Are Diamonds Really Hard?
Diamonds are cut using diamonds and diamond dust as the gem is among the hardest materials on earth. There are other gemstones that are hard as well, but few are as hard as diamond. The hardness of gemstones is measured by the Mohs scale, running from 1 being the softest to 10 being the hardest. An example of a soft mineral, Talc, with a Mohs hardness of 1, can be scratched with a fingernail. The Mohs scale is arbitrary and not linear; meaning the range from 8 to 9 is much smaller than the range from 9 to 10. Minerals that are harder have always been better choices for jewelry as they tend to be more durable and will not scratch easily by an arbitrary knock. They can also better withstand the changes in elements. The most common gem mineral is Quartz, which ranges on the Mohs scale at 7 and above. Other gems that are nearly as hard as diamonds, with a Mohs scale of 9 are sapphires and rubies. One of the common myths of diamonds is that it is indestructible. If you hit the diamond with
