Avoid Damage to your Gemstone Jewelry by Choosing the Right Stones for Daily Wear

A Precious Gemstone - Ruined

I sat in my bedroom and stared at the ring in my hand. The green peridot gemstone in the setting had a deep scratch.  And there was no fixing it. How could this have happened?  This ring was given to me by my grandparents.  It was expensive, and they trusted that I was responsible enough to care for something and keep it nice.  

And now it was ruined.  I felt so guilty. 

I don’t even know what happened. Something inside my purse must have scratched the soft stone. Or maybe it happened when my hand hit a door frame at some point.  I put it on my finger and held it up to the light. The deep scratch lay diagonal across the top of the stone. 

I knew there was no way to fix it. 

What is the MOHS Hardness Scale? 

The MOHS Hardness Scale is a scale that was created by German mineralogist Friedrick Mohs, as a way of determining the hardness of a stone.  He took 10 common minerals and placed them in order from softest to hardest in terms of scratchability.  

Undeniably, the hardest mineral, a diamond, will not be scratched by any of the gems below it, but it will be able to scratch all the gems underneath it. As you go down the list, each stone can scratch the stones below it, but not the stones above it. 

Therefore, the stones on the lower end of the scale are easily damaged by everyday wear. 

Why Does it Matter for Gemstones? 

Good quality gemstone jewelry can be anywhere from moderately priced to very expensive, depending on the quality of the gemstone and the purity of the metal the stones are set into.  

You should protect your investment, or at least avoid wasting your money by taking precautions to protect your stones.  Avoid wasting money, or destroying memories, because they can’t be restored.  Accordingly, if you carefully consider which stones should be worn every day, and which stones should be set aside for special occasions, you can take steps to protect your gemstones. 

Which Gemstones can Stand up to Every Day Wear?

Certainly, stones with a 7 and above on the MOHS Hardness Scale are durable enough to be worn every day. It’s difficult to scratch quartz, so it can stand up to every day wear and tear. 

These stones are 7 and above on the MOHS scale.  

10 on the MOHS scale:

Diamond (April birthstone)

9 on the MOHS scale:

Ruby (July birthstone), and Sapphire (September birthstone)

8.5 on the MOHS scale:

Alexandrite (June birthstone)

8 on the MOHS scale:

Topaz (blue topaz is December’s birthstone and yellow topaz is November’s birthstone)  and Spinel (August birthstone)

7 ½ on the MOHS scale:

Garnet (January’s birthstone), Zircon (blue zircon is December’s birthstone), Emerald (May’s birthstone), Tourmaline (October birthstone) including Indicolite, Pariba, and Rubellite, Aquamarine (March birthstone) 

7 on the MOHS scale:

Quartz, Amethyst (February birthstone), Citrine (November birthstone), Aventurine, Cat’s Eye, Smoky Quartz, Rose Quartz, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx (August birthstone), Carnelian, Chrysoprase, Jasper, Iolite, and Jadeite (Jade)

A note about emeralds - they tend to have more inclusions than other gemstones, which is actually something that adds to their character.  However, because of that, emeralds are more brittle and prone to breakage along cracks or inclusion lines. They need a little more protection, but can still be worn safely every day. 

Which Gemstones Should You Save for Special Occasions? 

Comparatively, stones with a 6 ½ or below should be saved for occasional wear/special occasions.  They are easy to scratch with every day wear and tear. Rings and bracelets are especially prone to damage.  

Sometimes what makes these gemstones so unique is what also makes them soft.  For example, Chrysocolla is a secondary copper alloy, meaning it is made up of multiple softer substances like silica, aluminum, and copper.  The blue-green copper patina, in stones like Chrysocolla, Azurite, and even Malachite, is created by exposure to oxygen.

These stones are 6 ½ or under on the MOHS scale.

6 ½ on the MOHS scale: 

Peridot (August birthstone), Nephrite (Jade), Zoisite/Tanzanite (December birthstone)

6 on the MOHS scale:

Opal (October birthstone), Turquoise (December birthstone), Labradorite, Moonstone (June birthstone), Amazonite 

5 ½ on the MOHS scale: 

Lapis Lazuli, and Diopside

5 on the MOHS scale:

Apatite 

4 on the MOHS scale:

Rhodochrosite, Fluorite, and Malachite

3 ½ on the MOHS scale:

Azurite

3 on the MOHS scale:

Pearl

2 ½ on the MOHS scale:

Amber

2 on the MOHS scale:

Chrysocolla

The Advantages of Earrings and Necklaces v. Rings and Bracelets.

What if your birthstone is a softer stone, but you still want to wear it every day? Carefully consider the type of jewelry you wear to help protect softer stones. 

Earrings and necklaces are easier to protect from everyday wear and tear than rings and bracelets.  Whereas, rings and bracelets are worn on your hands and therefore are more likely to be damaged by accidental blows against a doorway or a table, for example.

While necklaces can get pulled or snagged if you bend over, they are still safer than rings and bracelets. Earrings are the safest since you are less likely to hit your head against a metal doorway as your are your wrists and hand/fingers. If you choose to wear softer stones every day, whether they are your birthstone, or because they are your favorite stone, you can choose a necklace or earrings to minimize the risk. 

Choose Protective Settings instead.

Contrarily, another option is to choose a protective setting for your stone.  Protective settings come in many styles and range from less protective to more protective.

1. Cage -

   A cage setting is one that wraps around the stone, like a pearl, and covers it to protect it from bumps and scratches.  However, it does cover some of the stone, making it more difficult to see. 

2. Bezel -

   A bezel setting is one where metal wraps completely around the outside of the stone. 

3. Low Profile Placement  -

   A low placement setting is one where the gemstone is placed almost flush with the band, so that there’s not as much surface area for it to snag on something. It’s closer to your finger so it doesn’t stick out as much as a ring with a higher setting. 

4. Flush setting -

   A flush setting is one where the stone sits even with the metal.  It is embedded in the metal. There’s no prongs for the stones to snag on. 

5. Channel setting -

   A channel setting is a lot like it sounds. The stones are small and they line up in a straight line in the setting. The stones sit below the metal in a groove. The raised sides of the metal protect the stones. They essentially are sitting inside “metal walls.”

6. Raised prongs  -

   Raised prongs, which sit above the stone, can be used on a bezel setting to give the stone even more protection. 

I Fixed it, But at A Cost

Consequently, I took my peridot ring to a local jeweler to find out if anything could be done. He looked at the ring and said that the only thing he could do was to replace the peridot.  He took out his catalog, flipped through the pages, and found a peridot that was similar to the one I had scratched.  I gave him the go-ahead, and he ordered the peridot.  It would come in the mail in about 2 weeks, and then it could be replaced, which would take another two weeks - and cost me about $250 to fix.  

That was a costly mistake that I won’t make again, and it’s not the original peridot. No one can tell the stone has been replaced.  But I know. And my bank account knows too.