Contemporary 22 karat gold cross in the
Byzantine style with a genuine ruby
Considered in the Ancient East to be the luckiest
of all gems, the ruby is said to confer upon its
owner protection from all misfortune either
manmade or natural. Like the sapphire, the ruby
is a member of the corundum family, an
aluminum oxide which owes its bright red color
to the trace presence of chromium. The major
sources for this mineral bath in antiquity and
today is the Orient, especially Burma, Thailand
and India. On a carat for carat basis, the ruby is
generally the most expensive of all precious
stones. The most prized hue for the gem is
called "pigeon's blood", a deep red touched with
violet; a necklace of these stones is said to have
been given by Alexander the Great to the Queen
Mother of Persia. However, because of its Eastern
origins, the ruby was little known to the Classical
cultures of the West. In the East, especially India,
the ruby was much sought after; Sanskrit
writings refer to it as the "king of gems". Its red
color associated it medicinally with diseases of
the blood, and it was especially valued to ward
off pestilence, to staunch bleeding, as well as
cure diseases of the stomach. in Eastern belief, it
also promoted peace and prosperity for its
owner, and granted him invulnerability from all
evil.
What could be more suitable then for this
gorgeous gem to lie at the center of a cross.
From its heart, like the sacred heart, tiny beads
in clusters radiate outwards as elements of holy
light. This gold cross is both delicate and
powerful, possessing its own inner radiance
which will never diminish; like the faith which
inspired its creation.
- (FJ.6145)
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