Voluptuous Awe Ruby

Latin voluptuōsus, pleasurable — derived from voluptās (pleasure). As a color modifier, voluptuous implies a saturated-and-rich-and-curving-sensual quality, the deep-rich color of Rubens-and-Boucher baroque-and-rococo flesh-and-fabric tonality. Sits at the bold-and-saturated end of the grid, parallel to lush and plush in tone.

Old Norse agi, fright-and-reverence. As a color modifier, awe implies a reverent-and-overwhelmed-and-hushed quality, the visual register of Burkean-sublime-and-Caspar-David-Friedrich-awe hand-reverent-and-overwhelmed-and-hushed Burkean-sublime-and-Caspar-David-Friedrich-and-Romantic-vista awed-and-reverent-and-overwhelmed-and-hushed surfaces under Burkean-sublime-and-Caspar-David-Friedrich-and-Romantic-vista alpine-and-storm-cloud-and-mountain-pass cathedral-of-nature-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to bliss and grace 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.