The birthstone for July is the ruby, a red gem that's associated with passion, vitality, and courage. The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means "red". The finest rubies are a deep red with hints of purple, called "pigeon's blood". Rubies get their color from trace amounts of chromium, so the more chromium, the stronger the red.
Rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum and are second only to diamonds in terms of durability. They score a 9 out of 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, meaning they're very resistant to breakage and scratching. Rubies can also be used to celebrate a 15th or 40th wedding anniversary.