Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Aurichalcite

Aurichalcite is known for powder-blue feathery mats and delicate hair-fine crystals. Read the identification, handling and collector-use guide.

Colour & appearance

Powder blue, turquoise or pale green

Mineral family

Copper-zinc carbonate hydroxide

Mohs hardness

1–2

Representative source regions

United States; Mexico; Namibia

United States Mexico Namibia

Jewellery & care

Display-only collector mineral; individual fibres are far too fragile for ordinary jewellery.

BlueTurquoise

Read the Aurichalcite guide

GEMSTONE TWO

Sapphire

Sapphire is a gem variety of corundum, often associated with blue but also found in other colours. Its hardness makes it an enduring jewellery material, although the secu...

Colour & appearance

Blue and other colours

Mineral family

Corundum (Al₂O₃)

Mohs hardness

9

Representative source regions

Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Myanmar, Australia, Thailand and Montana in the United States are recognised sources. The Kashmir region is historically famous for highly valued blue sapphires.

Sri Lanka Madagascar Myanmar Australia Thailand United States

Jewellery & care

Choose the style and setting to suit the specific stone, treatment information and intended use.

Blue

Read the Sapphire guide

Hardness measures scratch resistance, not breakage. Source regions are educational examples, not claims about the provenance of an individual GEMHOOD product. Images may be digital gemstone illustrations.