Aquamarine vs Blue Topaz: Differences, Tests & Wear

Aquamarine vs blue topaz is a deceptively difficult visual comparison because both can produce transparent blue gemstones with excellent clarity and bright polished surfaces. Mineralogically, however, they are unrelated. Aquamarine is the blue to greenish-blue variety of beryl, Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈, while topaz is an aluminium fluorosilicate commonly written as Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂. Aquamarine measures approximately 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale and has a specific gravity near 2.72; topaz defines Mohs hardness 8 but is considerably denser, with a specific gravity around 3.53. Their refractive indices also separate them efficiently: aquamarine is typically around 1.577–1.583, while topaz commonly falls around 1.619–1.627.

Those differences matter far beyond identification. Aquamarine is usually the more forgiving choice for a frequently worn ring because it lacks topaz’s pronounced perfect basal cleavage, even though topaz is slightly harder. Blue topaz offers stronger scratch resistance and often much stronger blue saturation for a lower purchase price, but a sufficiently sharp impact or pressure in an unfavorable direction can split topaz along cleavage. Aquamarine can also chip or fracture, yet its overall combination of hardness and structural behavior generally makes it easier to use in conventional daily jewelry.

For readers comparing other easily confused stones, the broader Identification section applies the same principle: appearance begins the comparison, but physical and optical evidence finishes it.

Aquamarine vs Blue Topaz at a Glance

The most useful differences are refractive index, density, optic character, treatment context, and cleavage. Color is far less reliable because photography and treatment allow the two gems to overlap substantially in appearance.

The Fastest Practical Difference Is Density

Two loose gemstones with nearly identical dimensions can provide an immediate clue because topaz is substantially denser than aquamarine. Aquamarine’s specific gravity is approximately 2.72, while topaz is about 3.53. If two similarly proportioned stones occupy roughly the same volume, the topaz should therefore weigh considerably more.

This should not be reduced to a casual “heavier means topaz” rule. A deep aquamarine and a shallow topaz can have very different volumes even when their face-up dimensions seem similar, and mounted stones cannot be compared accurately by hand. Measured hydrostatic specific gravity is far stronger evidence than subjective heft.

When weight and exact dimensions are both available, however, the density difference becomes one of the easiest reasons to question a suspicious identification.

Refractive Index Separates Them Even More Cleanly

A refractometer provides one of the strongest conventional tests for a loose polished aquamarine vs blue topaz comparison. Aquamarine usually reads around 1.577–1.583, whereas topaz is noticeably higher at approximately 1.619–1.627. These normal ranges are sufficiently separated that a good measurement often resolves the identification immediately.

The test also avoids damaging the stone. That is preferable to scratch testing, which could permanently mark a polished gem merely to confirm a property already accessible through nondestructive methods.

Mounted stones may be harder to position on a refractometer, and tiny gems can be challenging to measure. In those situations, microscopy, spectroscopy, density, optic character, and professional gemological examination can provide additional evidence.

Color Is Useful for Shopping but Weak for Identification

Aquamarine typically appears pale to medium blue, greenish blue, or blue-green. Fine gems can show stronger blue saturation, but the classic appearance remains comparatively watery and restrained. Blue topaz can also be pale, especially in lighter commercial shades, while other treated topaz reaches considerably stronger saturated blue.

That makes color useful as an initial clue but dangerous as a final conclusion. A pale sky-blue topaz can resemble aquamarine closely, while a strongly colored aquamarine can look more intense than many buyers expect. Camera processing creates additional confusion because increasing saturation or shifting white balance can transform an ordinary pale blue gemstone into an apparently vivid one.

The same problem appears across comparisons such as Amazonite vs Turquoise and Amethyst vs Charoite: overlapping color does not imply overlapping mineral identity.

Why Blue Topaz Is Often Much Bluer

Strong natural blue topaz exists, but naturally saturated blue topaz is uncommon. The abundant bright blue stones in ordinary jewelry are typically created by treating pale or colorless topaz with irradiation and subsequent heat. GIA describes blue topaz as a major mass-market gemstone because treatment makes attractive blue material widely available.

