Ruby vs Sapphire

How Ruby and Sapphire differ in what they are, color, hardness and care.

Ruby

	Ruby	Sapphire
What it is	The red variety of the mineral corundum, colored by chromium. One of the most durable gems.	A variety of the mineral corundum (the same mineral as ruby), known for its hardness and its wide range of colors.
Birthstone for	July	September
Colors	Vivid, pure red is most important; "Pigeon's blood" red with blue undertones is the most prized; Thai rubies are often darker with brownish undertones	Blue (the classic color); White; Pink; Orange; Yellow; Green; Violet; Purple; Brown; Black; Padparadscha (pink and orange)
Mohs hardness	9	9
Toughness	Excellent, with no cleavage; a good choice for rings worn every day.	Excellent, with no cleavage; does not tend to break when struck.
Everyday wear	Great for everyday rings	Great for everyday rings
Ultrasonic cleaner	Usually safe for untreated, heated and lattice diffusion treated stones; not for filled or dyed stones	Usually safe for untreated, heated and lattice diffusion treated stones; not for filled or dyed stones
Main sources	Myanmar (Burma), Mozambique, Thailand	Not stated
Common treatments	Untreated and heat treated rubies are very durable. Fracture filled stones (usually with high lead glass) need more care.	Untreated and heat treated sapphire is very durable. Clean fracture filled, cavity filled or dyed stones only with a damp cloth.

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.