Some Interesting Ruby Facts
Some interesting fact about rubies include:
Despite some pieces of red corundum weighing many kilograms, they are generally not of sufficient quality to be valuable as gemstones. The best way therefore to find out the present day value of any gemstone is to check out auction prices as a good indicator of a stone’s true value. Prices do not necessarily correlate with size of course. the larger the stone, the more rare and the more per carat it is going to cost.
In 2006, the record price paid at auction for a single stone was $5,860,000 for an unnamed 38.12 carat cabochon-cut ruby. However, it is quite probable that other stones with potentially greater value exist but have never have been sold at auction.
A synthetic ruby crystal was used to create the first laser According to Rebbenu Bachya, and the New International Version, the word odem means “ruby” in the verse Exodus 28:17 (referring to a stone on the Hoshen), and was the stone representing the tribe of Reuben.
Modern Hebrew has taken this meaning. However, odem actually means earth, and is cognate with Adam; in the middle east, the earth it refers to is certainly reddish, but the Septuagint translates the term as Sard (which also means red), which is also the name of an incredibly common somewhat opaque gem.
Scholars think the stone intended is probably a Sard, as does the King James Version, some scholars think that if not a Sard it may possibly be the related gem carnelian; it is also thought possible that Sard and Odem here just means the colour of the stone, and red Jasper could therefore also be a possibility. There is a wide range of views among traditional sources about which tribe the stone refers to.
Ruby is the most commonly named precious stone in English translations of the Bible; an example being Proverbs 31: “A virtuous wife is worth more than rubies.”. The underlying masoretic text doesn’t necessarily refer to rubies, however. Not only are there issues such as that mentioned with odem, but in the case of Proverbs 31, the masoretic text merely states jewels, and the Septuagint makes Proverbs 31 refer to precious stones (estin lithon ); some English versions of the bible believe that pearls is a better translation here.
The famous lighted “Red Stars” mounted above Kremlin spires, thought to be giant rubies mined in Siberia, are actually colored glass.
Ruby is the birthstone associated with July and of the zodiac sign Leo.
Ruby is associated with the Sun in vedic astrology.
Ruby symbolizes passionate love.
Although their names bear some similarity, rubies are not related to rubidium, and they don’t contain this chemical element. Both names derive from the same Latin word, ruber, meaning red, in reference to the red color of the ruby, and the red resonance line of rubidium vapor, respectively.
There are many more interesting ruby facts to be found by scouring the internet.