When looking for gemstones for jewellery, engagement rings or othewise, you may see or hear your jeweller or your jewellers website mention Moh’s Hardness Scale.
The Moh’s Hardness Scale is a relative system based on 10 different minerals and gemstones used as a reference for how easily specific gemstones scratch. 1 is the easiest to scratch and a 10 is the most difficult. Diamonds are a 10.
The concept is if you have a stone of unknown hardness, and reference mineral #5 can scratch it, then the hardness of your gem is less than or equal to a Mohs hardness of 5. Similarly, if your gem cannot be scratched by reference mineral #5, then its hardness is greater than or equal to a Mohs hardness of 5.
Moh’s Scale is the most commonly used system to rate the hardness of gemstones. Anything with a rating of or above 7 is what is most commonly used in jewellery today.
Diamonds are the hardest minerals on earth; they are 4-5 times harder than corundum, the family of sapphires and rubies, which are rated a 9 on the scale. Understandably, this is why diamonds are so desirable for engagement rings.
Hardness | Mineral | Comparison |
10 | Diamond | |
9 | Corundum (Sapphire & Ruby) | |
8 | Topaz, Emerald, Aquamarine | Masonry drill bit (8.5) |
7 | Quartz (Amethyst, Citrine and Agate) | |
6 | Orthoclase | Nail (6.5) |
5 | Apatite | Knife (5.5) |
4 | Flurospar | |
3 | Calcite | Copper coin (3.5) |
2 | Gypsum | Fingernail (2.5) |
1 | Talc |
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Want to meet with one of our expert jewellers? Or simply have a question for us?
Fill in the form below and our friendly team will respond as soon as possible. SYD (02) 9223 2006 MEL (03) 9662 3005 BNE (07) 3051 0839
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