Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Phosphophyllite

Phosphophyllite — hydrated zinc iron phosphate mineral. Read about characteristic appearance, Mohs hardness, safety and care.

Colour & appearance

Bright blue-green, mint or colourless

Mineral family

hydrated zinc iron phosphate mineral

Mohs hardness

3–3.5

Representative source regions

Unificada Mine, Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia; Hagendorf, Germany

Bolivia Germany

Jewellery & care

Extremely fragile collector mineral, generally inappropriate for frequently worn jewellery because of perfect cleavage.

Blue-greenColourless

Read the Phosphophyllite 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.