The ruby is certainly worthy of its ancient Sanskrit name, "Ratnaraj"; ‘King of Gems’. Rubies are very much in their own league.
As a symbol of passion and love, the ruby stands for Gübelin’s Deeply Inspired philosophy and the way that the Swiss house finds inspiration in equal parts in beauty and knowledge. That is why the House of Gübelin made the ruby its signature stone.
Ruby is defined as crystalline aluminium oxide, called corundum, with traces of the chemical element chromium, which is responsible for its red colour.
Famous for their beguiling shades of red - rubies come in light and velvety crimson tones with pink and purple overtones. Especially precious and rare are rubies known in the trade as pigeon-blood red, which are defined by the Gübelin Gem Lab based on specific colour and quality criteria.
Today's majority of important ruby deposits are located on two continents; Asia and Africa. Asia is host to the earlier known ruby deposits such as those in Burma.
High quality rubies from Myanmar (former Burma) are particularly known for their desirable colour. They belong to the finest and most valuable of gemstones and are mined in the Mogok region.
The most expensive gemstone ever sold at an auction was a 25.59 ct. Burmese ruby named Sunrise Ruby. The beautiful gem was sold for a total of $30 million in Geneva at a Sotheby’s auction in 2015. The Gübelin Gem Lab described the gemstone as “a unique treasure of nature” based on its outstanding and unique characteristics.
The House of Gübelin has always been deeply inspired by the natural wonders of gemstones, passionate about deciphering the secrets that hide deep within these wonderful gifts of Mother Nature. We are happy to share our expertise with you in our first episode of the Gem Sessions. Discover the King of Gemstones, the magnificent ruby.
