Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Almandine Garnet

Almandine Garnet: iron aluminium garnet mineral; Deep red, violet-red to brownish red. Learn geological properties, identification and safe care.

Colour & appearance

Deep red, violet-red to brownish red

Mineral family

iron aluminium garnet mineral

Mohs hardness

7–7.5

Representative source regions

India, Sri Lanka, Austria, United States and many metamorphic provinces

India Sri Lanka Austria United States

Jewellery & care

Good for a broad range of jewellery when well-cut and sound, though protective designs help avoid chips.

Red

Read the Almandine Garnet 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.