Senatorial Throb Ruby

Latin senātōrius, of the senator — adjectival suffix. As a color modifier, senatorial implies a saturated-and-aristocratic-and-Roman-Republic quality, the deep-rich color of Roman-Senate toga praetexta purple-bordered ceremonial-citizen-class livery. Sits at the bold-and-aristocratic end of the grid, parallel to patrician and imperial.

Middle English throbben, to-beat-strongly. As a color modifier, throb implies a pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic quality, the visual register of racing-pulse-and-temple-throb hand-pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic racing-pulse-and-temple-throb-and-heartbeat throbbed-and-pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic surfaces under racing-pulse-and-temple-throb-and-heartbeat fevered-and-quickened-and-rhythmic candlelit-bedside-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to pang and pulse 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.