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Rubies and Custom Creation

Rubies have been a favored selection in jewelry for centuries. That tradition continues here at Knox Jewelers, were our patrons select this gemstone to embody love and passion in their custom creations. Ruby’s intense red color is desired for its beauty, rarity and the emotions it stirs. In ancient Sanskrit, ruby is referred to as ratnaraj, or “king of precious stones.” This title has endured throughout the ages, as rubies have come to represent wealth, power and passion; hence their wide use in royal jewelry.

Apart from their chromatic allure, ruby is also a practical choice for jewelry worn on a daily basis, like an engagement ring or wedding band. Corundum, the mineral name for ruby and other shades of sapphire, is ranked 9 on the Mohs Scale, and is hard enough to withstand everyday wear and tear. This being said, it is not indestructible.

With our custom created engagement rings and wedding bands the possibilities are endless when considering incorporating a colored gemstone. Customizing your engagement ring with the inclusion of a romantic ruby will make it a truly personalize, one-of-a-kind piece. Listed below are just some of the ways this crimson gemstone could be featured in your favorite ring settings and bands.

Solitaire Engagement rings

Choose a rich hued ruby in your preferred size and shape as the central focus in any of our custom solitaire rings. This intense center stone can stand alone and offer a bold, classic look.

Antique Engagement Rings

Select a vintage inspired setting with the addition of a ruby center stone to create a romantic engagement ring with ties to the past.

Halo Engagement Rings

Add vintage character with a diamond halo design featuring a contrasting colored ruby center. The juxtaposition of diamonds and a scarlet center stone creates a dynamic engagement ring.

Three Stone Engagement Rings

Get the best of both worlds with a custom engagement ring featuring a diamond center stone framed by saturated ruby accents. A three stone ring setting is the perfect way to incorporate gemstones while still selecting your perfect center diamond.

Ruby-4 Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Design Three Stone Vera

Wide Bands

Our truly unique wide band rings offer the room to experiment with the addition of colored stones. Rubies with definitely stand out in a wide band design no matter where you decide to incorporate them. Their intense color plays well with any shade of gold and the gemstone comes to life when placed against dazzling diamonds.

Wide Band Engagement Rings

One of the most creative ways to include hints of rubies is their inclusion in a wide band engagement ring. Small colored stones could be scattered within any wide design. The combination of a brilliant center stone, side diamond and side rubies would create a true work of art.

Ruby-5 Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Design Freesia

Ladies Wedding Bands

If a traditional diamond engagement ring is more your style, use the addition of your wedding band as the way to display colored rubies. Any of our custom wedding band style can be modified to feature rubies or other colored sapphires. Wedding bands are a great medium to display birthstones, anniversary stone or any colored stone with sentimental value.

Gents Wedding Bands

Men’s bands should not be forgotten when considering the addition of colored gemstones. A dynamic ruby could make your custom gent’s band a one-of-a-kind creation. Rubies bring to mind love and passion, the perfect addition to a wedding band.

Ruby-3 Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Design 1636

Contact Knox Jewelers today and let us help you select the perfect ruby to complete the ring or band of your dreams. Every ruby is unique, and we can search for any shape, size or saturation you have in mind. Make your custom engagement ring a truly one-of-a-kind creation with the addition of special colored gemstones.

June’s Custom Engagement Ring Spotlight

Spotlight-June-1024x768 Unique Engagement Rings — Knox Jewelers Custom Design 3130

Here at Knox Jewelers, one of our new favorite custom created engagement ring focuses around a stunning 1.00 carat emerald cut center diamond accentuated by a glittering micro pavé diamond halo. The opulence continues the length of the band with two bezel set baguette diamonds and unique channel set carre cut stones. The featured rose gold metal adds a warmth and depth to this laden setting. Vintage inspired details showcase the best of Art Deco elements and styling. The edges of this geometric ring are bordered with milgrain edging for a refined and polished finish. This nostalgic Art Deco styled design can be recreated to accommodate any type, shape, or size center stones. Contact Knox Jewelers today to custom tailor this design to your preferred precious metal and central gemstone selection to create your own one-of-a-kind engagement ring!

Where is Alexandrite Found?

Alexandrite is one of several gemstones traditionally coupled to the month of June as it’s birthstone. Alexandrite is a strongly pleochroic gem, which means it can show different colors when viewed from different directions. This gemstone is a very rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its chameleon-like quality arises from the way this particular mineral absorbs and reflects light. Alexandrite has been cherished throughout history for its extraordinary and mysterious attributes.

Alexandrite’s most desirable color is a green to bluish-green hue in daylight with a strong color change to a red to purplish-red hue in incandescent indoor light. A fine quality gemstone with these saturated color and strong color change is relatively rare. Most natural alexandrite found today will be yellowish-green in daylight and change to a brownish-red in incandescent light. The gemstone owes its intense color change ability to the mineral’s unusual light-absorbing properties, and the presence of chromium in its crystal structure. Alexandrite’s dramatic green to red color change is sometimes described as “emerald by day, ruby by night.”

Listed below are the locations where alexandrite naturally occurs and is mined to be transformed into beautifully faceted gemstones.

Brazil – A relatively new mining location for the rare gemstone, Brazil became an important new alexandrite source in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Tanzania – Gem miners in Tanzania find alexandrites, sapphires, and occasionally diamonds on the banks of the Muhuwesi River, near Tunduru.
Madagascar – Alexandrite rough mined in Madagascar often displays intense color and color change.
Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka is home to a wide variety of colored stones, but alexandrite is one of the most desirable gems to be mined in this location.
Russia – Large alexandrite deposits were first discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830. Russia is considered the most traditional source of the gemstone. The first alexandrites found in those deposits were of fine quality with intense hues and extreme color change. The gem was named for the young Alexander II, heir to the throne when the discovery was made. These mines did not last forever, and we must now rely on other sources for alexandrite. Though some claim that there will never be as fine of quality as the first gems found in Russia.

If you are lucky enough to hold the very rare and extremely attractive alexandrite as your birthstone, let us at Knox Jewelers help you custom create a one-of-a-kind piece to showcase this beautiful vibrant color-changing gemstone. Fine alexandrite is available, but extremely rare. To remedy this, several labs in present day can produce lab-grown stones with the same chemical and physical properties as natural alexandrite. If a you have any questions regarding lab created alexandrite, we would be more than happy to assist. Any custom piece of jewelry could be tailored to incorporate this remarkable birthstone. The possibility are endless with such a curious and colorful mineral. A Knox Jewelers custom created piece, featuring a beautiful alexandrite is the perfect way to celebrate any occasion falling within the month. Contact us today and let’s get started. We can always search our cutters’ inventory for your perfect gemstone, or we have a selection of alexandrites already available just waiting to be transformed!