Wearing a Ruby (Yaqoot): Finger, Hand, Metal, Day and Setting

Short answer: by long custom, a ruby (yaqoot, also called manik) goes on the ring finger of the right hand, set in gold or copper, and is first worn on a Sunday morning soon after sunrise. These customs come from Vedic astrology, where ruby is the stone of Surya, the Sun. They are traditions, not laws of nature, and plenty of people in Pakistan wear a ruby simply because they love a red stone.

This page covers both sides. First the customs, explained plainly so you can follow them or leave them knowingly. Then the practical side every ruby owner needs: how the stone should sit in the ring, which settings protect it, and what to avoid while wearing it. If you are still choosing your stone, read reading a ruby first and then come back.

The customs in one table

These are the customs most jewellers and astrologers in Pakistan will mention when you bring a ruby in to be set. Families differ, and an astrologer you trust may advise differently for your own chart.

In the zodiac system ruby belongs to Leo, so you will also find it on our Leo gemstones page and among the nine planetary stones.

Which finger, and why the ring finger

The ring finger is the traditional choice because palmistry gives it to the Sun, and Vedic astrology gives ruby to the Sun. The stone and the finger belong to the same planet.

It also happens to be a sensible finger for a ruby ring. It does the least gripping, so a raised stone takes fewer knocks than it would on the index finger. And most men and women already wear rings there, so a ruby looks natural at work or at a wedding.

Some people are told to wear ruby on the index finger instead. If an astrologer says so, ask why and follow whatever advice you are comfortable with. The middle finger is usually avoided, because tradition gives it to Saturn, which astrologers treat as the Sun's opponent.

Right hand or left?

In Pakistan the most common answer is the right hand. Many families explain that it is the hand you give and work with, so the stone "acts" through it. Some astrologers say women may wear it on the left; others say the working hand matters more than gender, so a left-handed person should use the left. The tradition itself does not agree on one answer.

One practical point: on the right hand a ring meets taps, steering wheels, door handles and keyboards all day long. If you go with the right hand, ask for a low, protective setting (more on that below). If you work with your hands, a pendant or a ring on the quieter hand may last better.

Gold, copper, panchdhatu or silver

Gold is the classic metal for ruby. Tradition pairs the Sun with gold, and gold's warm yellow also flatters red, making the stone look richer. Copper is the traditional second choice and still turns up in simple astrological rings because it is cheap. Panchdhatu, a five-metal alloy, is used by some families who follow Hindu practice closely.

Silver is a different story. Some astrologers say silver weakens a Sun stone; plenty of others do not mind. In Pakistan many men avoid gold for religious reasons, and for them a well-made silver ring is the normal choice. If that is you and you have a religious question about metals, ask a scholar you trust. For how each metal looks and wears, see silver vs gold ring settings and chandi rings with stone.

How the metal changes the colour

• Yellow gold warms the red and hides a slightly purplish tone.
• Silver or white gold makes the red look cooler and brighter, which suits a pinkish-red stone.
• Copper blends with the stone for a plain, traditional look, but it tarnishes and can leave a green mark on the skin.

The Sunday morning custom

Tradition says to wear the ruby for the first time on a Sunday, the Sun's day, in the morning, often within the first hour or two after sunrise. Many families also do this beforehand:

1. Leave the ring in clean water or raw milk for a little while, the night before or that morning.
2. Rinse it in clean water and dry it with a soft cloth.
3. Face east, towards the sunrise, and put it on.
4. In Hindu practice, recite the Sun mantra. Muslim families who wear yaqoot as an ornament usually skip this and simply put the ring on.

Some astrologers also pick a date by the moon's phase (a waxing moon) or a particular hora on Sunday. If you want that level of detail, ask whoever recommended the stone. One check before soaking: raw milk does no harm to an untreated or heated ruby, but if your stone is glass-filled, keep the soak short and use plain water.

How heavy should it be?

Astrologers often give a minimum weight, usually in ratti, and this is where buyers lose money through confusion. The standard gemstone ratti used in Pakistan is 0.91 carat. The sunar's smaller ratti is about 0.61 carat. So a "five ratti" ruby is about 4.55 carats in gem terms, but only about 3 carats if someone means the sunari ratti. Always ask which ratti they mean, and use the carat to ratti converter before comparing stones.

