Garnet Jewelry

Despite their similar appearance at first glance, there are many differences between garnets and rubies. Rubies rank at 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, just below diamonds at a 10 (the hardest substance on the scale). In comparison, garnets sit at 6.5 to 7.5, making them a much softer stone by comparison. Rubies typically have a much deeper red hue, while garnets can throw shades of orange as well. Finally, holding up the stones to the light can give you some handy hints. If the light reflects a rainbow of colors with bands of green and yellow, you've got a garnet on your hands. In contrast, a ruby absorbs yellow and green, thus it won't reflect them back to you.

When worn on its own and not next to harder stones like diamonds or emeralds, garnet is a rather durable gem for day-to-day wear. Coming in at 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, it can only be scratched by the aforementioned stronger stones. For this reason, it is best to store this semi-precious gem separately from any jewelry containing harder stones.

Want to keep your garnet jewelry looking as dazzling as the day you bought it? Caring for garnets is quite simple. All you have to do is wash your garnet jewelry in warm, soapy water, giving it a gentle polish with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Be sure to keep the water temperature and the soap mild, because any excess heat or caustic cleaning products can be harmful to your gemstone jewelry.