Rubies Reinvented: From royal gem to daily dose of colour
Historically, rubies have always been seen as the royal gemstone – a symbol of power and prominence adorning the Tsars of Russia, the Maharajahs of India, and the royal families of Europe. And while rare Burmese ‘pigeon’s blood’ rubies still hold this almost mystical significance in high jewellery, there’s a fresh wave of everyday designs that are placing rubies on the necks and fingers of those royal at heart. Here are a selection of designs to celebrate this most regal and auspicious of gems.
Once you start looking, it is amazing how ubiquitous the simple word ‘ruby’ becomes in poetry, history, myth, and legend. There’s just something about richly saturated shades of red that seems to inspire creatives and included in that group are jewellery designers, past and present. Rubies have for hundreds of years been the pinnacle of luxury, perhaps even more so than diamonds. The most vivid Burmese rubies are truly rare and covetable, with high jewellery brands now turning to new sources in Mozambique, for example, as their source of royal red gems.
Philippe Guilhem Vaya N°1 ring in bronze and gold, set with an oval-shaped ruby
If I had rubies, riches, and crowns, I’d buy the whole world and change things around, Bob Dylan.
More recently though, we are seeing a diversification of ruby jewels and finding this scarlet corundum in more wearable, everyday designs that don’t require an equally red carpet to feel at home. Perhaps it is the desire among all women (and men, of course) to feel like royalty in their own lives, even if it’s just for a moment. Take a look at the gallery of pieces I have selected below from across the spectrum of high jewels, designer jewels and pieces that could comfortably be worn every day. What unifies them is the intensity of the red hue, whether it’s a brighter red with hints of pink or a deep burgundy shade that pairs well with rose or yellow gold. I’m sure within this selection you will discover at least one piece that will help you live out your regal fantasies.
Harakh
Harakh
Chaumet
Chaumet
Vanleles
Vanleles
Ronald Abram
Ronald Abram
Buccellati
Buccellati
Harry Winston
Harry Winston
Gubelin
Gubelin
Bayco
Bayco
David Morris
David Morris
Bugari
Bugari
Jacquie Aiche
Jacquie Aiche
Garrard
Garrard
Lark & Berry
Lark & Berry
Cartier
Cartier
Bia Tambelli
Bia Tambelli
Chaumet
Chaumet
Pragnell
Pragnell
Bvlgari
Bvlgari
Misahara
Misahara
Melissa Kaye
Melissa Kaye
Picchiotti
Picchiotti
Ruchi
Ruchi
Stenzhorn
Stenzhorn
Miseno
Miseno
Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels
Pomellato
Pomellato
Moussaieff
Moussaieff
Robinson Pelham
Robinson Pelham
Chaumet
Chaumet
Boghossian
Boghossian
WORDS
Katerina Perez With more than 12 years’ experience in the jewellery sector, Katerina’s expert knowledge spans everything from retail sales and management to content creation, including brand building, jewellery writing and styling. Born and raised in St Petersburg, Katerina’s favourite hobby as a child was playing with the treasures in her grandmother's jewellery box, inspiring a lifelong love of jewellery from a very early age. She spent five years in St Petersburg University of Culture and Arts studying not journalism but business studies and languages, and her writing skills have developed as her passion for her favourite subject – jewellery – has grown. This is why her writing comes straight from the heart rather than the pages of a book. Daughter of an entrepreneur mother, Katerina exchanged her retail management job for jewellery writing in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since.
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