For a ring worn every day, size is also about comfort. A ruby of two to four carats sits well on most hands. Big rubies with good colour are rare and expensive, and many buyers end up happier with a smaller stone of better colour than a large dull one. Our ruby collection gives each stone's weight in carats so you can convert it yourself, for example the 3.40-carat ruby or the 3.60-carat Madagascar ruby.

Setting a ruby in a ring

Ruby is corundum, 9 on the Mohs scale, so it shrugs off scratches. It can still chip from a hard knock, especially at a pointed corner or a thin girdle. The setting decides how well it copes with daily life.

Bezel or prongs

• A bezel wraps a thin wall of metal around the stone. It is the safest choice for a man's ring or for anyone who works with their hands.
• Four or six prongs let in more light and show the stone off, and suit a lady's ring or a piece for occasional wear. Ask for strong, slightly thick prongs and check them every few months.
• A half-bezel is the middle path: metal on two sides, open on the other two.

Open back or closed

Tradition asks for an open back so the stone touches the skin, and it helps practically too. Light comes in from behind, so the ruby looks brighter, and you can clean the underside. A closed back traps soap and dust, and over months the stone goes dull.

Height and shape

For daily wear, keep the stone low. Oval and cushion shapes are the most forgiving in a ring because they have no sharp corners. A pear or marquise point needs a V-prong to guard its tip. When you send a stone for setting, tell the jeweller not to heat it with the torch; if you are unsure about a local karigar, our stone setting service explains how we handle it. For ring size, use the ring size guide, and remember a finger is about half a size bigger in the evening or in a Karachi summer.

If you are budgeting for a finished ring, see yaqoot ring price in Pakistan.

Stones traditionally kept away from ruby

Vedic astrology treats some planets as hostile to the Sun, and so advises against wearing their stones alongside ruby. The ones mentioned most are blue sapphire (neelam, Saturn), hessonite (gomed, Rahu) and cat's eye (lehsunia, Ketu). Many astrologers are happy with ruby next to pearl, red coral or yellow sapphire. These are beliefs, so follow them only if you hold them. In a fashion ring with several stones, nothing physical happens when a ruby sits next to a sapphire.

Caring for a ruby you wear

An untreated or simply heated ruby is one of the easiest gems to live with. A glass-filled (lead-glass) ruby is much more delicate, so the first step in caring for yours is knowing which you have. Ask the seller, and read the treatment line on any lab report. We state known treatments on every listing.

• Take it off for the gym, heavy lifting, gardening and any job with tools.
• Keep chemicals away. Bleach, toilet cleaner and lemon juice will not harm corundum, but they etch the glass in a filled ruby and tarnish silver and copper.
• Clean it gently. Lukewarm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft toothbrush, then dry with a soft cloth. No ultrasonic or steam cleaner for a filled stone.
• Store it on its own. Ruby scratches softer stones in the same box, and a diamond can scratch the ruby.
• Check the claws every few months. Most lost stones fall from a loose prong, not a broken one.

Our full gemstone care guide goes into cleaning in more detail.

When to take it off

Practically, take it off for anything rough, and before hand cream or hair oil, which build up under the stone. Traditionally, some families remove planetary stones at funerals or during mourning; others never take them off. If you are wearing it on an astrologer's advice and feel uneasy after some days, tradition says to put it aside and ask for advice. For what the tradition says a ruby is worn for in the first place, read ruby benefits in Pakistan.

Buying a ruby to wear from Authentic Gems

Every ruby we sell is natural, photographed on its own and listed with its weight, origin where known and any treatment. If you want independent lab testing, our authenticity page explains how. We dispatch within one working day; Karachi usually receives it in 1 to 2 working days, and Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities in 2 to 4. Pay Cash on Delivery after opening the parcel and checking the stone in front of the rider, and return it within 7 days if it is not right. Message us on WhatsApp through our contact page with the weight your astrologer suggested, in carats or in the ratti they meant, and we will show you the stones that fit.

Shop the stones: ruby.

The beliefs described here are traditions, shared for interest. They are not guaranteed outcomes, religious rulings or medical advice.