Diamond can scratch them; so can man-made materials that incorporate silicon carbide, which, with a Mohs rating of between 9 and 10, is harder than sapphire.
Boric acid powder will etch the surface of even untreated stones. Fracture-filled, cavity-filled, and dyed stones can be damaged by even mild acids like lemon juice. Warm, soapy water is always safe. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe for untreated, heat-treated, and lattice diffusion treated stones.
Sapphire is more scratch resistant than glass, but that doesn't mean that nothing can scratch it. A really sharp object will scratch it, just like a really sharp object will scratch anything.
If you ever find a blue jewel in any movement, that's a sapphire. So, it's very scratch-resistant.
These crystals are second in hardness only to diamonds, registering 9 on Mohs scale of hardness. What the hardness means is that sapphires can be scratched only by a diamond and, sometimes, other sapphires depending on variances in each crystals hardness.
Sandpaper can scratch sapphire, as it is made of particles of carborundum.
Hardness and Durability
What is this? A gemstone's hardness measures its resistance to scratching. At a hardness of 10, only another diamond could scratch a diamond. However, only a diamond or a moissanite could scratch a sapphire.
Sapphire crystal – the ultimate in scratch resistance
Sapphire glass has a hardness of around 2000 HV – twice as much as mineral glass. Sapphire glass can therefore only be scratched by a few materials, including real diamond with 4,500 to 10,000 HV. For comparison: stainless steel comes to about 220 HV.
In technical terms, sapphire glass belongs to the corundum group. After diamonds (Mohs scale 10), corundum boasts the second-highest hardness, 9. It is therefore extremely hard and resistant.
Although gemstones are hard substances, they aren't indestructible. Some can be ruined by contact with certain chemicals, while others break easily. Many are susceptible to surface scratching, which can ruin them. The harder a gem is, the more difficult it is to scratch.
Rubies Are Just Red Sapphires
Used extensively in jewelry as well as other forms of art, this gemstone has retained its popularity across the world. It's no wonder these gems are so sought after; transparent rubies of a large size are even rarer than diamonds!
Do not wear pearls, corals, and rubies with blue sapphires.
Everyday Sparkle: Sapphire birthstone jewelry and studs
Diamonds are the only thing to surpass sapphires, meaning they're the only natural material to be able to scratch or cause damage to this gemstone. Thanks to their durability, sapphires are safe to be worn every day.
Protect your sapphire ring by removing it before doing household chores. If you have a pair of sapphire earrings, avoid wearing them in the pool or shower.
In comparison, plastic and acrylic glass have a Mohs rating of around 3, while mineral glass has a rating of around 5 to 7. This means that sapphire crystal is significantly harder and more scratch-resistant than other commonly used watch glass materials.
Just like the stainless steel models of the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra features sapphire crystal to cover the display. Since sapphire is one of the most hardest minerals known, it is extremely difficult to scratch – which makes it perfect for premium watches.
No, sapphire isn't completely indestructible
While sapphire is almost entirely scratch-proof, it's still susceptible to cracks. "Sapphire is more brittle than glass," Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies told Business Insider.
Does it chip easily? No, it does not. Corundum is one of the toughest minerals found on earth. Being a part of this family, it's no surprise that the sapphire boasts of an impressive rating of 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
Yes, blue sapphires that are medium or light tone, eye clean, and well cut, sparkle! However, if your stone is too dark, too included, or poorly cut, it will not shine as much. This is because dark stones do not allow for light reflection as much as medium or light tones do.
Sapphire scores a solid 9 out of 10 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, just below diamond, making it even more scratch resistant than mineral glass.
Indeed, sapphire crystal is made up of synthetic sapphire, usually used to make the protective screen of watch dials, thanks to its hardness it can only be scratched by boron nitride or diamond.
Toothpaste is a common household item that can be used to remove minor scratches from your watch's crystal. Here's how: Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a soft, clean cloth. Rub the toothpaste onto the scratched area of your watch's crystal in a circular motion for 2-3 minutes.
Yes! Sapphire loses its sparkle over time. Sapphires get dull when dirt, dust, or residue covers them. This offers a cloudy look on the Sapphire stone.