Different treatment conditions produce different commercial appearances, commonly marketed with color names such as Sky Blue, Swiss Blue, and London Blue. Those names communicate market appearance rather than separate mineral species, and exact terminology can vary among sellers.

Aquamarine takes a different path. Natural material frequently contains greenish-blue color, and heating is commonly used to reduce the green contribution and produce a cleaner blue. This treatment is widely accepted and normally stable.

The treatment histories therefore differ substantially even when the finished gems occupy similar blue hues.

Treated Blue Topaz Is Still Natural Topaz

A frequent misunderstanding is that irradiation makes blue topaz synthetic. It does not. When naturally formed topaz is irradiated and heated, its color has been modified but the underlying mineral remains natural topaz.

Synthetic origin and treatment are separate questions.

The same distinction applies to heated aquamarine. A naturally formed beryl crystal remains natural aquamarine after accepted heat treatment even though its visible color has been modified.

Disclosure is still important because buyers deserve to know what happened to the stone. The presence of treatment, however, should not automatically be translated into the word “fake.”

Is Irradiated Blue Topaz Radioactive?

Commercial irradiation can create temporary residual radioactivity in some topaz treatment processes, which is why treated material must be held and tested until it satisfies regulatory release requirements. GIA notes that regulations govern the release and import of irradiated topaz so commercially released stones remain within prescribed safety limits.

A normally traded blue topaz from a legitimate jewelry supply chain should therefore not be treated as a radiation hazard simply because irradiation was part of its color-treatment process.

That does not justify buying unidentified treated rough from an unknown source without proper controls. The distinction is between regulated commercial gemstones and material whose treatment history and release status cannot be verified.

Topaz Is Harder, but Aquamarine Can Be Tougher in Practice

Topaz reaches Mohs hardness 8, slightly above aquamarine at approximately 7.5–8. If scratch resistance were the only durability factor, blue topaz would have the advantage.

The complication is cleavage.

Topaz has perfect basal cleavage. A sufficiently forceful blow, sharp pressure, or unfavorable thermal stress can split the crystal along that structural plane. GIA specifically warns that topaz requires care because its cleavage can cause breakage under hard blows, extreme pressure, or sharp temperature changes.

Aquamarine lacks that same pronounced perfect cleavage. It remains brittle and can chip after impact, but there is no equivalent highly developed plane along which it readily separates. For daily jewelry, this often makes aquamarine the easier material to protect despite its slightly lower hardness.

This is why durability should never be summarized by Mohs numbers alone.

Which Is Better for an Everyday Ring?

Aquamarine is usually the stronger default choice.

Its good hardness provides strong scratch resistance, and GIA describes aquamarine as durable enough for rings and mountings exposed to regular wear. Topaz can also be worn in rings, but its perfect cleavage makes protective design more important, particularly for large stones or cuts with exposed corners.

A blue topaz ring is not automatically fragile. Millions of topaz rings are worn successfully. The practical difference is that topaz gives a jeweler less tolerance for certain impact directions and setting pressures.

For someone who works extensively with their hands or frequently knocks jewelry against hard surfaces, aquamarine generally provides the more forgiving ownership profile.

Which Is Better for Earrings and Pendants?

The durability gap matters much less in lower-impact jewelry.

Earrings subject either stone to relatively little abrasion or direct impact, allowing visual preference and budget to lead the decision. Blue topaz can provide a strong saturated blue at a comparatively accessible price, while aquamarine offers the natural identity, color character, and market prestige associated with blue beryl.

Pendants are also suitable for both. A large blue topaz pendant can create substantial visual presence economically because topaz occurs in large clean material, while a fine aquamarine pendant can offer a more restrained and valuable gemstone with strong transparency.

For either gem, a mounting that protects sharp corners and keeps the stone secure remains preferable to one that exposes unnecessary mechanical weaknesses.

Clarity Will Not Reliably Distinguish Them

Both aquamarine and blue topaz commonly reach excellent transparency.

Fine aquamarine is often eye clean, and topaz—particularly colorless, blue, and yellow material—is likewise frequently free from obvious inclusions. GIA specifically notes the high clarity typical of fashioned blue topaz.

