Garnet is often discussed with one eye on colour and the other on where the material comes from. Collectors and lapidaries comparing similar stones often come to it for different reasons, but identification still comes back to green body colour, 6.5 Mohs hardness, and vitreous lustre. The secondary burgundy note often matters more than people expect when separating it from lookalikes.

Ruby is defined by red corundum, but not every red stone carries the same authority of colour. The most sought-after examples combine vivid saturation with enough transparency to let the red remain bright rather than murky.

Star Ruby profile is under factual gemological review. Properties shown here are provisional unless marked as verified.