What does balas mean?
A balas is a rose-red variety of the mineral spinel, known for centuries as the 'balas ruby' and treasured among the great gemstones of medieval and Renaissance Europe. Mined principally at Kuh-i-Lal in Badakhshan, a region of present-day Tajikistan once called Balascia, these stones reached the West through Persian and Arab trade routes. Because fine red spinels resemble rubies closely, many celebrated gems were misidentified for generations — most famously the Black Prince's Ruby and the Timur Ruby in the British Crown Jewels, both of which are in fact balas spinels. Today, modern gemmology distinguishes spinel from corundum, so the balas is classified simply as red spinel; the word itself persists mainly in historical texts, jewellery catalogues, and literature, where it lends an air of antiquity to descriptions of royal treasure.
nounA balas is a rose-red variety of the mineral spinel, historically prized as a gemstone and often mistaken for ruby. The name derives from Badakhshan (historically 'Balascia'), the Central Asian region where these stones were mined.
- A rose-red variety of spinel, historically called 'balas ruby', valued as a gemstone.
"The crown was set with a magnificent balas ruby that glowed deep rose-red in the candlelight."
"Medieval lapidaries prized the balas above almost every other red stone."
"Her antique ring held a large balas that sparkled with a soft pinkish-red light."
The plural follows regular noun formation; it is rare outside gemmological inventories and historical accounts.
"The treasury inventory listed several balases alongside diamonds and pearls."
The famous 'Black Prince's Ruby' in the British Crown Jewels isn't a ruby at all — it's a balas, a rose-red spinel that fooled gem lovers for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of balas
The word balas comes through Old French balais (and Middle English balas) from Arabic and Persian sources, ultimately deriving from Bādakhshān, historically known as Balascia, the mountainous region famed for its rose-red spinel mines. It has been used in English since the late Middle Ages, usually in the phrase 'balas ruby'. Related forms appear in other European languages, including French balais and Italian balascio.
How balas is actually used
Almost always encountered in historical, gemmological, or literary contexts, typically in the fixed phrase 'balas ruby'. In modern gem trade terminology the stone is simply called red spinel; 'balas' survives chiefly as an antiquarian term.
Easily confused with balas
A balas was long thought to be a kind of ruby but is in fact the mineral spinel; famous 'rubies' such as the Black Prince's Ruby are actually balas spinels.
Ballast is heavy material used to stabilize ships and structures, while a balas is a rose-red gemstone — the words merely share a superficially similar spelling.