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Passion and power are at the heart of the glowing red gemstone. For millennia or more, red-colored gemstones have captivated humanity. From the radiance of the ruby stone to the glory of the garnet gemstone and the earthly warmth of red jasper, these precious gemstones serve as symbols of status, the fire deep inside all of us, and the rich cultural heritage that spans centuries.
Since ancient times, red crystals have been coveted and considered popular gemstones as they reflect the lifeblood beating inside of us. Red-colored gemstones were carried into battle as it was believed they would protect and preserve; they were also used as amulets and talismans to ward off evil and bring about good health.
Here, we take a closer look at the nature of red gemstones - covering a wide range of crystals in a rich array of shades - from the brightest pop of color to the dark blood touch and fiery shades. We look at the healing benefits and symbolic significance and cover popular choices and the rarest gemstones to help you decide whether red gemstones are right for you.
Understanding Red Gemstones
What Are Red Gemstones?:
The definition of red gemstones comes down to a range of colors and the crystal structures that make something a gemstone. Red gemstones refer to any mineral, crystal, or precious gemstone that falls under a variety of colors that can be classed as red. This spectrum can range from pinkish red to orange-red (like coral gemstones), vibrant red-like ruby, earthy red-like carnelian gemstones, and other distinctive colors that fall under the color spectrum of red.
Gemstones can get their red color from trace minerals such as chromium or iron, among others. The shading will vary depending on the trace minerals involved, the concentration of that mineral, and, of course - the structure and makeup of the crystal in question.
Historical Significance:
Red stones have been sought after throughout history across many centuries and civilizations. In Ancient Egypt, garnets were believed to offer protection and safe passage through the afterlife, which was why it was common to bury pharaohs with these stones. In India, the ruby was called 'the king of gemstones', and this gem, with its distinctive color and quality, was often prized for being a stone of power, passion, and love. In medieval Europe, red gemstones were considered powerful stones and were often set in regal crowns used in ceremonial armor and celebrated as a status symbol.
There are many famous red stones and statement pieces throughout history. Some of the most prized vibrant gemstones include the Black Prince’s Ruby. Despite its name, this famous gemstone is a large red spinel set in the Imperial State Crown of England. It has been part of the British Crown Jewels since the 14th century. There's also the Rosser Reeves Star Ruby. One of the largest and finest star rubies, this gemstone is known for its sharp six-rayed star pattern and vivid red color. It is kept safe and sound in the Smithsonian Institution.
Popular Red Gemstones and Their Properties
Ruby:
Characteristics: The ruby gemstone is famed for its bright red color and for scoring a high nine on the Moh's hardness scale. It also has natural red fluorescence, which gives it that luster and stoplight glow.
Sources: Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka are popular places to find the ruby gemstone.
Metaphysical Properties: Passion, protection, prosperity—these are the radiant energies found in the rare ruby. It's a stone that encourages opulence and love and is known for firing your chi.
Care Tips: Clean your ruby with mild soap and water and avoid harsh chemicals.
Garnet:
Characteristics: The glorious garnet comes in various hues of red, and this versatile gemstone scores a 7.5-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. There are many different varieties of garnet, each with its healing properties.
Sources: The garnet is mined in India, Madagascar, and Brazil.
Metaphysical Properties: The garnet is a soul stirrer. This precious, vibrant gemstone is known for its themes of energy, regeneration, and stability. It gives grounding to the base chakra and can also boost your libido.
Care Tips: Clean with warm, soapy water and avoid high heat, as this may disrupt the ruby's color scheme.
Red Spinel:
Characteristics: Red Spinel is a deep red stone often mistaken for ruby due to its intense coloring. Its beauty comes from its purity in color, as it doesn't exhibit pleochroism. On the Mohs hardness scale, it scores an eight, making it quite a durable gemstone for daily wear.
Sources: The Red Spinel stone is mined and processed in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.
Metaphysical Properties: The Red Spinel gemstone is full of life and vitality. It is known for its color intensity and being a gemstone of renewal, energy, and rejuvenation. It is a bright and shining beacon of strength.
Care Tips: Clean your Red Spinel with soapy water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. As with all gemstones, avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners.
