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Uses of Ruby Gemstones

In 1652, Thomas Nicols described a fine ruby in his "Lapidary or the History of Precious Stones," as a gem that emulated "the bright shining of a flame or fire." Indeed, rubies emit light, or are fluorescent, when exposed to ultraviolet light. Examining how rubies fluoresce often indicates the gems' authenticity and where they formed. The uses of rich, "pigeon-blood" red rubies, both natural and synthetic, are numerous.

Red Corundum
- The mineral species corundum runs a close second to diamonds in hardness. Both rubies and sapphires are members of the corundum family, though red corundum alone results in natural rubies. Traces of chromium in corundum create the rich, red color of rubies. Hard, damage-resistant red corundum is mined in a few areas of the world, but some of the clearest, gem-quality rubies come from Burma and Sri Lanka. Because rubies are tough, abrasive gemstones, certain rubies are often used in science, manufacturing and other industries.
Jewelry and Adornment
- Worn by kings and queens, emperors and empresses, the extremely wealthy and the not so wealthy, the deep blood-red color of rubies has entranced people for centuries. Rubies adorn scepters, thrones, crowns, coronation rings and all manner of royal jewelry and artifacts. A solitary ruby or one or more combined with diamonds form stunning rings, brooches and pendants. The deeper the color, the more valuable the ruby.
Famous Rubies
- Because some rubies are so large and exquisite, they simply serve as collectors' items or museum pieces of great value. New York City's American Museum of Natural History houses the famous DeLong star ruby, weighing in at a staggering 100.32 carats. The DeLong ruby mined in Burma contains a six-rayed star, or asterism, similar to that which is commonly seen in blue star sapphires. A 25-carat cut ruby called the Peace Ruby, also mined in Burma just two days after the signing of the Treatise of Versailles and the end of WWI, was given the name to commemorate the momentous historic event. According to the Angara website, the present whereabouts of the Peace Ruby is unknown. On display in the Louvre in Paris, the Anne of Brittany ruby, weighs 105 carats and is an irregular, polished ruby gemstone.
Laboratory-Grown Rubies
- Synthetic rubies grown in laboratories look very much like natural rubies and may require a gemologist to discern the difference. However, inexpensive laboratory-grown rubies have a variety of uses. Microlap Technologies lists a variety of uses for synthetic rubies, such as stylus tips, probes for measuring instruments, medical implant devices, fiber optic connectors, pen tips, jewel bearings and nozzles for printing heads, just to name a few. Ruby lasers, employed mainly in cosmetic and medical procedures, use lab-created ruby crystals to generate a ruby-red beam of light.
Uses for Imperfect Rubies
- According to the J.J. Kent, imperfect naturally formed red or other corundum that contains significant amounts of foreign matter serves as abrasives, cutting material for other gems or "pivot supports of watches and other delicate machines."

Gemology