Taylor & Hart Chooses Red As The Color of Love For Valentine’s Day
The color of passion, fire and desire, red has become associated with Valentine’s day—the day when we celebrate love in different stages and the person who can make our heart skip a beat (in a good way). When it comes to jewelry, rubies date back for centuries as the stone of passion, lust and enduring love; therefore it makes sense they should also be one of the main stones that symbolize the romance of this holiday. While some people think of V-day as cheesy—there are enough hopeful romantics that are quite happy when cupids pop around and hearts are an iconic symbol of the day.
At Taylor & Hart, rubies tend to go a little further as they have become the custom engagement ring company’s signature stone set inside the engagement ring band when the design permits as a secret between you and your partner. “We understand that your engagement rings are sentimental and meaningful. Our signature ruby serves as an intimate reminder of the love and attention that went into creating the perfect ring. The red ampersand in our logo replicates the signature ruby, reminding couples that as we work on their ring we cherish what we do—creating a ring that will serve as a symbol of their everlasting bond.” says Kate Earlam-Charnley, Design Director at Taylor & Hart.
Taylor & Hart signature ruby stone inside the band of the ring
A little history: rubies are the stuff of legend, lore and literature. They have been written about in proverbs, the Book of Job, in association with wisdom, the Bible, novels and poetry. Even the great Italian, British and French adventurers and gem hunters, Marco Polo, Sir John Mandeville, and Jean Tavernier wrote about the wonders of the ruby.
This gorgeous colored stone signifies powerful emotions and was believed to hold the power of life. No small task for this majestic gem, which can first be traced to Myanmar – a ruby source since approximately 600AD. The color of Burmese rubies is usually referred to as having a pigeon’s blood hue and these gems are considered the finest in the world, but prized rubies are also found in Africa, India, Sri Lanka and Australia. Ratnaraj, which in the ancient language of Sanskrit is the word for ruby or ‘king of precious stones’. In Latin, the word ruby comes from ruber, which means ‘red’.
“We like to bring our rings into a more modern context—as we follow the celebrity brides over the past 10-20 years that have chosen ruby engagement rings. These include but are not limited to Ashley Simpson and Jessica Simpson, Victoria Beckham (whose 14 rings needed to include at least one stunning ruby style), Eva Longoria and Katie Perry to name just a few,” says Earlam-Charnley.
Taylor & Hart Radiant Cut Ruby Ring with diamond shank
Hollywood icons and European royalty are known for their jewelry collections such as Queen Elizabeth II, The Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace of Monaco, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlene Dietrich had favorite ruby pieces that might not have been engagement rings but told a huge part of their love stories.
A modern version of the Moi et Toi ring which means ‘me and you’ in French
When asked how they feel about ruby engagement rings and getting engaged on Valentine’s Day in general, Earlam-Charnley explains, “for some, a Valentine’s Day proposal may sound unoriginal or clichéd, but for others, it solidifies the commitment. Valentine’s day is actually the second most popular date to propose after Christmas Day. We always witness a spike in engagement ring purchases before 14 February and have made it possible for our customers to choose a ring from our ready-to-go collection or a Proposal ring.
CAD of Heart-shaped ruby ring
Final of Heart-shaped ruby ring
“The ‘ready to go collection’ can be ready to ship in five days. The ‘proposal ring’ collection was created for the groom-to-be to plan an unforgettable surprise proposal, ask for his partner’s hand with a stunning placeholder ring, and then come back later together to create the engagement ring in collaboration with us.”
She continues, “As for rubies in general, the demand has increased in the past year from 5% to 9% of all inquiries, while the leaders in colored gemstones, emerald and sapphire, have remained firmly fixed with no major changes in popularity. The most sought after ruby shape is round, followed by emerald (octagonal) and oval cuts.”
Ruby engagement ring sketch with round diamond
This Valentine’s day, you should definitely be seeing red and planning a future that will be filled with enduring passion, desire, romance and the love that grows sweeter and deeper with time.
Sketch of Ruby Flower Ring by Kate Earlam-Charnley
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