Ruby: July Birthstone

July is my birthday month, so perhaps I was always destined to have a particular affection for ruby.

There is something wonderfully unapologetic about this stone. Ruby does not whisper. Its colour has always been associated with passion, vitality and love, and throughout history it has been one of the most treasured of all gemstones.

But what I love most about ruby is its individuality.

Natural rubies come in a remarkable range of tones. Some are deep and dramatic, others have flashes of pink, raspberry or wine. Their inclusions and variations are part of their character — a reminder that natural beauty is rarely about perfect uniformity.

This is very much how I like to work with gemstones.

I am drawn to stones that feel alive: colour that changes slightly with the light, subtle differences from one bead to another, and the tiny irregularities that tell you something has come from the earth rather than from a machine.

In my own jewellery, I particularly love pairing ruby with pearl. There is something about the contrast that fascinates me: the richness and intensity of ruby against the soft luminosity of pearl. One is vibrant and passionate; the other quiet and serene. Together, they create a balance that feels both timeless and modern.

Perhaps being born in July makes me biased, but ruby has always seemed to me to be a stone with confidence.

It is precious, certainly — but it doesn’t have to be saved for grand occasions. I love the idea of wearing beautiful stones as part of everyday life: with a white shirt, a favourite dress, or simply because a flash of extraordinary colour can change the way you feel.

Jewellery should live with us. It should gather memories, travel with us and become part of our personal story.

And perhaps that is why ruby feels like such an appropriate stone for the height of summer: warm, vivid and full of life.

As a July woman, I’m very happy to claim it as mine.'