Designs by Kim
Classic to Trendsetting Jewelry
& Accessories
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One large difference between stones is their degree of hardness.
By definition each gemstone can scratch a softer stone and in turn be
scratched by a harder stone. The degree of hardness is measured by
the Moh's scale from the softest, 1, to the hardest, 10.
|
Hardness |
Characteristics |
Stone |
| 1 | Can be scratched easily with a fingernail | Gypsum, Sulphur |
| 2 | Can be scratched with a fingernail | Amber, Ivory |
| 3 | Can be scratched with a coin | Pearl, Coral, Malachite |
| 4 | Can be scratched easily with a knife; cannot scratch glass | Rhodochrosite |
| 5 | Can be scratched with a knife; can just scratch glass | Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Opal |
| 6 | Can be scratched with a steel file; easily scratches window/bottle glass | Moonstone, Tanzanite, Peridot, Zircon |
| 7 | Easily scratches metal, glass and softer stones | Citrine, Amethyst, Tourmaline, Garnet, Emerald |
| 8 | Scratches quartz and softer stones | Topaz, Alexandrite |
| 9 | Scratches topaz and softer stones | Ruby, Sapphire |
| 10 | Cannot itself be scratched, but can scratch all other gemstones | Diamond |
Modern Birthstones
| Month | Stone |
| January | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine, Bloodstone |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite |
| July | Ruby |
| August | Peridot, Sardonyx |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal, Pink Tourmaline |
| November | Topaz, Citrine |
| December | Blue Zircon, Turquoise |
Stones of the Zodiac
| Zodiac Sign | Gemstone | Inclusive Dates |
| Aquarius | Garnet | January 20 - February 19 |
| Pisces | Amethyst | February 20 - March 20 |
| Aries | Bloodstone | March 21 - April 19 |
| Taurus | Sapphire | April 20 - May 20 |
| Gemini | Agate | May 21 - June 20 |
| Cancer | Emerald | June 21 - July 22 |
| Leo | Onyx | July 23 - August 22 |
| Virgo | Carnelian | August 23 - September 22 |
| Libra | Chrysolite | September 23 - October 23 |
| Scorpio | Beryl | October 24 - November 22 |
| Sagittarius | Topaz | November 23 - December 21 |
| Capricorn | Ruby | December 22 - January 19 |