What's the difference between gemstones and crystals?

Crystal and gemstone are two terms frequently mentioned, and they have different meanings and uses in the fields of jewelry and mineralogy. Here are some main differences between crystal and gemstone:

Gemstones: Gemstones are usually rare, beautiful, durable minerals or organic materials with certain value. Gemstones have diverse compositions and varying degrees of hardness, but they generally have a higher hardness, such as diamonds (hardness of 10) and rubies (hardness of 9).

• Diamond: With a hardness of 10, it is the hardest substance in nature.

     

• Ruby and Sapphire: With a hardness of 9, they are the hardest gemstones after diamonds.

    

• Chrysoberyl: With a hardness of 8.5, it includes chrysoberyl cat's eye and alexandrite.

    

Crystals: Crystal is a quartz mineral, and its main component is silicon dioxide (SiO2). The hardness of crystal is 7, which is relatively hard but not as hard as some gemstones.

• Quartz (Crystal): With a hardness of 7, quartz is a very hard mineral that can scratch glass and most metals.

• Amethyst: With a hardness of 7, amethyst is a type of quartz that appears purple due to trace amounts of iron.

• Citrine: With a hardness of 7, citrine is a yellow variety of quartz, ranging from pale yellow to golden yellow.

• Rose Quartz (Feng Rui Shi): With a hardness of 7, rose quartz comes in shades from off-white, light pink to pink, and light purple.

• Fluorite: With a hardness of 4, fluorite is relatively soft and easily scratched, making it less suitable for jewelry wear.

Gemstones: Gemstones are precious due to their rarity. Certain gemstones, such as diamonds and rubies, are considered very precious due to their rarity and beautiful colors.

• Diamond: Main producing countries include South Africa, Botswana, Russia, Canada, and Australia.
• Sapphire: Top sapphire producing areas include Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. Kashmir sapphires are known for their rich cornflower blue color.
• Ruby: The top ruby producing area is Myanmar, especially the Mogok region, which produces the extremely rare "pigeon blood red" ruby.
• Emerald: The most valuable emerald varieties come from Africa, South America, and Central Asia. Colombia is synonymous with top-tier emeralds, known for their intense color.

Crystals: Crystals usually have high transparency and relatively uniform colors, mainly colorless or light shades, such as amethyst and citrine.

Crystal is a gemstone formed by the crystallization of silicon dioxide (SiO2), widely distributed but mainly concentrated in certain specific areas. Here are some famous crystal-producing areas and their characteristics:

• Brazil: Brazil is one of the world's largest crystal-producing countries, especially known for its amethyst production. Brazilian crystal mines are mainly concentrated in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, where there is an abundance of granite and gneiss, providing an ideal environment for crystal growth. Brazilian crystals are known for their high quality and unique crystal structure, making them a favorite among crystal collectors and enthusiasts.
• China: China has abundant crystal resources, mainly distributed in Jiangsu, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Xinjiang, Liaoning, Hubei, and other provinces and cities. Donghai County in Jiangsu Province is known as the "Hometown of Crystal" in China, famous for producing high-quality clear and amethyst crystals. In addition, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, and other places also have rich crystal resources.

Refractive Index:

• Gemstones: Gemstones generally have a higher refractive index, which means they can refract light, producing a sparkling and fiery effect.

• Crystals: The refractive index of crystal is relatively low, so its sparkling effect is not as obvious as that of gemstones.

Gemstones: Gemstones are mainly used to make high-end jewelry, such as rings, necklaces, earrings, etc., and are also used for investment and collection.

• Cullinan No. 1, also known as the "Star of Africa," is the largest polished diamond after the Cullinan rough stone was cut, weighing 530.2 carats, a pear-shaped diamond with 74 facets. It is currently set on the British queen's scepter.

• Crystals: In addition to being used for jewelry making, crystals are also used for decoration, healing, and spiritual practice due to their beautiful appearance and legendary energy properties.

Crystal balls are a common type of decoration and collectible, usually made from high-purity crystal or synthetic crystal. In different cultures, crystal balls have different cultural meanings and symbolism. For example, in some European cultures, crystal balls are associated with mysticism and divination; in Eastern cultures, crystal balls are often related to Feng Shui and energy fields.