Robust Aries Ruby

From the Latin robustus, of oak — implying strength combined with substance. As a color modifier, robust describes saturation combined with body: a robust burgundy, a robust olive. Sits in the bold-and-warm corner alongside strong and solid, with the slightly textural implication of a color that has substance behind the pigment.

Latin aries, ram-of-the-fleece. As a color modifier, aries implies a ram-and-fire-sign-and-Mars-ruled-cardinal-fire quality, the visual register of Babylonian-ram-and-Greek-Aries hand-ram-and-fire-sign-and-Mars-ruled-cardinal-fire Babylonian-ram-and-Greek-Aries-and-Golden-Fleece aries-and-ram-and-fire-sign surfaces under Babylonian-ram-and-Greek-Aries-and-Golden-Fleece spring-equinox-and-March-and-April fire-sign-light. Sits at the modifier-and-zodiac end of the grid, parallel to taurus and gemini in usage.

From the Latin ruber — simply, red. The gemstone is a chromium-tinged corundum, harder than anything in nature except diamond, and so saturated that a fine Burmese pigeon's blood ruby at auction outpaces a comparable diamond by weight. The color borrows the gem's confidence: a clear, glassy red without the brown of garnet or the blue of crimson.