Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Realgar

Realgar: Transparent to translucent orange-red crystals that may form shiny prisms or fragile masses. Discover properties, identification, care and buying considerations.

Colour & appearance

Red to vivid orange-red

Mineral family

Arsenic sulphide mineral

Mohs hardness

1.5–2

Representative source regions

China; Romania; Peru; United States

China Romania Peru United States

Jewellery & care

Collector display only; not an appropriate material for jewellery, ritual objects or wearable crystal sets.

Red

Read the Realgar 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.