Patrician Pond Ruby

Latin patrīcius, of the noble class — derived from pater (father). As a color modifier, patrician implies a saturated-and-aristocratic-and-Roman-Republic quality, the deep-rich color of Roman-Patrician-class toga and senatorial-livery hereditary-aristocratic dress. Sits at the bold-and-aristocratic end of the grid, parallel to senatorial and imperial.

Old English pond, enclosed pool of water. As a color modifier, pond implies a small-and-still-water quality, the visual register of village-green-and-farmyard duckweed-and-lily-pad-covered still-water small-pool reflective surfaces in rural English-cottage afternoon-light. Sits at the modifier-and-place end of the grid, parallel to mere and pool 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.