Difference between Ruby and Garnet

Ruby vs. Garnet

The subject concerning gemstones is somewhat technical in nature. As much as one would immediately want to have any of these precious stones, he or she must first be keen enough to pay attention to details such as weight, cuts and color of the stone, to avoid confusion.

According to the Mohs scale, the garnet has a toughness or hardness rating of 7.0 to 7.5. It usually possesses a deep red color, but its color is variable, depending on its subclass. It is mostly mined in Arizona, South Africa, Australia, Switzerland and Scotland, among other places. Garnet is also a general term that classifies some more specific gem stones, namely: Pyrope, grossular, andradite, spessartine and uvarovite. The difficult parts come when similar natured stones happen to be a combination of the said sub classes of garnet. With regard to enhancements, the garnet is usually a non enhanced gem.

On the other side of the coin, the ruby has a toughness rating of 9.0. Most rubies are mined from Myanmar, Thailand, Tanzania, Australia, Pakistan, and some American regions, like Montana and North Carolina. It is because of the ruby’s color that it’s often misconstrued as the garnet. Both gems share almost the same appearance. The ruby, in more concrete terms, has a pigeon blood color, and sometimes it appears to be brownish. This gem is also regarded as the July birthstone. It is also treated using heat to hasten its color.

Moreover, there are actually some tips to be considered on how you can spot a garnet from all the other confusing stones of the same appearance, like rubies. Foremost, assess its weight, toughness and crystal formations. It is basically lighter when compared to the ruby.

Other details of the garnet gem include that it has a 3.5 – 4.3 specific gravity. It also does not show any cleavage, nor leave streaks. Most of the garnet gems are transparent in nature, but some can be more opaque in appearance.

In terms of use, this gem is predominantly harnessed to become part of jewelry. The tougher garnet types are also used as abrasives that smoothens rough surfaces. A very familiar example of an abrasive is the ever popular sandpaper.

In conclusion, rubies and garnets differ in the following aspects:

1. The ruby is the tougher gem when compared to the garnet.

2. Most rubies undergo treatments because of their imperfections, whereas the garnet is not usually enhanced.

3. Rubies are mined in many regions or countries across Asia.

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