That means a seller’s description of “VVS” or “eye clean” provides little help in deciding which mineral is present. A nearly flawless blue stone could be either.

Inclusions can occasionally provide supporting evidence under magnification, but they should be interpreted together with optical measurements rather than used as a one-feature identification test.

Pleochroism Helps, but It Is Not Enough

Aquamarine is dichroic. In appropriate material and orientation, one direction can show stronger blue while another appears paler or nearly colorless. GIA lists this directional color behavior among aquamarine’s characteristic properties.

Topaz is also pleochroic, although the effect in treated blue stones may be weak and less useful than in certain naturally colored topaz varieties.

A dichroscope can therefore contribute evidence, but observing two directional colors does not by itself prove aquamarine. Refractive index and density remain more decisive.

Crystal Habit Can Help With Rough Stones

Natural aquamarine commonly forms six-sided beryl prisms, sometimes as elongated transparent crystals. Natural topaz crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and commonly develops prismatic crystals with a different combination of faces and terminations.

A well-formed rough crystal can therefore provide meaningful morphological clues.

Problems arise when a crystal is broken, water-worn, cut, partially dissolved, heavily included, or removed from its matrix. Commercial rough can also be preformed or trimmed, obscuring natural morphology.

Crystal habit is consequently stronger evidence in undamaged mineral specimens than in polished gemstones.

An Original Side-by-Side Photography Protocol

Online comparisons become much more useful when both stones are photographed under identical conditions.

The comparison becomes much weaker when the aquamarine is photographed under pale diffused lighting while the blue topaz is shown under saturated cool LEDs. The camera conditions must be normalized before subtle color differences become meaningful.

Original Diagnostic Decision Matrix

The table makes the hierarchy clear: optical data outrank marketing colors.

Three Decision Cases

Everyday Engagement-Style Ring

A buyer is choosing between a 2-carat medium-blue aquamarine and a similarly sized London-blue topaz. Both are clean, well cut, and securely mounted.

The aquamarine is usually the better long-term choice if the ring will be worn constantly. Topaz has slightly better scratch resistance, but aquamarine’s lack of perfect cleavage makes it more forgiving when the ring receives accidental impacts. The topaz remains a valid option if the owner particularly values deeper blue color and chooses a protective setting.

Large Statement Pendant

A buyer wants a large saturated blue stone for occasional evening wear but does not want the cost of a similarly large fine aquamarine.

Blue topaz is an excellent fit. Large clean crystals are available, treated blue color can be highly saturated, and a pendant avoids much of the impact risk associated with rings. The commercial abundance of treated blue topaz also makes dramatic sizes accessible without implying low material authenticity.

Collector Seeking Natural Color Character

A collector values untreated or minimally altered natural color and wants a specimen with strong geological identity rather than the brightest blue possible.

Aquamarine may be the more compelling choice, particularly when greenish-blue natural color, crystal form, inclusions, and documented provenance matter. Natural blue topaz also exists and can be highly interesting, but strongly saturated untreated natural blue topaz is far less representative of ordinary commercial blue-topaz jewelry.

Aquamarine Usually Costs More

Fine aquamarine generally carries a higher market value than ordinary treated blue topaz. The difference is not because topaz is inferior mineralogically; it reflects supply, treatment, demand, and market positioning.

Strong commercial blue topaz is abundant because large amounts of colorless topaz can be irradiated and heated to produce consistent blue material. GIA describes blue topaz as a mass-market gem whose wholesale price fell substantially as treated supply increased. Aquamarine’s desirable blue color is naturally associated with beryl and can also be improved by accepted heating, but fine saturated aquamarine remains less abundant and commands greater demand per carat.

For buyers who prioritize visual impact rather than rarity or market value, this can make blue topaz exceptionally effective. It provides large transparent blue gemstones without requiring the budget associated with fine aquamarine.

Price Does Not Determine Authenticity

A low-priced blue topaz is not necessarily fake. Its comparatively low market price often reflects abundant treated supply rather than imitation.

