What s the difference between garnet and ruby?

At first glance, garnet and ruby look alike. Although both gems have a bright red color, one is a precious gem while the other is a semi-gem. This article tells you the difference between garnet and ruby, learn not to confuse the two gems.

Garnet and ruby form

Before the identification technology of gems was mature, all red gems were considered rubies, including garnet. Because they were all red and sparkling, no one knew how to distinguish the two gems at that time.

And right now, it was important to differentiate between the two gems because ruby was one of the four precious gems in the world, along with diamond, emerald, and sapphire, while garnet was a rather rich semi-gem. Both gems had some benefits, but the actual value of ruby was much higher.

Garnet refers to a large class of silicate minerals with similar crystal structures and physical properties, but with different chemical compositions. Garnet has different types and chemical formulas, and can be formed in a variety of ways. However, generally speaking, when garnet crystals are formed, sedimentary rocks are subjected to tremendous pressure and temperature. The rock that melts in this environment, when it cools, it crystallizes in cracks and crevices around metamorphic rocks. Once the silicate material is mixed with other chemical impurities, various garnet colors will be produced.

Ruby stones are formed under immense pressure and high temperatures. They are made up of what is called corundum and are made up of aluminum and oxygen atoms, which turn into liquids under high temperatures and high pressures and seep into the cracks of volcanic or metamorphic rocks. After the liquids cool down, they usually turn into colorless crystals. However, when traces of chromium are mixed with corundum, they turn red, giving us ruby stones.

Garnet with color and light of ruby

Garnet Picture - Google/SHUTTERSTOCK, Ruby Picture - LUEN WANTISUD/CANVA. Derivation of Diamond Bath.

Ruby and Garnet both have a deep red color. However, there are several differences in their color, hue, and strength, which helps us to distinguish between Garnet and Ruby.

Ruby's red color comes from the trace element of chromium, while garnet is dyed red by iron during its formation. This difference causes the ruby's red color to be more intense, and garnet appears lighter and paler in comparison. In addition, ruby has a colder red base color, which sometimes appears slightly purple or blue, while garnet has a warm hue, which tends to be orange-yellow.

It is worth mentioning that ruby is only red, while garnet is usually red; it can be pink, purple, brown, yellow, orange, green, black and discolored, blue in daylight, and red or purple in artificial light.

Another way to tell if you are looking at garnet or ruby is the way the gem reflects light. If the gem reflects a rainbow of colors, including green and yellow, you are likely to see garnet because the ruby absorbs green and yellow due to its chemical composition.

Transparency and durability of garnet and ruby

Ruby usually shows inclusions, and these inclusions are not considered negative attributes, such as diamonds. Instead, these flaws are considered part of the ruby. Garnet, on the other hand, is usually transparent and clean. The flaws and inclusions in garnet cannot be tolerated.

Ruby is a very durable gemstone, and on the Mohs hardness scale, it is graded at 9 out of 10. Garnet is a less durable gemstone, and its grade is a Mohs hardness meter, which means that it is a relatively soft gemstone. Although you may not be able to determine the hardness of the stone through observation, the difference in durability is a very important factor that can help professionals distinguish between the two.

Garnet and ruby properties

	Garnet	Ruby
Chemical name	Silicate	Alumina
Crystal system	Equidistant	Triangle
Color	Typical red, but can be orange, green, yellow, purple, black or brown	Red
Hardness	Mohs Scale, Rank, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating, Rating	Mohs scale 9 points
Refractive Index	1.72 - 1.94	1.76 - 1.78
Specific gravity	3.5 - 4.3	4.0 - 4.1
Transparency	Transparent to translucent	Transparent to opaque
Birefringence	No	-0.008
Lustre	Glassy to Resin	Vitreous
Cleansing	No	No
Stripes	White	Colorless
Fluorescence	Variable	Strong-Carmine