Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Neptunite

Neptunite: mineral identification, origin, colour, Mohs hardness 5–6, collector safety and care.

Colour & appearance

Black to dark reddish-brown with red reflections at thin edges

Mineral family

alkali iron–manganese titanium silicate mineral

Mohs hardness

5–6

Representative source regions

California, United States; Greenland; Russia; Canada

United States Greenland Russia Canada

Jewellery & care

Prized mineral-collector display material; not a common commercial jewellery stone.

BlackRed

Read the Neptunite 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.