Handy Pocket Guide to Asian Gemstones. Carol Higgins Clark

most revered gemstones. In India, it is known by the ancient Sanskrit names ratnaraj, "King of Gems," and ratnanayaka, "Leader of Gems." The Hindus believed that he who made offerings of rubies to the god Krishna would be reborn as a powerful king. The Myanmaran word for ruby—ma naw ma ya—means "desire-fulfilling stone." According to Myanmaran tradition, wearing rubies will make your wishes come true. The gems are also believed to give their wearers sexual appeal and protect them from danger.

      One of the oldest sources of rubies is Mogok, in Myanmar. A legend attributes the founding of the town in AD 579 to a tribe of headhunters from nearby Molmeik. Throughout history the Mogok mines have produced rubies sought after by sultans, emperors and maharajahs. The Myanmaran kings, however, laid first claim to all significant stones of Mogok.

      Failure by a miner to turn over a large ruby to the king brought dire consequences, as illustrated by the tale of Nga Mauk. This miner found a magnificent stone in 1661 which broke in half along a flaw—either by accident or design. Nga Mauk dutifully presented one 81-carat piece to the king but he could not resist the temptation of selling the other half privately. Shortly afterwards the king held a party at his palace in Mandalay. When he brought out the ruby to proudly show his guests, an Indian merchant said he possessed a stone of equal beauty and showed the king. Enraged, the king ordered Nga Mauk burned alive at a site now known as Laung Zin, or "fiery platform."

      The Nga Mauk Ruby disappeared in 1885, when the British overthrew King Thibaw, the last king of Myanmar, and seized the palace in Mandalay. Some Myanmarans believe that the British took the stone and recut it for their crown jewels. Others, however, point out that the ruby could have just as easily been stolen by servants.

      Rubies from Thailand

      Rubies from Orissa, India

      ICA photos

      Sapphire

      Asian origins: India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam

      The sapphire is the serene, more subtly beautiful sister stone of the ruby. Both gems belong to the corundum mineral family and are essentially crystallized aluminum oxide. Red corundum—which consists of aluminum oxide and traces of chromium—is called ruby, while blue corundum—colored by traces of titanium and iron—is known as sapphire. Like rubies, sapphires are second in hardness only to diamonds.

      Corundum containing other trace elements appears in a spectrum of colors, including yellow, violet, pink, green and orange. Any corundum gemstones which are not red or blue are called "fancy sapphire."

      Blue is by far the most popular of the sapphire colors. The name derives from the Greek sapphirus, for blue. Since early times, the sapphire has been associated with celestial forces. In ancient Sanskrit it is referred to as sauriratna, "sacred to Saturn." Buddhists consider the sapphire a symbol for peace and faithfulness in love, making it a popular choice for an engagement ring gem.