Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Bastnäsite-(Ce)

Bastnäsite-(Ce) is known for honey-amber tabular or hexagonal crystals with resinous-looking highlights. Read the identification, handling and collector-use guide.

Colour & appearance

Honey-yellow to reddish-brown

Mineral family

Cerium rare-earth fluorocarbonate

Mohs hardness

4–4.5

Representative source regions

Sweden; Pakistan; United States

Sweden Pakistan United States

Jewellery & care

Rare collector species, not appropriate for high-impact rings; broken edges reduce collector appeal.

YellowBrown

Read the Bastnäsite-(Ce) 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.