Likewise, an expensive pale aquamarine is not automatically fine simply because aquamarine has a stronger market position. Color, clarity, cutting, size, treatment, condition, and seller context still matter.

The useful buying rule is to evaluate each gem within its own species. Comparing a treated blue topaz’s price directly with a fine aquamarine’s price does not reveal whether either is fairly priced.

Natural Blue Topaz Is a Different Market Question

Natural blue coloration in topaz can occur, and naturally attractive blue topaz can be collectible. However, strongly colored blue topaz is uncommon in nature compared with the enormous quantity produced through commercial treatment. GIA notes that vivid natural blue topaz is rare while treated blue dominates ordinary jewelry markets.

Therefore, a seller claiming that a strongly saturated blue topaz is naturally colored is making a materially important claim.

That statement deserves documentation rather than being accepted merely because the stone is expensive.

Conversely, there is nothing inherently undesirable about properly disclosed treated blue topaz. For ordinary jewelry, treatment is expected.

Aquamarine Treatment Has a Different Market Effect

Heating aquamarine generally removes or reduces a greenish component and produces a purer blue appearance. The treatment is widely accepted and stable, so heated aquamarine can remain commercially valuable.

This differs from blue topaz because treatment does not create aquamarine’s entire commercial color category. Natural aquamarine already exists as blue to greenish-blue beryl; heat primarily adjusts the balance.

A buyer seeking strictly untreated color may prefer greenish-blue aquamarine, while another may prefer a heated purer blue. Neither preference establishes a universal quality hierarchy.

Does Blue Topaz Have Better Brilliance?

Topaz has a higher refractive index than aquamarine, so it can show somewhat stronger surface reflection under comparable cutting and lighting. The difference, however, is not dramatic enough to identify a stone confidently by sparkle.

Cut quality matters more in ordinary viewing.

A poorly proportioned topaz can look less lively than an excellent aquamarine, while an aquamarine with severe windowing can appear weak despite high transparency.

Brilliance is therefore a result of both material optics and lapidary execution.

Windowing Can Affect Both Stones

Large transparent gems are particularly susceptible to poorly executed cuts because a broad window through the center becomes visually obvious.

Aquamarine is often cut in elongated emerald, oval, and cushion forms, while blue topaz appears in virtually every commercial shape. In both materials, overly shallow pavilion angles can allow the viewer to see through the central part of the gem rather than receiving strong returned light.

A stone that weighs more is not necessarily better if the extra weight is poorly distributed.

Dimensions, depth, face-up spread, symmetry, and light return should be evaluated alongside carat weight.

Topaz Cleavage Changes Setting Strategy

Perfect cleavage is the physical property that most clearly separates topaz ownership from aquamarine ownership. GIA advises that topaz requires particular care during cutting, polishing, and mounting because pressure in the wrong orientation can encourage cleavage.

Large topaz stones benefit from settings that reduce direct pressure and protect vulnerable edges. Sharp temperature changes should also be avoided.

Aquamarine generally tolerates conventional jewelry construction better, although any large brittle gemstone can be damaged by excessive force.

The difference is not “topaz breaks, aquamarine does not.” It is that topaz contains a particularly efficient structural plane along which breakage can occur.

Care and Cleaning

Warm soapy water is a conservative cleaning method for both aquamarine and blue topaz. Aquamarine is generally durable, although liquid inclusions, significant fractures, or fracture filling may make aggressive ultrasonic or steam cleaning inappropriate.

Topaz should also be cleaned conservatively because of cleavage and sensitivity to sharp temperature changes. GIA recommends warm soapy water and notes that coated topaz requires especially mild cleaning to protect the surface treatment.

Neither stone needs harsh chemicals, abrasive powders, deliberate heating, or aggressive home testing.

Which Gem Scratches More Easily?

Aquamarine is slightly easier to scratch because topaz sits at Mohs 8 while aquamarine ranges around 7.5–8.

The practical difference is smaller than the simple numbers suggest because both are substantially harder than ordinary glass and many household materials. Quartz-containing dust can still abrade aquamarine over long periods, while topaz offers stronger resistance to this type of wear.

