PASSION RUBYTM
Ruby has the distinction of being the most valued gemstone
throughout most of recorded history. Ancient Sanskrit referred
to the ruby as the "king of precious stones", the bible found
only wise and virtuous women more precious than rubies and the
Persian sage al-Biruni wrote about rubies the first place in
color, beauty and rank among all gems. The name Ruby comes from
the Latin word ruber for its hue. The strength of red in the
ruby depends on how much chromium is present—the more chromium,
the stronger the red color. Chromium can also cause
fluorescence, which adds to the intensity of the red color. The
brilliant crimson color of this gem is associated with passion
and love, making the ruby an ideal choice for engagement rings.
There are many famous rubies throughout history, two of which
can be seen at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of
Natural History including the 138.72-carat Rosser Reeves Star
Ruby from Sri Lanka and the 23.10-carat Carmen Lucia Ruby which
is considered one of the world's finest large Burmese rubies.
Le Vian® Passion RubyTM comes from Mozambique.