July · Red

July birthstone: Ruby

The stone for July in both the modern and traditional lists.

Modern birthstone Ruby
Traditional birthstone Ruby
Colour Red
Birth flower Larkspur and Water Lily
Zodiac signs Cancer, Leo
Hardness (Mohs) 9

Burmese ruby from the Mogok valley set the standard the trade still calls pigeon's blood. Fine ruby regularly outprices diamond per carat.

July stones in detail

Ruby

Composition Aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) — corundum coloured by chromium
Hardness · Crystal system 9 · Trigonal
Mined in Myanmar, Mozambique, Thailand, Madagascar, Sri Lanka

Ruby and sapphire are the same mineral. Red corundum is ruby; every other colour is sapphire.

Traditionally associated with courage, appetite for life and decisive action.

Care. Warm soapy water. Safe in ultrasonic unless fracture-filled — and lead-glass-filled rubies are common, so ask.

Spotting a fake. Almost all commercial ruby is heat-treated, which is normal and disclosed. Synthetic ruby has been made since 1902 and is chemically identical; curved growth lines under magnification give it away.

July birth flowers

Larkspur

Traditionally signifies an open heart.

Water Lily

Traditionally signifies purity of intention.

More on July birth flowers →

If you go by zodiac sign instead

July spans two signs — Cancer and Leo — and the zodiac stone list does not match the monthly one. Which applies to you depends on the day, not just the month.

Cancer stones · Leo stones

Questions about the July birthstone

What is the birthstone for July?

Ruby in the modern list.

What colour is the July birthstone?

Red.

What is the July birth flower?

Larkspur and Water Lily — signifying an open heart.

Is it hard enough to wear every day?

Ruby sits at 9 on the Mohs scale. That is hard enough for a ring in daily wear.

Other months

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