Top 4 interesting facts about gemstone hardness & durability

A look at Top 4 Interesting Facts about Gemstone Hardness & Durability Gemstones are made of sturdy rock crystals, silicate grains and oxides.

Chemically they are supposed to be durable and hard. Gemstones have differential hardness and durability depending on the origin and formation. The gemstones are extremely tough and classified as hard and soft depending on their durability. Most gemstones are durable in nature but there are few exceptions to these items as well. They tend to lose their colour, physical strength and even chemical composition if exposed to corrosive agents.

Here are few enticing facts about gemstone hardness and durability.

1. Gemstones tend to get scratched by hard materials:

Mot gemstones are graded as per their hardness based on the Mohs scale. The hardness of a stone does not ensure that it would be durable in nature. Topaz and emeralds are considered harder than most gemstones but can be scratched by diamond and silicon carbide tips. Turquoise resists scratches by most ordinary items but is extremely brittle when it is in its untreated.

2. Hardness does not guarantee it won’t break: Even the hardest of gemstones tend to be extremely brittle. If you are screening past a gemstone, give more importance to durability. If you prefer a particular stone, you should always test its durability especially if you are buying it as an earring, ring or as a beaded necklace. Don’t buy a hard gemstone if you are planning to fit it on a ring. It may not be durable.

3. Durability and ease of cutting and faceting: Hardness alone can’t be used to test the durability quotient of a gemstone.

Diamond is the hardest material on the planet but it is also bestowed with the perfect cleavage. If pressed at the precise angle of cleavage, even diamond can split into two in a single blow. Topaz also exhibits the same property.

Lapidartist uses this property of hardness and cleavage to slice beautiful cuts on the gemstones.

Ruby and Sapphire gemstones has no cleavage, ranks lower than diamond but still has a considerably higher durability. Emerald gemstone is inflicted with internal fractures which tend to open up under pressure. It is often treated with oil and fillers to cover these internal fractures.

4. Durability is measured with stability: Stability of any gemstone depends on its resistance to physical agents like:  Sunlight  UV radiations  Acids  Moisture Jade ranks only 6.5 on Mohs scale but shows very good stability when exposed to majority of the reactive agents. Here is how different gemstones tend to be ranked on stability chart  Aquamarine and Peridot are hard enough to resist compressive force but react with acids.  Hiddenite, topaz and kunzite tend to lose their colour when exposed to harsh sunlight.  Opal, onyx and pearl may lose their vitreous appeal due to dehydration crack from within.

Hence you should know the stability factor of each gemstone while shopping for them, especially if they are untreated ones. Gemstone hardness and durability go hand in hand when designed exclusively for jewellery. All gemstones require certain amount of care and maintenance to last a life time.

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