Diamond and ruby wedding rings are like a hybrid from a very old tradition where the ruby used to be the most popular type of stone used in the band. Before the turn of the twentieth century most people had rubies or semi-precious stones as the central stone in their wedding bands and engagement rings. Diamond rings then took center stage for most of the last century until the 1990s when ruby and diamond rings became a huge trend.

It is not just rubies that are interrupting the icy white row of diamonds that used to characterize the traditional wedding ring. Today you are just as likely to see sapphires and emeralds decorating the ring shaft as well. When rubies and diamonds are combined together in a wedding ring it is sometimes called “Cherries in the Snow.” Some jewelers also call it “Snow White” and “Rose Red.”

When it comes to the design of diamond and ruby wedding rings you are either going to see the diamond as the center stone or the ruby as a center stone. If you want a really large center stone then get a ruby as they are less expensive than diamonds.

Another tact is to get a diamond wedding ring that is like a circlet of diamonds and then top it with a ruby solitaire. You could also do the same in reverse and have a circlet of rubies complimented by a band that boasts a big diamond solitaire. If the center stone is a ruby a very popular cut is the heart shape. You can also get heart shaped rubies that are surrounded by stacks of glittering white diamonds.

One reason that more people than ever are choosing a ruby and diamond combination for their wedding and engagement rings is the symbolism. Red symbolizes love and thus the popularity of the ruby. Put together with the diamond, which symbolizes eternity, you have a ring that gives a powerful promise of an enduring relationship.

Another reason that these two stones compliment each other so well is because they are both very hard stones. On the MOH hardness scale the ruby is a 9, which is second only to the diamond, which is a 10. It is the red variety of the corundum mineral and the sapphire is the blue.

Rubies also flash with their own natural inner fire. The center of a ruby will flash purple, orange or blue and so will the center of a diamond. The contrasting colors of the two stones are the difference between warm and cold so diamond and ruby wedding ring set is also sometimes called Fire and Ice.

Even though it is trendy in a way to wear both a ruby and a diamond together it is also interesting to note that it is a very old tradition to wear a ruby as a wedding ring. In fact the ruby was the gemstone of choice for Victorian brides who became fascinated by the big pink gemstones called Burmese rubies that were imported from India.