Two gemstones.
Side by side.

GEMSTONE ONE

Phlogopite

Phlogopite: magnesium-rich trioctahedral mica, Mohs 2–3. Explore identification, origins, buying, safe handling and care.

Colour & appearance

Golden brown, bronze, reddish-brown, grey, yellow-green

Mineral family

Magnesium-rich trioctahedral mica

Mohs hardness

2–3

Representative source regions

Canada; Madagascar; Italy; Russia

Canada Madagascar Italy Russia

Jewellery & care

Chiefly decorative and a display mineral; flexible cleavage sheets and low hardness are unsuitable for durable gemstone rings. The illustrative image is not an authenticated mineral specimen or product photograph.

GoldenBronzeBrownGreyGreen

Read the Phlogopite 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.