Mohs scale question .....

[Taylorbug!]

HElp.....I purchased a yellow zircon....lovely stone with great RI. I was all set to send it back because the Mohs is 7.5 and the sweet PS folks advised against a ring setting. However while looking at the Mohs scale I have noticed that there are alot of other stones that are normally set into ring settings that have the same hardness. hmmm, what to do?
Zircon 7.5
Spinel 8.0
Tanzanite 6.5- 7
Aquamarine 7.5
Topaz 8.0
Emerald 7.5 -8
Tourmaline 7.0 - 7.5


http://www.suite101.com/content/gemstone-hardness-befits-everlasting-jewelry-a192351

Hardness Ratings for Popular Gemstones
Following, in descending order from hardest to softest, are Mohs' scale hardness ratings for popular minerals and gems found in jewelry.

A Selection of Mohs Hardness Ratings:

10 diamond
9 ruby, sapphire
8.5 alexandrite, chrysoberyl, zirconia
8 spinel, topaz
7.5-8 aquamarine, red beryl, precious beryl, emerald, morganite
7-7.5 almandine, danburite, pyrope, spessartite, tourmaline
7 amethyst, aventurine, rock crystal, citrine, iolite, quartz, smoky quartz, rose quartz
6.5-7 garnet, zircon, chalcedony, chrysoprase, grossular, jadeite, jasper, kunzite, peridot, tanzanite
6-6.5 benitoite, sugilite
5.5-6 hematite, opal, sodalite
5-6 lapis lazuli, turquoise
5 apatite
4 rhodocrosite
3.5-4 dolomite
3-4 coral
2.5-4.5 pearl
2.5-4 jet
2.5-3 gold, silver
2-4 chrysocolla
2-2.5 amber, cinnabar
2 gypsum
1 talc

 

[Kismet]

Moh's scale just pertains to scratchability (is that a word?). The lower the moh's number, the easier the stone will be scratched; it doesn't mean it will break if you look at it cross-eyed. How quickly your particular stone gets abraded depends a lot on your own individual situation...

1. where you live. Are you in a dusty, sandy environment?
2. how you live. Do you lay bricks for your job or do you sit at a desk typing? Do you bang your hands around a lot or not? Will you wear the ring constantly or will you take it off when it might get hurt?

 

[Taylorbug!]

Moh's scale just pertains to scratchability (is that a word?). The lower the moh's number, the easier the stone will be scratched; it doesn't mean it will break if you look at it cross-eyed. How quickly your particular stone gets abraded depends a lot on your own individual situation...

1. where you live. Are you in a dusty, sandy environment?
2. how you live. Do you lay bricks for your job or do you sit at a desk typing? Do you bang your hands around a lot or not? Will you wear the ring constantly or will you take it off when it might get hurt?

Thanks Kismet.....from some of the other posts I read, I may find it difficult to even get a bench person to set this stone. hmmm....did you have any issues getting your's set?

 

[Kismet]

Thanks Kismet.....from some of the other posts I read, I may find it difficult to even get a bench person to set this stone. hmmm....did you have any issues getting your's set?

Nope, I had no issues at all. Michael E. set the orange one and my local jeweler set the blue.

 

[Arcadian]

Like Kismet said, Moh's is the scratchability of a stone, it dosen't explain its other properties.

Personally I wear many that other wouldn't including my sphene ring. You have to do you and whatever you're comfortable with. If you know you're careful with your rings, then have it set into one. There are rings I do nothing but go out to dinner with lol.

If its going to drive you bonkers that you may damage the facet, then don't set it in a ring. I do have such stones.

It does take experience beyond setting a diamonds and sapphires though, so if you unsure of what your regular person can do, definitely ask.

-A

 

[Michael_E]

Hardness is just one criteria of how durable a gem may be. Toughness is probably more important in that it indicates how well a gem can resist impacts from stuff like banging your hand on the side of a car, hitting it against a file cabinet, etc. Since there are no widely used list of toughness in gems, and since hardness does correlate fairly well with toughness, most people use hardness as a means of communicating some measure of durability.

Unfortunately with some gems, hardness does not correlate very well with toughness and those stones can be both hard and brittle. Gems like zircon at 7 or so in hardness are fairly hard and even relatively tough overall, but rather brittle and so not very tough at the microscopic scale. This means that you probably won't break one, but can rather easily abrade it's facet junctions over time. The overall effect is that you could end up with a stone which looks like a frosted cab over 10 or 20 years of wear. On the other end of the toughness spectrum and also a 7 in hardness is jade. Nephrite and jadeite are some of the tougher gem materials that one can obtain, but both are relatively soft and can be easily carved, cut and polished. This means that you would have a very hard time breaking a jade, but can scuff the surface easily by rubbing it against harder materials.

There is also another clue to how durable a gem may be given by it's cleavage, (which is a component of toughness). Some stones like kunzite have such pronounced and "easy" cleavage that they can be easily broken in two by a sharp rap at the wrong spot and yet are fairly tough if hit in the opposite direction. When looking at gems you should not only be considering hardness, but toughness and cleavage as well as the environment that you will be using them in.

 

[packrat]

Someone else has a really pretty blue zircon in a bezel by Liz C, and I've got 2 white zircons for my someday 3 stone. I would think if you don't wear it often and you're selective about when you do wear it, it should be ok to wear your yellow. Any pics of it by any chance?

 

[chrono]

I agree with Michael that hardness of a particular gemstone doesn’t tell the entire story; there are also other considerations such as cleavage and toughness. Unfortunately, there is no nice and easy chart but if you do a search for a specific gem property/characteristic, you’ll get the details on this.

