Pure red rubies, with an underlying hint of blue that deepens the rich crimson tones, is one of the best ruby ring colors for a unique engagement ring choice. When speaking about ruby gemstones, this luscious red color is referred to as pigeon blood. These deep colored stones may come from Burma (Myanmar) and are often found in vintage and antique ring designs.
Choosing the Best Possible Color
If you have decided upon an engagement ring with a red gemstone instead of a clear diamond, you will want to investigate which is the best ruby ring within your budget, and since color is one of the determining factors in judging a ruby’s worth, it is important to know the proper names. When speaking to your jeweler or searching online remember that rubies and sapphires are of the same family, with some rubies being very light colors such as pink. But essentially what separates a ruby from a sapphire is nothing more than color. For a ruby to be a ruby, red must make up at least 51% of its color. To avoid ending up with a paler reddish sapphire or a light colored ruby, stick to the saturated red tones of genuine rubies that tend slightly toward blue- purple and these often come from Asia.
Not Pink, not Orange But RED Please
If you can afford it, the best ruby ring will be a pigeon blood ruby engagement ring. Why? Because the idea behind a ruby is for it to be red and the problem with many gems so called rubies is that they tend toward pink or orange and unless that is what you want, you’ll need to find the stones in the richest pigeon’s blood color possible.
Why is it called pigeons Blood?
It comes from Burma (Myanmar) where, as in most of Asia, the truest red of reds is the most prized color since it is considered lucky and very auspicious. Since rubies have a variety of undertones that cause it to be more or less red, the Burmese quested after the means to have jewelry that was the truest red possible by selecting high grade stones with a slightly bluish tone, near purple, then mounting it in yellow gold. The gold counteracted the blue making the stone appear to be the truest red possible.
Gold Ruby Rings
A pigeon blood ruby engagement ring should be set in yellow gold if possible, because the red will appear brighter and richer. Vintage jewelry is where you will find some of the best ruby ring designs that have the richest colored Burmese rubies and are set in 18k or even 24k gold. Another place to find high quality genuine Asian pigeon blood ruby engagement ring designs in the rich deep yellow gold is to shop at an Asian jewelry shop in your area, such as the many Indian and Chinese shops found in many Western cities in Chinatowns and Little Indias around the world. You may also order some of the best pigeon blood gemstones online from importers and have a custom design created.
If you have been dreaming of a RED RED ruby engagement ring, not a pink or blue or orange one, chances are you are picturing one of those old mine rubies from Burma (Myanmar) or Thailand and without knowing it, you have always wanted pigeons blood set in gold for that richest of reds that has made the ruby coveted for centuries.