A little about the Mohs scale of Hardness and who's the toughest gemstone of them all?

Gemstones are typically graded by using the four “C”s: Color, cut, clarity and carat. But before being graded, these gemstones are mined in their rough forms as they occur in nature as minerals. After mining, these minerals are polished, cut, and sometimes put through a treatment process to turn them into gemstones worthy of being turned into elegant jewelry. 

Apart from the four Cs, an important aspect to evaluating a gemstone is its resistance to being scratched using the “Mohs” scale of hardness. This evaluation is important in determining how to set a gemstone in a piece of jewelry and how durable it is. 

What is the Mohs Scale?

Developed in 1812, the Mohs scale of hardness is the brainchild of Friedrich Mohs, a mineralogist from Germany. He obtained 10 minerals, ranked them from hardest to softest, with the hardest mineral, which is diamond, ranked at 10. Rubies and sapphires come in at a close second with a score of 9. The softest mineral, Talc, was ranked at 1. 

How is it relevant to the consumer?

The Mohs Scale can impact your choice of jewelry in a simple way - if a stone ranks low on the scale, it is prone to scratches, and is, therefore, not as durable as others, which, in turn, might make it unsuitable for daily wear. So when you are looking for diamond engagement rings, the biggest selling point is the durability of the gem. 

However, gemstones that rank lower on the scale might not be suitable for everyday wear but are nonetheless absolutely stunning. Take the rare and beautiful tanzanite gemstone, for instance, that is between 6.5 and 7 on the scale - it’s perfect for every special occasion. The same could be said for the always enchanting emerald that comes in at a slightly higher 7.5 rating.

So, while it is imperative to check the hardness of the gem, don’t let it affect your choice too much. A diamond bracelet for women might not get easily scratched and look gorgeous, but an emerald bracelet could be the perfect match to your ensemble and display the right amount of regality you wish to portray. The same goes for diamond rings and any other jewelry. A diamond is truly forever and perfect for everyday wear. 

GemBleu has an incredible collection featuring a wide variety of gemstones. For daily wear you could go with glamorous diamond earrings for women or maybe diamond necklaces for women. For those special occasions we have tanzanite engagement rings, emerald pendants, ruby jewelry etc. All of our jewelry is designed specially to ensure that our clients wear a memorable piece they will cherish forever, even if they’re not the hardest on the Mohs scale.

We're offering a 25% sitewide discount* (T&C apply) this month when you use this code DISC25. So hurry and get your favorite Gembleu jewelry today!

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