July Birthstone: Ruby

I’ve come full circle with my year of birthstone articles, ending with July’s stone, the ruby. (Just for you, mom — happy birthday!) Through my research, I found the ruby to be quite fascinating. It turns out that throughout history, the ruby was considered the most valuable of all stones, even more than a diamond. In the metaphysical world, it has the highest vibration of all stones, so high in fact, that it’s not a stone commonly used in mediation because it’s too darn energetic. Rubies represent love, passion and prosperity. Though I always think of rubies as red, they can actually range from a paler rose to a deep, crimson red (the most valuable). There can be a cast of orange, blue or purple to them, depending on where they are mined.

When you wear a ruby, here’s some of the qualities it will help you with:

-a clear mind
-brings a sense of adventure
-self-confidence
-motivation & high energy
-an aphrodisiac
-gets rid of nightmares
-courage
-stone of manifestation/following your bliss

Interesting, right?! And to whet your ruby appetite, here’s some stellar pieces of jewelry…

Sidney Garber ruby drop accented band

sidney garber ruby drop accented band
Victorian ruby snake bracelet

victorian ruby snake bracelet
Finn ruby drop thread earrings

finn ruby drop thread earrings
Paul Morelli diamond and ruby meditation bell pendant

paul morelli diamond and ruby meditation bell pendant
Lori Mclean baguette and brilliant cut ruby stacking ring

lori mclean baguette and brilliant cut ruby stacking ring
Annie Fensterstock ruby and diamond earrings

annie fensterstock ruby and diamond earrings
Michelle Fantaci pawn cuff bracelet with ruby and turquoise

michelle fantaci pawn cuff bracelet with ruby and turquoise
Ten Thousand Things 18K ruby pendant with pave set diamonds

ten thousand things 18k ruby pendant with pave set diamonds
Victorian diamond and ruby dinner ring

victorian diamond and ruby dinner ring
Nikos Koulis ruby and diamond ring

nikos koulis ruby and diamond ring
Quite the array, hm? If you could have your choice, which would it be? I hope all you July babies out there have a fantastic birthday!

Anne Sportun: New Discoveries at Couture 2014

After getting to know Anne Sportun at the Couture show in 2013, I was eager to visit her booth and see what she’s been up to this past year. It was no surprise that she’s been very busy. Here’s some pieces that caught my eye. (and fingers, and wrists…and neck)

anne sportun double finger ring
This is the first ring I tried on. It’s an uber-comfortable double finger ring accented with 9 diamonds, and it’s part of her stick collection.

Next I tried on this amazing ring which is part of the bamboo collection. I learned this group is an evolution from the stick collection, and it still has her signature stardust texture. While this ring, with its seven layers and 73 diamonds, looks like it might be too wide for some, the design is actually quite brilliant — there’s only one band on the backside, so it’s extremely comfortable.

anne sportun bamboo ring
Anne’s wrap bracelets are always a big hit, and she keeps adding more to the collection. This, in particular, made of rubies, diamonds and chain felt like fabric on my wrist.

anne sportun wrap bracelet
She also dazzled me with this multi-layer ruby bracelet with a gold and diamond bar in the middle. Wow!

anne sportun bracelet
Finally, I really enjoyed seeing her new tassels, which can be added to a necklace or one of her wrap bracelets. The lightness and fluidity add movement and sparkle without weighing the pieces down.

anne sportun gemstone tassel charm
anne sportun tassel on necklace
anne sportun wrap bracelet and tassel
To see more of Anne’s collection, enjoy looking through her beautiful website. Definitely let me know which pieces grab your attention!