Rubies get their name from ruber, the Latin word for red. The color is caused by the element chromium. Rubies are one of the four precious stones; the others are sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. Like diamonds, the value of rubies is determined by 4 C’s: color, clarity, cut, and carets. The brightest and most valuable color is called pigeon blood red. The Smithsonian has a 23.1 carat ruby mined in Burma in the 1930s. Ruby is the July birth stone (Cancer), a symbol of the 40th wedding anniversary, and a sign of good luck in Asia. Read more gems about gems, including Dorothy’s ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz, in A Brain. A Heart. The Nerve. (see NOVELS).
