- Diamonds are the hardest gemstone of all the precious and semi-precious gems. On the Mohs hardness scale, a diamond is rated a 10 (on a scale of 1 to 10). Even a diamond can chip, but as long it has no fractures when you purchase it, a diamond will remain quite durable. Diamonds also come in many shapes, but no shape is considered more durable than another.
- Rubies are the second hardest gemstone, and on the Mohs scale their level is a 9. Mined rubies are usually not large stones. Instead rubies form as wide, flat crystals. This will limit the cut and faceting of the ruby. Most mined rubies are less than 3 carats. Natural rubies are rarely as perfect as synthetic (lab created) rubies, but mined rubies are usually heat treated to improve their clarity.
- The sapphire has the same Mohs hardness as the ruby. In fact, both the ruby and the sapphire are the stone corundum with certain contaminants. Ruby is corundum with chromium, and the sapphire is corundum with iron or titanium. Mined sapphires are not as flawless as synthetic or lab created sapphires. As long as your gemstone is above a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, your gem will be durable and able to withstand every-day wear and tear.
- Platinum is a very durable metal and is stronger and more scratch resistant than gold and silver. It is more expensive than gold because it is rarer, and it will last longer than gold. Because platinum is naturally white, it will never fade, tarnish or need to be plated. It is 95% pure, as compared to 18-karat gold that is only 75% pure. Platinum is more than twice as expensive as gold.
- Gold has always been a favorite for ring buyers. The higher the karat, the more gold the ring contains and the less durable it is. Ten-karat gold is the most durable gold, but it lacks the warmth of 14- and 18-karat gold. Even though gold is not as durable as platinum, it is still a good, sturdy metal choice for a ring. Untreated gold is yellow, and gold with an added alloy is whiter. White gold is always plated with rhodium, a platinum-like coating that gives white gold its luster.
- Sterling silver is made from standard silver and 7.5% copper. In order to be considered "sterling" silver, the alloy of silver and copper must be at least 90% silver. Sterling silver is considered a precious metal like gold and platinum, but it is softer and thereby far less durable than the other jewelry metals. Sterling silver is less than half the cost of gold. Because of the rising cost of gold and platinum today, more precious gems are being set in sterling silver.
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