Red Tourmaline (Rubellite):
Characteristics: Red Tourmaline, also known as rubellite, comes in varying shades, from pink to deep red. It scores a 7-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: You can find the rich and radiant Red Tourmaline in Brazil and Africa.
Metaphysical Properties: The Red Tourmaline stone is known for its grounding, protection, and heavenly healing. It also works with the root chakra to keep you standing strong.
Care Tips: Clean with mild soap and water to maintain its spectrum of colors and avoid high heat.
Lesser-Known Red Gemstones
Red Jasper:
Characteristics: Red Jasper crystals are known for being an opaque stone with an earthy red color. It scores a 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Sources: Red Jasper is a foundation stone that can be found Worldwide. Some of the popular places for mining include the USA and Brazil.
Metaphysical Properties: Strength, vitality, and stability are the hallmarks of the Red Jasper stone, which is why it's a favorite choice for those working on their root chakra and looking to be nurtured.
Care Tips: Clean with a soft cloth and avoid harsh chemicals to keep your Red Jasper working well on your emotional strength.
Carnelian:
Characteristics: Carnelian is a translucent reddish-orange stone with medium-high hardness. It scores 6.5-7 on the Moh's hardness scale. Its fiery shades are loaded with symbolic significance.
Sources: Brazil and India are two popular places for finding the Carnelian gemstone.
Metaphysical Properties: Carnelian crystals are known for its courage, motivation, and creativity. You can use this gemstone for vibrancy, to lend fire to a project, and for wadding more courage and joy into your world.
Care Tips: Clean with mild soap and water and avoid prolonged sun exposure if it causes fading to the charming color spectrum of your Carnelian Necklace or stone.
Red Coral:
Characteristics: The Red Coral stone has organic origins and is born in the blue depths of the sea. Its shades range from pink to a deep, vibrant red. This relatively soft stone scores a 3-4 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most popular places for Red Coral, but it can also be found in Japan.
Metaphysical Properties: Red coral has dreamy depths, and the water connection is helpful in emotional healing. It also brings the metaphysical properties of protection and prosperity.
Care Tips: Because your Red Coral is soft, you should avoid water and chemicals. Instead, keep it clean with a soft cloth.
Red Beryl (Bixbite):
Characteristics: Red Beryl is a rare stone with deep red hues and a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale.
Sources: As mentioned, Red Beryl is rare but can be mined in Utah and New Mexico.
Metaphysical Properties: Red Beryl is a stone of vitality and passion. It is known for stoking your inner fire, boosting motivation, and lending zest and light to all corners of your life.
Care Tips: When cleaning your rare red beryl, gently clean and avoid harsh chemicals. You also want to avoid knocks, bumps, and scratches.
Assessing the Quality of Red Gemstones
Color:
When it comes to base color, red gemstones can vary in their vibrancy and hue. Some stones may exhibit orange, pink, or even purple, but those with a purer red hue will be the most prized. Tone will also play a factor with a medium tone, adding the most value to the gem. If the tone is too light, it may appear pink, and if it is too dark, it may appear black - taking away from its captivating color. Saturation also marks the vibrancy of the gemstone and its color intensity. The more vibrant, the more desirable.
Clarity:
Clarity speaks to the inclusions and internal features commonly found in gemstones. Inclusions are natural -such as seeing needles in rubies. However, too many inclusions can take away from the beauty of the elegant design and will impact color, play on light, and other features. Red gemstones with fewer inclusions will be considered more valuable.
Cut:
The cut of the gemstone also plays a part in its beauty. The proper cut can enhance gemstone brilliance and color variants and add iridescent flashes that make a stone so special. If a stone is poorly cut, it can appear dull and lifeless—the opposite effect you want from your fiery red pop of color stones. The oval cut and the cushion cut can be effective choices for rings, especially for evening wear, as they have a vintage appeal, enhance color, and make the gemstone appear larger.
Carat Weight:
Carat refers to the weight of the stone and can influence value, with heavier stones often being considered more precious. However, the weight is not the only element to take into account, as even a large red gemstone with a poor cut and poor clarity will be worth less than a smaller stone with exceptional clarity.
