What is the difference between gemstones?

the look - Rubies are more often a purer red where garnets are more brownish red.

Also the value - rubies are precious gems and are more valuable as they are rarer than garnets, which are semi-precious stones.

:)

Garnets are silicate based, that is they typically are composed of an SiO4 group, bonded with different cations which give different colors of gem.

Ruby and Sapphire are both types of Aluminum Oxide (Alimina), or Al2O3. Iron or Titianium present makes it blue, like a typical sapphire, chromium in small amounts makes it ruby red. Pure Al203 is white without the presence of these trace elements.

The best tools for gem identification are a loupe 10x, a calcite dicroscope $60-70 and a strong penlight. $100 in tools and a little practice at a gem show, Tucson in February, and your eye will become a good gemological tool.

it's the texture the hardness or softness of the gem! Sometimes colour plays a role too..

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