I-Ruby iyitshe eliyigugu elihle neliyigugu kakhulu eliye laziswa amakhulu eminyaka ngenxa yombala walo obomvu ogqamile nokuqina. Kuwuhlobo lwe-corundum, okuyi-mineral eyakhiwe nge-aluminium oxide. Lapho i-aluminium oxide iqukethe izakhi zokulandelela ze-chromium, iba irubi.
I-Ruby yaziwa ngombala wayo ocebile, obomvu, ongasukela kokujulile, okubomvu okumnyama kuya kokubomvu okukhanyayo, okugqamile. Ukuqina kombala kuncike enanini le-chromium ekhona etsheni. Amarubi anokuqukethwe okuphezulu kwe-chromium athathwa njengabaluleke kakhulu.
Ngaphezu kombala wayo, i-ruby iphinde yaziswa ngenxa yokuqina kwayo. Ilinganisa u-9 esikalini se-Mohs samaminerali ubulukhuni, okwenza libe elinye lamatshe ayigugu anzima kakhulu. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ayikwazi ukuklwejwa nokucwiywa, okwenza kube ukukhetha okuhle kobucwebe obuzogqokwa nsuku zonke.
I-Ruby imbiwa emazweni amaningi emhlabeni jikelele, okuhlanganisa i-Afghanistan, iMadagascar, neThailand. Izinga le-ruby lincike endaweni kanye nezimo zemayini, kanye nekhono lomvukuzi. Amarubi ambiwa ezindaweni ezine-chromium eningi avame ukuba nombala ojulile, ogqamile.
I-Ruby iyinketho ethandwayo yobucwebe, futhi ivame ukusetshenziswa emasongweni okuzibandakanya, imigexo, amacici, nezinye izinhlobo zobucwebe obuhle. Ibuye isetshenziselwe ubucwebe bendabuko namasiko, njengerubi “yegazi lejuba” laseBurma, elithathwa njengerubi elisezingeni eliphakeme kakhulu.
Sekukonke, i-ruby iyitshe eliyigugu elimangalisayo neliyigugu elaziswa ngombala walo obomvu ocebile nokuqina. Ukuguquguquka kwayo kanye nobuhle bayo kwenza kube ukukhetha okudumile kobucwebe nezinye izinto zokuhlobisa.