Birthstones
July Birthstone: Ruby (Yaqoot) جولائی
In short: Ruby, known as Yaqoot, is the birthstone for July. It is red corundum and, at 9 on the Mohs scale, second in hardness only to diamond. Colour decides almost everything, so a vivid, glowing red in a smaller stone is usually worth more than a large dull one. Most rubies are heated, which should always be disclosed.
Ruby is the birthstone for July. Known as Yaqoot, it is red corundum, and at 9 on the Mohs scale it is second in hardness only to diamond. Colour decides almost everything: a vivid, glowing red in a smaller stone is usually worth more than a large dull one. Most rubies are heated, and that should always be disclosed.
- Month
- July
- Birthstone
- Ruby
- Urdu name
- Yaqoot
- Colours
- Pinkish red to deep red
- Mohs hardness
- 9
- Usual treatment
- Heating (disclosed)
From the vault
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GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.
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Traditional belief vs gemmology: anything on this page about luck, protection, planets, healing or religious tradition describes traditional and cultural beliefs — not proven effects, religious rulings or medical advice. A stone's identity, hardness, treatment and origin are gemmology, which a lab can test; the references at the end of the page cover that side.
Meaning and history
Ruby has been prized across the subcontinent for centuries, and its Sanskrit name, ratnaraj, means king of gems. By tradition it stands for passion and courage, and in Vedic astrology it is the stone of the Sun (Surya). Pakistan's Hunza valley is known for rubies that grow in white marble.
Colours and how to choose
- Hue. A pure to slightly purplish red is the most valued. Brownish or very pink stones cost less.
- Glow. Many fine rubies seem to glow from within in daylight. A stone that looks dark and closed indoors is less desirable.
- Clarity. Fine needles called silk are normal and show the stone is natural. Large cracks are not.
- Treatment. Heating is standard and stable. Glass filling is a different treatment that should be priced and described very differently.
Browse ruby. For a deeper, darker red at a lower cost, see garnet, and for an opaque red with its own tradition, see red coral (Marjan).
Real or fake: what to check
- Glass-filled ruby is common in markets. Under a loupe, look for blue or orange flashes inside cracks and flattened gas bubbles in the filler.
- Red glass shows round bubbles and soft, worn facet edges.
- Synthetic ruby can look too clean and too bright for its price. Curved growth lines are a giveaway under magnification.
- Garnet or red spinel sold as ruby needs a lab test to separate. We provide a certificate on request.
Read reading a ruby and ruby explained.
Care
A natural or heated ruby is tough and easy to clean in lukewarm soapy water with a soft brush. Store it apart from softer stones, which it can scratch. A glass-filled stone needs gentler care: no ultrasonic cleaners, heat or chemicals. Our July birthstone checklist covers more.
A July gift
Red is the traditional bridal colour in Pakistan, so a ruby is a classic choice for a bride's ring or a mooh dikhai gift. For a July birthday, a small ruby with a strong colour makes a lasting present, and a ruby ring set in gold is a long-standing gift for a husband or father at Eid.
References
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