Fifteenth Anniversary Stone: Ruby
The fifteenth anniversary stone is ruby — the red corundum that sits at 9 on the Mohs scale, just below diamond. It is the first deep-colour milestone, and it is hard enough to wear every day.
Key takeaways
- The 15th anniversary stone is ruby, and both the traditional and modern lists agree on it.
- Ruby is the red variety of corundum, the same mineral as sapphire, and its colour comes from traces of chromium.
- It is extremely durable, sitting at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond, which makes it ideal for a ring worn every day.
- Colour drives a ruby's value more than anything else, with a rich pure red often called "pigeon's blood" fetching the highest prices.
- Ruby is also the July birthstone, so a July couple hitting fifteen years gets a natural double meaning.
- Vanhess designs and sets ruby by hand in our Coquitlam workshop and will explain how treatment and origin affect price.
What is the 15th anniversary stone?
The 15th anniversary stone is ruby. This is one of the clean years: the traditional and modern lists both land on ruby, with no split to weigh. It is also, quietly, one of the strongest anniversary stones you can be given, both for what it means and for how well it lasts. If you want to see how fifteen sits in the wider run of years, our anniversary stones guide lays them out in order.
What ruby actually is
Ruby is the red form of corundum, which is the same mineral that gives us sapphire. In fact the only real difference between a ruby and a sapphire is colour: red corundum is ruby, and every other colour is sapphire. The red comes from traces of chromium in the crystal, and the more chromium, the deeper and more vivid the red. On durability there is very little to worry about. Ruby sits at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond at 10, which makes it one of the toughest stones you can wear. It shrugs off the daily knocks that would chip a softer stone, and it holds a polish for years. That hardness is a big part of why ruby has always been a stone for pieces meant to be worn constantly and kept for generations. Most rubies on the market have been heat-treated to improve their colour and clarity, which is a long-accepted, stable practice; untreated stones with fine natural colour are rarer and priced well above treated ones.
Why ruby for year fifteen
Ruby is the stone of deep red, and deep red has meant love, passion and vitality for about as long as people have worn gems. Handing over a ruby at fifteen years is about as direct a statement as jewellery makes: strong colour, strong stone, still going. We do not need to dress that up. There is real history behind it too. Ruby has been among the most prized gems in the world for centuries, valued across Asia and Europe alike, and fine Burmese rubies have long set the standard for colour. The fifteenth is a genuine milestone, and ruby carries the weight of one without tipping into showiness. If you or your partner were born in July, ruby is also the July birthstone, which our July birthstone page covers, so a July couple gets a nice double meaning at year fifteen.
Choosing a piece for your 15th
Here is the good news: because ruby is so hard, you can put it almost anywhere and wear it hard without worry. It is one of the few coloured stones we happily set in an everyday engagement-style ring, a solitaire or a three-stone design, knowing it will take daily life in its stride. A prong setting lets the most light into the stone and shows the red at its best; a bezel is a fine choice too if you want the extra security, though ruby rarely needs it. Colour is the thing to spend your attention on when choosing. A rich, pure red reads as more valuable than a stone that drifts toward brownish or pinkish tones, and the very finest pure reds are sometimes called "pigeon's blood." Size and clarity matter, but with ruby, colour leads. It also makes superb pendants and stud earrings, where a single clean red stone carries a piece on its own. Yellow gold warms the red; white gold or platinum gives a crisper, more modern contrast. We design and set ruby by hand here in Coquitlam, and we will always be straight with you about whether a stone is treated and how that affects the price. You can start a one-off piece, or reset an inherited ruby into something new, through our bespoke anniversary service.
Keeping ruby looking its best
Ruby is one of the easiest stones to live with. At a Mohs 9 it resists scratches from nearly everything, so it stands up to daily wear with almost no fuss. Warm soapy water and a soft brush keep it bright, and most untreated and heat-treated rubies are safe in an ultrasonic cleaner, though if a stone has been fracture-filled with glass, which is a lower-grade treatment, it should be kept out of ultrasonics and harsh chemicals. If you are unsure how your ruby was treated, ask us or stick to the soapy-water method. Store it apart from softer stones so it does not scratch them, since ruby is hard enough to mark almost anything else in the box. Beyond that, a ruby asks very little and gives a great deal back, which is exactly what you want from a stone marking fifteen years.
Turn your fifteenth anniversary stone into a piece you’ll wear
Bring the year, the stone and a rough budget. Our on-site goldsmith in Coquitlam will design it with you — reset a stone you already own, or build something new around the right gem.
Prefer to talk? Call our studio at (604) 653-6449.Frequently asked questions
What is the 15th anniversary gemstone?
Ruby is the 15th anniversary stone. Both the traditional and modern anniversary lists agree on it, so there is no traditional-versus-modern choice to make. It is the deep red variety of corundum, the same mineral as sapphire.
Is ruby durable enough for an everyday ring?
Very much so. Ruby scores 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, second only to diamond, so it stands up to daily wear better than almost any other coloured stone. It is one of the few gems we happily set in an everyday engagement-style ring.
What is the difference between a ruby and a sapphire?
Only colour. Both are the mineral corundum. Red corundum is called ruby, and every other colour of corundum is called sapphire. A ruby's red comes from traces of chromium in the crystal.
What makes one ruby more valuable than another?
Colour leads, more than size or clarity. A rich, pure red is worth more than a stone that drifts toward brownish or pinkish tones, and the finest pure reds are sometimes called pigeon's blood. Whether a stone is treated and where it came from also affect the price.
Are most rubies treated?
Yes. Most rubies on the market have been heat-treated to improve their colour and clarity, which is a long-accepted, stable practice. Untreated stones with fine natural colour are rarer and cost considerably more. A lower-grade treatment called glass fracture-filling also exists, and those stones need gentler care.
How do I clean a ruby?
Warm soapy water and a soft brush keep it bright, and most heat-treated and untreated rubies are safe in an ultrasonic cleaner. If a stone has been glass fracture-filled, keep it out of ultrasonics and harsh chemicals. If you are unsure how yours was treated, stick to the soapy-water method.
Is ruby linked to any birth month?
Yes. Ruby is the July birthstone. That makes it a fitting gift for a July couple celebrating their fifteenth anniversary, giving the piece a second layer of meaning.
Can Vanhess make a custom ruby piece or reset an old one?
Yes. We design and set ruby by hand in our Coquitlam workshop and can build a one-off ring, pendant, or earrings, or reset an inherited ruby into something new. We will always be straight about whether a stone is treated and how that affects the price, all through our bespoke anniversary service.