Softer gems like moonstone (Mohs hardness rating of 6 to 6.5), opal (5.5 to 6.5), and pearl (2.5 to 4.5) have poor wearability. They easily sustain scratches and lose their polish because of fine scratches that will build up over time. Therefore, these gems should be worn on occasions and protected thoroughly when stored.

One vital factor in measuring gemstone resilience is hardness. In gemology, a stone's hardness is gauged on a scale called the Mohs Scale, which 

Mohs Scale of Relative Mineral Hardness · Talc - (Absolute Hardness 1) · Gypsum – (Absolute Hardness 2) · Calcite – (Absolute Hardness 9) · Fluorite – (Absolute 

Surprisingly, quartz has an absolute hardness 100 rating. Compare that to diamonds, with an absolute hardness of 1,500, and you can see how hard quartz really is. Quartz is a popular choice partly because of its hardness, and partly because it's virtually maintenance free. However, some homeowners prefer the looks of other stones.

The Mohs Hardness Scale was developed by German mineralogist, Friedrich Mohs in 1812. The scale consists of 10 readily available minerals of particular hardness 

Hardness is a measure of how resistant a crystal is to being scratched. The Mohs hardness scale is one method for classifying hardness, with stones rated from one (softest) to

The hardest gemstones (diamonds, rubies and sapphires) get a rating closer to 10 on the Mohs scale, while the softer gemstones (amber, 

Amethyst is a quartz, which ranks at a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. You can see where it falls on the scale here: Mohs Scale. Although quartz is a 7 out of 

The Mohs Scale of Hardness ; 10, Diamond ; 9, Corundum (rubies and sapphires) ; 8, Topaz ; 7, Quartz [Example: It scratches window glass] ; 6, Feldspar [Example: A 

Fandom Apps Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat.

Any gemstone that, is approximately the hardness of quartz (7) is said to be 7 in hardness, but if it tests between two of the minerals on the scale, it is expressed by 1/2. Thus a gemstone that tests harder than quartz but softer than topaz is said to be 7 1/2 in hardness. In addition to Mohs' scale, it is well to known that tests of relative