October
10
/ 2018
Western culture has a relatively shallow relationship with gemstones. Most people place great value on diamonds as being symbolic of commitment and only a few know this entire ritual began in a 1947 De Beers advertising campaign which pushed the line: "A Diamond is Forever.” To understand the inordinate importance of gemstones in history one needs to turn from the blinding light of diamonds because in reality, right up to the mid-20th century, rubies were a girl’s best friend. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"53364","attributes":{"alt":"Two crystals of lustrous and translucent, cherry red ruby with exquisite micro-details on the faces and sharp bevelled edges. The larger one, exhibiting superb crystal form, measures 1.5 cm across. Recovered from: Winza, Mpapwa, Mpapwa (Mpwampwa) District, Dodoma region, Tanzania. (CC
