Most gemstones have good hardness (above 5) and a high index of refraction (the higher the index of refraction the greater the sparkle). Others are too common and are given a semi-precious status. Some minerals can be very beautiful, but they may be too soft and will scratch easily. Generally speaking, a gemstone is a stone that is beautiful, rare, and durable (resistant to abrasion, fracturing and chemical reactions). ![]() ![]() There are over 3,000 different minerals, but only about 50 are commonly used as gemstones! So what makes a gemstone?
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