Ruby: July's Birthstone Guide | Maddaloni Jewelers

Ruby: The Birthstone of July 

Every birth month has a stone that seems to fit it perfectly, and for July, that stone is ruby. Deep, saturated red, endlessly wearable, and steeped in centuries of meaning, ruby has been one of the most prized gemstones in the world since long before "birthstone" was a word anyone used. If you were born in July, or you're shopping for someone who was, here's what makes this stone worth knowing. 

The Story Behind the Stone 

Ruby belongs to the corundum family, the same mineral family as sapphire. What turns clear corundum into a vivid red ruby is a trace of chromium, and the more precisely balanced that trace is, the more prized the stone. The finest rubies, often described as "pigeon blood red," carry a pure, vivid red with just a whisper of blue undertone. Historically, the most sought-after rubies came from Myanmar's Mogok Valley, though fine material is also sourced from Mozambique, Thailand, and Sri Lanka today. 

Ruby has carried meaning across cultures for thousands of years. Ancient Sanskrit texts called it "ratnaraj," king of gemstones. Warriors once wore rubies into battle, believing the stone offered protection. Today, that history has settled into something simpler: ruby is still widely associated with passion, courage, and protection, a stone people give and wear when they mean something by it. 

Why Ruby Makes a Meaningful Gift 

Beyond being July's birthstone, ruby is the traditional gemstone for 15th, 40th, and 80th wedding anniversaries, which makes it a natural choice for more than just July birthdays. It's a stone with a built-in reason to give it: a milestone, an anniversary, a birthday, or simply because red still says something that other colors don't. 

How to Choose a Ruby 

Ruby is graded on the same general framework as diamonds, color, clarity, cut, and carat, but the priority order is different. With ruby, color comes first. A vivid, evenly saturated red will always outperform a larger stone with a duller or overly dark tone. Clarity matters too, but rubies naturally form with more inclusions than diamonds, so a totally "eye-clean" ruby is rare and not always the goal; what matters most is that the inclusions don't interrupt the stone's brilliance or structural integrity. Cut affects how much that color comes to life, and carat weight matters least of the four, a smaller ruby with excellent color will almost always outshine a larger one without it. 

The most important step, regardless of size or budget: buy from a jeweler who can tell you exactly what you're looking at, with lab documentation for higher-value stones. 

That's exactly what you get at Maddaloni. We've been sourcing, grading, and setting fine jewelry for Long Island families for over 45 years, with in-house gemological expertise and lab documentation provided on higher-value stones, so you know precisely what you're getting before you buy it, not after. It's the same personal, no-pressure guidance whether you're looking at a $500 pendant or a five-figure ring.  

Ruby Pieces We Love Right Now 

14K Rose Ruby & 1/3 CTW Diamond Necklace — $10,956.68 (regularly $11,514.54). Genuine ruby set in warm 14K rose gold with 1/3 total carat weight of diamond accents, on a 16-18 inch chain that layers easily or wears alone. View product 

14K White Ruby & 1/6 CTW Diamond Earrings — $12,112.63. Round genuine rubies in 14K white gold with diamond accents, a bold, wearable pair that catches the light from every angle. View product 

14K White Lab-Grown Ruby Line Bracelet — $4,999.55. A continuous line of lab-grown rubies set in 14K white gold, 7.25 inches, a more accessible way into the color without sacrificing brilliance. View product 

14K White Ruby & 1/6 CTW Diamond Ring — $4,111.00. Genuine ruby and diamond in 14K white gold, an easy everyday way to wear the stone. View product 

Prices and links pulled live from maddalonijewelers.com on July 10, 2026; confirm current pricing and availability before publishing, in case anything has changed or sold. 

See Ruby in Person 

Photos only tell you so much about a stone that changes character in different light. If you're curious about ruby, whether for a July birthday, an anniversary, or just because, stop by our Huntington showroom or book a private appointment. We've been helping Long Island families find the right piece for over 45 years, and we're happy to just talk stones with you, no pressure. 

Book an Appointment  |   Call (631) 499-8800