The tradeoff is that topaz’s greater hardness does not protect it from cleavage.

Scratch resistance and breakage resistance answer different questions.

Which Gem Is Better for Travel Jewelry?

For normal travel, either can be appropriate.

Aquamarine is generally easier to wear without special concern beyond ordinary fine-jewelry care. Blue topaz is also practical, particularly in earrings and pendants, but a large topaz ring should be protected from sharp knocks.

Neither gemstone provides supernatural travel protection. Historical or metaphysical symbolism should not substitute for practical precautions, insurance, secure storage, or situational awareness. The distinction between symbolic belief and evidence is explained in the Gems Lore disclaimer.

A Buyer’s Decision Matrix

The matrix does not rank one gem as universally superior because the physical tradeoffs are genuinely different.

Do Not Confuse Blue Topaz With General Topaz Comparisons

Blue topaz is only one color expression of topaz, and its commercial treatment history makes it different from discussions involving imperial, pink, yellow, colorless, or naturally blue topaz. Readers comparing aquamarine against the broader topaz species rather than specifically the blue market can use Aquamarine vs Topaz.

Other color-based identification challenges require their own mineral evidence. Apatite vs Aquamarine separates phosphate from beryl despite overlapping blue-green color, while Aventurine vs Jade compares materials whose green appearance can hide very different structures.

Likewise, Carnelian vs Red Jasper shows why closely related silica materials still require texture and transparency distinctions, and Citrine vs Yellow Sapphire demonstrates how similar color can conceal major differences in hardness, refractive properties, and market value.

A Consistent Identification Principle Across Gemstones

The strongest gemstone comparisons use independent properties rather than one favorite clue. Carnelian vs Sunstone cannot be resolved by orange color alone because chalcedony and feldspar are structurally different. Citrine vs Yellow Topaz similarly requires optical and physical data rather than accepting yellow color as proof of either species.

The same applies to Carnelian vs Orange Calcite, where a hardness difference can quickly reveal that visually similar polished stones do not belong to the same mineral system.

Aquamarine vs blue topaz follows exactly this evidence pattern: first observe, then measure.

When Laboratory Testing Is Worthwhile

Basic gemological testing can usually distinguish aquamarine from topaz without advanced analysis because their refractive index, density, and optic character differ substantially. Laboratory testing becomes more useful when the question extends beyond species identity to natural versus laboratory-grown origin, treatment, unusual color claims, or high-value documentation.

Testing is especially sensible when a large purchase depends on whether a blue stone is natural aquamarine, when a strongly colored topaz is claimed to possess rare untreated natural blue, or when seller information conflicts with measurable properties.

A report should still be interpreted narrowly. Identification does not automatically establish quality, value, geographic origin, or future resale.

What Photographs Cannot Tell You

A photograph can document hue, apparent saturation, cutting, visible inclusions, dimensions relative to a scale, and surface condition.

It cannot measure refractive index.

It cannot establish specific gravity.

It cannot determine optic character.

It cannot prove that a blue topaz was naturally colored.

It cannot establish that an aquamarine is unheated.

It cannot prove geographic origin.

This is why visually confident online identifications often exceed the evidence actually available.

Common Identification Mistakes

The first mistake is assuming very pale blue means aquamarine. Light blue topaz exists.

The second is assuming strong blue means topaz. Fine aquamarine can have much stronger saturation than ordinary commercial aquamarine.

The third is comparing carat weight without dimensions. Topaz’s greater density means equal-size stones should not weigh equally.

The fourth is assuming hardness makes topaz automatically tougher. Perfect cleavage complicates that conclusion.

The fifth is interpreting treatment as synthetic origin.

The sixth is assuming a high price proves aquamarine. Pricing can be incorrect, and unusual natural topaz can also be valuable.

The seventh is using a single photograph as definitive identification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest difference between aquamarine and blue topaz?

Aquamarine is blue beryl, while blue topaz is topaz. Their chemistry, density, refractive index, crystal structure, cleavage, and typical treatment histories are different even when their colors overlap.

