Aquamarine vs Topaz

How Aquamarine and Topaz differ in what they are, color, hardness and care.

Aquamarine

	Aquamarine	Topaz
What it is	A member of the beryl family, which also includes emerald and morganite.	A hard gem (8 on the Mohs scale) whose perfect cleavage makes it prone to chipping or cracking.
Birthstone for	March	November
Colors	Pale sky blue to deep ocean blue, with little or no yellow	Colorless when pure; Brownish orange to yellow (precious topaz); Orange with pink undertones (imperial topaz, the most prized); Blue (rare in nature, usually from treatment)
Mohs hardness	7.5 to 8	8
Toughness	Durable for jewelry if protected from scratches and hard knocks.	Poor, because of its cleavage: a hard blow can split it. Pendants and earrings, or protective settings, are safer.
Everyday wear	Good for everyday wear	Wear with care
Ultrasonic cleaner	Usually safe, unless the stone has liquid inclusions or fractures	Avoid
Main sources	Brazil (main source), Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia	Brazil (largest producer), Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka
Common treatments	Rarely fracture filled. Clean fracture filled stones only with warm soapy water.	Often irradiated, heated or coated. Coatings on colorless topaz are not very durable; avoid abrasive cleaners.

Choose by the color you love and how the piece will be worn; for a ring worn every day, the tougher stone will last better.