Uses of Red Gemstones
Jewelry:
Red gemstones are glorious choices for jewelry and a great choice for rings, especially because of their statement style. Rubies and garnets, in particular, can be great alternatives for engagement rings for those who don't want to wear diamonds. It's also popular to see red semi-precious stones in bracelets, earrings, pendants, and more for everyday wear. Red gemstones tend to be so bold they can be worn in minimalist pieces, or they look gorgeous in vintage style. There's boldness and romance in red gemstone jewelry.
Metaphysical and Healing Properties:
Red gemstones have many healing benefits and can be connected to the root chakra and sacral chakra, which assists with our emotional well-being and feelings of safety and security thanks to their protective properties. It can boost our mental clarity, fill our hearts and minds with positive energy, assist us in physical strength, and keep negative energies at bay. There are many different red gemstones out there, and each brings its own healing energies, but overall - you can expect them to share a vivaciousness for life, a sense of strength, and to hold the symbolic meaning of love and light.
Decorative Objects:
Red gemstones in jewelry designs aren't the only popular way of calling on the symbolic meaning and healing power of these stones; you can also welcome them into the home. Having red gemstones in home decor, carvings, and decorative crystal pieces is a great way to call on their energy in your personal space. Crystal towers, pyramids, and spheres can all be used to boost vibrancy, warmth, passion, and protection in your world.
Buying Red Gemstones
Where to Buy:
You can find a wild and beautiful array of red gemstones from online retailers, your local jewelers, or your nearest crystal shops. Of course, some sellers will have a more extensive selection than others, and one benefit of online buying is access to a wide variety. When buying your stones, make sure you buy from reputable sellers, and don't be shy about asking for certificates and proof of authenticity.
Price Considerations:
Different gemstones will cost different prices, and a lot goes into determining a gemstone's value. The rarity of the stone is often one of the most important factors, but the gem's color, cut, clarity, and carat will also come into consideration. The more vivid in color, the better the gem captures the light, and the weight of the stone will often add up to a higher price point. While rubies can be on the higher end of the market, you can find budget-friendly alternatives that still make the most of that stunning red color - for example, garnet gemstones and red spinels share the beauty with a more pocket-friendly price.
Tips for Online Shopping:
If you choose to buy your gemstones online, make sure that you select a trusted seller. You can research the ratings, read customer reviews, and establish contact to ask about certifications. Be sure to check return policies in case the crystal doesn't arrive in the condition you expected.
Caring for Red Gemstones
Cleaning:
With their beautiful, vibrant coloring, you want to keep your red gemstones shining bright. The best way of cleansing your gemstones is to use soapy water and a soft cloth, as this is the least invasive method. Always avoid using abrasive cleaners and ultrasonic cleaners and avoid harsh chemicals. Different stones will have different needs depending on their hardness, but sage smudging, leaving in moonlight, burying in the earth, and using simple water and cloth can be excellent ways of energetically cleansing your stones, too.
Storage:
Store your everyday jewelry and red gems safely to prevent damage and stretches. You can store them in separate jewelry box compartments or use soft pouches to keep your stones safe. When not wearing or carrying with you, be sure to store away from direct sunlight and avoid exposure to extreme temperatures, as this can strip your beautiful red stone of its vibrant color.
Handling:
To be safe, remove gemstone jewelry during sports, heavy exercise, and swimming or showering. You can also ensure that you take your precious red gemstone jewelry for regular inspections to ensure the stone is safe and secure in its jewelry setting.
Conclusion
Red gemstones are stunning, and with their color, sense of passion, strong grounding properties, and vitality, it's always a good idea to welcome more red into your crystal collection. Feel free to share your favorite red gemstones with us and why they set your soul on fire.
FAQs
What is the rarest red gemstone
Red Beryl is considered to be one of the rarest red gemstones. It has much in common with emeralds and morganite and has manganese stashed in its makeup, giving it that lush red hue.
What do red stones symbolize
Red gemstones symbolize love, passion, vitality, grounding, and protection. There is a wide range of red gemstones, each with its own metaphysical meanings and symbolism, but often, they are stones connected to the root chakra.
What precious stone is usually red
A wide range of precious stones share the color red. Some red precious stones include ruby, garnet, red beryl, and red spinel.
Which red stone is for money
Garnet is a stone that can energize and turn us into a channel for wealth. It has a revitalizing energy that boosts our motivation and helps us manifest prosperity.
