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Sapphires score 9 on the Mohs scale, making them second only to diamond in hardness. In a pendant they are an exceptionally practical choice — the hardness means they resist the surface contact that pendants experience against skin and clothing.

Excellent for daily wear. Sapphires maintain their lustre and colour intensity over decades without treatment or ongoing maintenance, making them one of the most rewarding stones for a pendant worn constantly.

Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for heavily included stones. A professional check every year or two is recommended.

Emeralds score 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale. Their colour comes from chromium and vanadium. Most contain a natural jardin of inclusions — part of their character rather than a flaw. In a pendant they are less exposed to impact than in a ring.

Good for regular wear with appropriate setting. Pendants are less prone to sharp impacts than rings, making emeralds a more practical choice at the neckline than on the finger. A bezel or collet is still recommended for the most active wearers.

Clean gently with a damp cloth only. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners and steam entirely. Emeralds are often treated with oil to improve clarity — heat and chemicals can affect this.

Rubies are the red variety of corundum, scoring 9 on the Mohs scale. Their colour comes from chromium — ranging from pinkish-red to the deep pigeon blood red of Burmese origin, the most prized tone in the trade.

Excellent for daily wear. The high hardness makes rubies a very practical pendant stone. They resist surface dulling from skin contact better than softer stones and maintain their colour intensity over decades.

Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Generally durable enough for ultrasonic cleaning unless heavily fractured — a jeweller's assessment is recommended first.

Pearls are organic gems formed by molluscs. Akoya pearls are the classic white pendant pearl. South Sea pearls offer the largest sizes and most lustrous surfaces. Tahitian pearls provide deep grey, green, and black tones with strong iridescence.

Good for regular wear with care. Pendants are gentler on pearls than rings — the stone faces less direct impact. The main risks are perfume, body lotion, and perspiration, all of which dull nacre over time.

Wipe with a soft damp cloth after wearing. Never use ultrasonic cleaners, steam, or chemical solutions. Store separately from harder stones that can scratch the nacre.

Aquamarine is a blue variety of beryl, the same mineral family as emerald. It scores 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale. Aquamarines are typically very clean — inclusions are rare and eye-clean stones are the norm even at larger sizes.

Good for daily wear as a pendant — the stone faces less direct impact than in a ring setting. Aquamarine's moderate hardness means it can develop light surface scratches over years of wear, but these rarely affect the face-up appearance significantly.

Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Generally safe for ultrasonic cleaning unless heavily included. Avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight, which can gradually fade the colour in some stones.

Lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock composed primarily of lazurite, which gives it its deep blue colour. The gold flecks are iron pyrite; white veining is calcite. The finest material — deep, uniform blue with minimal calcite — comes from Afghanistan, where it has been mined for over six thousand years.

Moderate — lapis lazuli is softer than most gemstones at 5–6 on the Mohs scale, making it vulnerable to surface scratching. In a pendant it faces less mechanical stress than in a ring, but a protective bezel or collet setting is recommended over an open prong setting. Avoid impact and abrasive surfaces.

Wipe gently with a soft, barely damp cloth. Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaners — both can damage the surface. Avoid acids, chemicals, and prolonged exposure to water. Store separately from harder stones that may scratch the surface.

Tanzanite is the blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite, found exclusively in a small mining area in Tanzania. It is strongly trichroic — showing different colours along different crystal axes. Most tanzanite is heat-treated to reduce brown tones and enhance the blue-violet. Only one known deposit exists worldwide, making it considerably rarer than diamond.

Moderate — better suited to pendant and earring settings than rings. Its hardness of 6–7 Mohs and perfect cleavage in one direction make it vulnerable to hard knocks. As a pendant it faces far less mechanical stress, but a protective bezel or halo setting is recommended over an exposed prong setting.

Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush only. Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaners — tanzanite's perfect cleavage makes it vulnerable to vibration and thermal shock. Avoid direct heat, rapid temperature changes, and harsh chemicals. Store separately from harder stones that may scratch the surface.

Opal is a hydrated amorphous silica containing between 3–20% water. The play-of-colour is caused by light diffracting through silica spheres arranged in a regular grid structure. Australian opals dominate the fine market — Lightning Ridge produces the most prized black opal; Coober Pedy is known for white opal. Ethiopian opal offers striking crystal-clear material with vivid play-of-colour.

Moderate — best suited to pendant and earring settings where the stone is shielded from direct impact and abrasion. Opal's lower hardness benefits from a bezel or protective setting rather than an exposed prong setting. Avoid sudden temperature changes and very dry environments, both of which can stress the stone.

Wipe gently with a soft, barely damp cloth only. Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaners — both can cause fracturing or crazing. Avoid harsh chemicals, hand sanitiser, and perfume. Because opal contains water, very dry conditions or rapid temperature changes can cause surface cracking. Do not soak in water or expose to prolonged heat.

The garnet group includes pyrope, almandine, spessartite, grossular (including tsavorite and hessonite), andradite (including demantoid), and uvarovite. Each variety has distinct optical properties. Demantoid garnet has the highest dispersion of any natural coloured stone — greater than diamond — giving it extraordinary fire and brilliance in pendant settings.

Good for daily pendant wear across most varieties. A hardness of 6.5–7.5 Mohs and the absence of cleavage make most garnets resilient and practical. Demantoid is the softest fine variety at 6.5 Mohs and benefits from a protective bezel or halo setting. No variety requires unusual precautions in pendant wear.

Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Most varieties are safe for ultrasonic cleaning, but demantoid — particularly stones with the prized horsetail inclusions — and any stone with visible surface fractures should be cleaned by hand only. Store separately from harder stones such as diamonds and sapphires to avoid surface scratches.