By Åse Anderson
The most romantic day of the year is just around the corner and if you really want to spoil someone, rubies are the perfect gemstone with which to do it. Few gems attract the eye like a top-quality ruby. The colour of love, the "king of gemstones" radiates emotion,
The finest untreated rubies are incredibly rare, and in recent years their value has risen dramatically due to the increasing rarity of the best-quality stones. If you are looking for the ultimate gift this Valentine's Day, they don't come more precious than the highly sought-after ruby.
Head to the world's most respected jewellery houses for the most exclusive rubies. Each high jewellery piece featured here is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, and the rubies are guaranteed to be of the finest quality, like the Burmese rubies in London jeweller David Morris' Wildflower earrings. Otherwise known as "Pigeon's blood" rubies, these beautiful gems are considered to be the finest of all rubies thanks to their deep red hue.
The ruby earrings from Glenn Spiro's G Collection feature a dozen untreated fancy-cut rubies from Mozambique, weighing a total of 67.34cts. With a price tag to match, these earrings surely top the list of the ultimate ruby jewellery for Valentine's Day.
The lotus flower, which represents divine beauty and purity in the Hindu religion, is picked out in gemstones on the majestic Asprey Lotus ruby earrings. The multi-faceted rubies have been cut to resemble beads and set one on top of the other to create sumptuous tassels - one of our favourite recent trends in jewellery.
Dripping with the grape-like gem clusters that have become a de GRISOGONO signature, the mismatched ruby and diamond pendant earrings tap into the trend for asymmetric jewellery but elevate it to high jewellery status.
With the Archi Dior high jewellery collection, designer Victoire de Castellane has recreated Christian Dior's iconic couture dresses in metal and precious stones. The magnificent Corolle Soir Rubis diamond and ruby ring mimics the drapes of silk on the 1947 Soiree dress. The most romantic of them all, however, has to be the ruby ring from Van Cleef & Arpels' Peau d'Ane high jewellery collection. This butterfly perches delicately on the finger and is the epitome of romance.
