The hardness scale was created by trying to scratch one mineral with another. It was then recorded which mineral left a scratch. For example, Corundum, (Ruby and Sapphire) was used to scratch Apatite. As Corundum left a scratch on the surface of Apatite, it naturally meant this mineral should sit higher on the Mohs scale.
How to see if a diamond is real
This is why it is always advisable to wash your jewellery under warm water before you wipe it clean. That way most of the dust will be removed and you reduce the risk of scratches.
Gemstone Family Classification
The gemstones listed below shows every colour in the rainbow. Even with such variety of patterns, shapes and colours, they can be broken down into 16 different families purely based on their chemical composition. The MOHS hardness is shown for each of the more common gemstones.
| Gemstone Name | Mohs Hardness | Gemstone Family |
| Achorite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Agate | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Alexandrite | 8.5 | Chrysoberyl |
| Almandine | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Spinel | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Almandine-Spessartine | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Amazonite | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Amethyst | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Andradite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Balas Ruby | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Black Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Opal |
| Bloodstone | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Brazilian Emerald | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Cairngorm | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Carnelian | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Cat’s Eye | 8.5 | Chrysoberyl |
| Chalcedony | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Chlorspinel | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Chrome Pyrope | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Chrysoberyl | 8.5 | Chrysoberyl |
| Chrysoprase | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Citrine | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Color-Change Garnet | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Demantoid | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Diamond | 10 | Diamond |
| Dravite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Emerald | 7.5 – 8.0 | Beryl |
| Feldspar | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Fire Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Opal |
| Garnet | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Ghanospinel | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Goshenite | 7.5 – 8.0 | Beryl |
| Green Quartz | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Grossular | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Heliodore | 7.5 – 8.0 | Beryl |
| Heliotrope | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Hessonite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Hyacinth | 7.5 | Zircon |
| Indicolite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Jade | 6.0 | Jade |
| Jadeite | 6.5 – 7.0 | Jade |
| Jargon | 7.5 | Zircon |
| Jasper | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Labradorite | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Lapis Lazuli | 5.0 – 5.5 | Lapis Lazuli |
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| Malaia | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Matura Diamond | 7.5 | Zircon |
| Moonstone | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Morganite | 7.5 – 8.0 | Beryl |
| Morion | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Nephrite | 6.0 | Jade |
| Onyx | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Opal |
| Orthoclase | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Peridot | 7.0 | Peridot |
| Peristerite | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Praziolite | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Pyrope | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Pyrope-Almandine | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Pyrope-Spessartine | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Quartz | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Red Beryl | 7.5 – 8.0 | Beryl |
| Rhodolite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Rock Crystal | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Rose Quartz | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Rubellite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Rubicelle | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Ruby | 9.0 | Corundum |
| Sapphire | 9.0 | Corundum |
| Sapphire Spinel | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Siberite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Smoky Quartz | 7.0 | Quartz |
| Spessartine | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Spinel | 8.0 | Spinel |
| Sunstone | 6.0 – 6.5 | Feldspar |
| Topaz | 8.0 | Topaz |
| Topazolite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Tourmaline | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Tsavorite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Turquoise | 5.0 – 6.0 | Turquoise |
| Uvarovite | 6.5 – 7.5 | Garnet |
| Verdilite | 7.0 – 7.5 | Tourmaline |
| Water Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Opal |
| White Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Opal |
| Zircon | 7.5 | Zircon |
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