 

[chrono]

Someone else has a really pretty blue zircon in a bezel by Liz C, and I've got 2 white zircons for my someday 3 stone. I would think if you don't wear it often and you're selective about when you do wear it, it should be ok to wear your yellow. Any pics of it by any chance?

Packrat,
Now that you mention it, I think Married Tiger has a blue zircon bezel set into a gorgeous pendant by JKT. So, I guess it can be bezeled but I will only set it in pendants and earrings, not a ring.

 

[LD]

Life is waaaaaay too short not to set your gems how you want them to be set. I've got Zircons, Sphenes, Tanzanites, Garnets etc etc all set into rings, pendants etc and wear them all the time. Gems are to be admired and worn (if you want), not to sit in a box looking sparkly (unless you want to keep them in a box of course!).

There's a couple of big caveats:-

1. Anything under an 8.5 on the MOHS scale isn't considered to be an everyday ring because of the lack of general toughness. Diamonds, Sapphires and Chrysoberyl are generally "tougher" than other gemstones BUT even if you drop or hit them in the wrong place, wrong direction, you'll end up with a twin set!

2. If you set anything in jewellery under a MOHS 8.5 then you MUST look after it - so no digging, washing up, gardening, going to bed in your jewellery, etc etc etc

3. Make sure that you have an experienced benchman to set your gems but understand that even they have bad days. However, anything can break/chip during the setting process but it's just more risky when you've got a less hardy gem.

 

[Arcadian]

LD, I agree.

although when I asked my jeweler to set my kyanite he asked if I was on crack

-A

 

[LD]

LD, I agree.

although when I asked my jeweler to set my kyanite he asked if I was on crack

-A

And you replied .......... "yes of course but if you crack my gemstone, I'll crack your head" Simple!

Is this the time to confess I have a Kyanite ring as well? I live soooooo dangerously!

 

[iLander]

"on crack"! You guys are a hoot!

My grandmother wore an amethyst ring every day for about 30 years. The facets slowly wore down and it was still pretty, but not as sharp and crisp. I took it to a local jeweler and they just buffed up (or whatever you call that) the facets for $85. Looks good as new.

So, the heck with it, wear them all in good health.

It also helps if you wear them on your ring finger, because the middle and index finger tend to bump into stuff more.

HERE"S a crazy idea; Stick a glob of clay or bubble gum onto a fake costume ring. Smooth it out, until it's very clean. Wear the ring all day. At the end of the day, see how many bumps and scratches are on the glob. That will show an extreme, amplified version of how "bumpy" you are. No bumps on the clay? Fine, get a talc ring! Deep gnarly gash in the clay? No zircon for you! In between? You'll probably be fine, live a little!

 

[Arcadian]

LD, I agree.

although when I asked my jeweler to set my kyanite he asked if I was on crack

-A

And you replied .......... "yes of course but if you crack my gemstone, I'll crack your head" Simple!

Is this the time to confess I have a Kyanite ring as well? I live soooooo dangerously!

LOL pretty much anyone else I would. He's like extended family to me (who's about to retire...I gotta get as much work out of him as I can!!) And, there's the fact that he's set stuff for me that most folks won't touch with a barge pole. So I understand about the kyanite, though it would make a hell of a ring!

I've used Kismet's guy before, they're really good. I'm going to challenge them with one heck of a stone though very soon


So ... I gotta be in Ireland and the UK next year on a project. Maybe I can use your guy, eh?

-A

 

[LD]

LD, I agree.

although when I asked my jeweler to set my kyanite he asked if I was on crack

-A

And you replied .......... "yes of course but if you crack my gemstone, I'll crack your head" Simple!

Is this the time to confess I have a Kyanite ring as well? I live soooooo dangerously!

LOL pretty much anyone else I would. He's like extended family to me (who's about to retire...I gotta get as much work out of him as I can!!) And, there's the fact that he's set stuff for me that most folks won't touch with a barge pole. So I understand about the kyanite, though it would make a hell of a ring!

I've used Kismet's guy before, they're really good. I'm going to challenge them with one heck of a stone though very soon


So ... I gotta be in Ireland and the UK next year on a project. Maybe I can use your guy, eh?

-A

Arc - I'd be only too happy to introduce you to my nerveless setter!

You're lucky to have a choice of two good people. I do too but one is in the UK and the other isn't which is a bit of pain!

 

[Lee Little]

Any stone regardless of the hardness can be chipped or broken so it is wasteful to worry excessively about hardness numbers. You folks are right that life is for living and gems are best enjoyed.
Generally I believe it is better to use only stones that are harder than steel which is a 6 on Moh's scale for rings but there is no black and white rule. I have set Sphene in a full bezel but with a slightly recessed table for maximum protection. Kyanite could be done the same way but it sure cracks easily. Pretty bold using it a ring. If it sets OK then it can be very pretty and worn when going out sometimes.
Jade is one not to worry about, (harder than steel and tougher than diamond) plus being almost always in a cabochon there are no facet junctions to abrade.
I just posted in another thread about Zircons questions how Zircons are not all created equally and some are fine in rings. Best regards, Lee

 

[Pandora II]

A trusted and knowledgeable benchman is half the battle in my opinion.

So many that I have come across are so used to just setting diamonds and the odd sapphire that they happily steam clean or stick stones that shouldn't go there in the ultrasonic.

When I needed the prongs sorting on my e-ring I think the jeweller thought I was nuts I so made them promise not to chip it, steam it etc

I have set sphene in a 4 prong pendant and earrings, but when I suggested bezelling they said no way!