Chatham grows ruby crystals in a six-month process that we’ve refined over decades. We start with a naturally mined seed of fine Burmese ruby. We create the perfect environment rich in chromium to give our crystals a vivid red color. The conditions have to be precisely right: We once lost an entire year’s growth of ruby due to a 0.001% trace of another element in the platinum we use to make our crucibles.

Rubies are the gems of intense emotion, worn by queens and warriors. They are gems of passion, fire and power. Throughout most of history, rubies have been the most valuable gems. In Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj, “King of Gems.” In the Bible, wisdom and virtue are said to have a price “above rubies.”