds are also often clustered together by designers for stud earrings which stand out as both a statement piece and a timeless classic.

A pair of ruby earrings is the perfect gift or token of commitment for a loved one. Rubies also work well on drop earring styles as well as on hoops or other dangle designs where they are often combined with blue sapphires for a splash of regal colour.

Rubies gained their name from the Latin word ‘ruber’ which means red and describes their rich and vibrant colour. These gemstones are formed in the same process as sapphires at incredibly high temperatures in the depths of the earth. When the mineral corundum is exposed to the chemical chromium oxide, rubies are made.

Natural rubies are most typically found in Myanmar, Thailand, Australia and some parts of Afghanistan. Red rubies are very distinguished gemstones, but they also come in secondary colours including pink, purple and orange. The most desired colour is known as pigeon blood red, which is a deep red with a vivid colour and is generally more expensive and ruby earrings with these stones are highly valuable and collectable vintage pieces. Ruby and diamond earrings featuring stones of pigeon blood red are highly sought-after designs.

Rubies are valuable but durable gemstones, with a hardness rating of 9 on the Mohs scale. This makes them an ideal gemstone for earring designs and pieces that can be worn every day. These famous red gemstones also have a number of connotations which make them favourable earring pieces that can be worn daily. Rubies are said to promote positivity, increase motivation, improve strength and increase your passion, productivity and enthusiasm. This makes a pair of ruby earrings the perfect gift for someone in your life who you feel could use some additional motivation to purse their dreams and reach their ambitions.

As well as being statement pieces which will never go out of style, a pair of ruby earrings is a good investment. Many vintage jewellery collectors report that rubies are a more stable investment than diamonds. As exotic gemstones continue to rise in popularity, over the past decade prices for classic rubies has increased from around £2,000 to £40,000 per carat.

Ruby earrings are also strongly connected with passion and love, making them a popular romantic present for their symbolic meaning. Rubies are also the gemstone for both 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries as well as being the birthstone for the month of July.