Sapphire Engagement Rings
Tough enough for a ring worn every day. Hardness 9.
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Gemstone engagement rings / Ruby
Is a ruby engagement ring right for you?
Ruby is red sapphire: the same mineral, just coloured by a trace of chromium. That makes it a 9 on the hardness scale and one of the toughest stones you can choose. Here’s what it costs and the one treatment to avoid.
PK
Parth KananiOctober 2026 · 5 min read
In short: Ruby wears as well as sapphire and suits every day. Most are heat-treated, which is fine. Avoid “glass-filled” or “composite” rubies: they’re low-grade stones, fragile, and worth very little.
Red
Illustration
Everyday wear
How well does ruby wear?
Tough enough for a ring worn every dayA 9 on the hardness scale, just below diamond’s 10. Excellent for everyday rings.
Ruby9 / 10 hardness
Diamond10 / 10 hardness
Hardness (Mohs scale) is resistance to scratching. Toughness, how well a stone resists chipping and cracking, matters too, which is why our verdict isn't based on hardness alone.
What to know
What jewellers don't always tell you about ruby
Heated is normal, glass-filled is not
Most rubies are heated to improve colour, which is permanent and accepted. Glass-filled rubies are low-grade stones packed with lead glass to hide cracks. They can be damaged by heat or even lemon juice, and they’re worth a fraction of a real ruby.
Where rubies come from
Myanmar (Burma) is the historic source of the most famous rubies. Today, much of the world’s supply comes from Mozambique. A lab report can state origin, which affects price.
Lab-created rubies
The same mineral, grown in a lab, at a much lower price. A good option if you want the look and the toughness, as long as it’s sold as lab-created.
Prices
What ruby engagement rings cost in the UK
Real prices, not estimates: the range across 11 UK retail listings we checked in October 2026.
From
£649
Typical
£1,676
Up to
£2,850
High-street 9ct rings start around £650. 18ct gold and platinum rings with a sizeable ruby mostly sit between £1,700 and £2,900. Few listings say whether the ruby is heated, so ask.
For comparison: a 1ct round diamond solitaire in 18ct white gold costs about £3,900–£5,600 in Hatton Garden, or £1,650–£2,850 with a lab-grown diamond. See our Hatton Garden price guide.
Before you buy
What to ask and check
- 1Ask, in writing: natural or lab-created, and heated, unheated or glass-filled?
- 2Be wary of large, bright rubies at low prices. That’s the classic sign of a glass-filled stone.
- 3For anything over 1 carat, ask for a lab report stating treatment and origin.
Which metal?
Yellow and rose gold bring out ruby’s warmth. Platinum and white gold make the red look crisper.
Which setting?
A diamond halo or a three-stone with diamonds either side are the classic choices. Ruby also works well in a vintage-style cluster.
Ready to look at real rings?
Coloured stones vary far more than diamonds, so see the actual stone in daylight before you commit. Many Hatton Garden jewellers will source a ruby for a bespoke ring. Compare them in our independent jeweller reviews, or start designing online.
Compare other gemstones
Or see every stone side by side in our gemstone engagement ring guide.
Common Questions
Is ruby good for an engagement ring?+
Yes. Ruby is a 9 on the hardness scale, the same as sapphire, so it handles daily wear well. Just make sure it isn’t a glass-filled ruby.
What is a glass-filled ruby?+
A low-grade ruby whose cracks have been filled with lead glass so it looks clearer and brighter. It’s fragile, can be damaged by heat or household acids, and is worth far less than a heated or unheated ruby.
How much does a ruby engagement ring cost?+
Across 11 UK retail listings we checked in October 2026, ruby engagement rings ranged from £649 to £2,850, with a typical (median) price of £1,676. High-street 9ct rings start around £650. 18ct gold and platinum rings with a sizeable ruby mostly sit between £1,700 and £2,900. Few listings say whether the ruby is heated, so ask.
How hard is ruby?+
Ruby is 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, where diamond is 10. Our verdict: tough enough for a ring worn every day. A 9 on the hardness scale, just below diamond’s 10. Excellent for everyday rings.