Which is harder, aquamarine or blue topaz?

Blue topaz is slightly harder at Mohs 8. Aquamarine is approximately 7.5–8.

Is blue topaz more durable than aquamarine?

Not automatically. Topaz has greater scratch resistance but perfect basal cleavage, which can allow it to split after an unfavorable impact. Aquamarine is usually more forgiving structurally for frequent jewelry wear.

Which is better for a ring?

Aquamarine is generally the better default for a frequently worn ring. Blue topaz can still work well with protective design and sensible wear.

Which is better for earrings?

Both are suitable. Earrings expose stones to relatively little mechanical wear, so color preference and budget can lead the decision.

Which is better for a pendant?

Both are practical. Blue topaz offers large saturated color economically, while aquamarine generally carries stronger gem-market value.

Does blue topaz look like aquamarine?

Yes. Pale blue topaz can look particularly similar to aquamarine, while photography can make the overlap even greater.

Which gem is heavier?

Blue topaz is substantially denser. Its specific gravity is around 3.53 compared with approximately 2.72 for aquamarine.

Can you tell them apart by weight?

Measured density can be very useful, but casual hand-heft comparison is unreliable unless the stones have closely comparable dimensions and proportions.

What is the refractive index of aquamarine?

Aquamarine typically measures around 1.577–1.583.

What is the refractive index of blue topaz?

Topaz commonly measures around 1.619–1.627.

Can a refractometer distinguish them?

Yes. Their typical refractive-index ranges are sufficiently separated that a proper refractometer measurement provides strong identification evidence.

Is aquamarine naturally blue?

Yes. Iron-related absorption produces natural blue to greenish-blue color in aquamarine.

Is blue topaz naturally blue?

Natural blue topaz exists, but much commercial blue topaz receives its color through irradiation and heat treatment.

Is irradiated blue topaz safe to wear?

Properly released commercial irradiated topaz is subject to regulatory controls governing residual radioactivity and is considered suitable for normal jewelry use.

Is treated blue topaz fake?

No. Treated natural topaz remains natural topaz. Treatment describes modification after formation, not synthetic origin.

Is aquamarine treated?

Heating is common and is used primarily to reduce the natural green component and produce a bluer appearance.

Does heating make aquamarine fake?

No. Heated natural aquamarine remains naturally formed beryl.

Which is clearer?

Both frequently occur as highly transparent, eye-clean faceted gems. Clarity alone is not a dependable identification clue.

Which sparkles more?

Topaz has a somewhat higher refractive index, but cutting quality has a major effect on visible brilliance. Either can look brighter when better cut.

Which is more expensive?

Fine aquamarine is generally more expensive than ordinary treated blue topaz. Treated blue topaz is abundant and widely used in mass-market jewelry.

Why is blue topaz so inexpensive?

Large quantities of suitable topaz can be treated to create blue color, producing substantial commercial supply. Lower price does not mean the mineral is fake.

Is natural blue topaz valuable?

Fine naturally blue topaz can be collectible because saturated untreated natural blue is much less common than treated commercial blue.

Can color prove which gemstone I have?

No. Their colors overlap too much. Refractive index, specific gravity, optic character, and professional gemological examination provide stronger evidence.

Can crystal shape distinguish rough aquamarine and topaz?

It can help. Aquamarine normally forms hexagonal beryl prisms, while topaz is orthorhombic. Broken or fashioned rough can obscure those diagnostic habits.

Which gemstone needs more protection from impact?

Blue topaz deserves particular protection because of its perfect cleavage. Aquamarine can also chip but lacks the same pronounced basal cleavage.

How should both stones be cleaned?

Warm soapy water is a conservative method for both. Avoid harsh chemicals and aggressive temperature changes, and account for fractures, fillings, coatings, and jewelry construction.

Should I scratch-test a gemstone to distinguish them?

No. A scratch test can permanently damage a finished stone. Nondestructive optical and density tests are available.

Which one should I choose?

Choose aquamarine when everyday wear, natural blue-beryl identity, established gem value, and easier structural durability matter most. Choose blue topaz when strong saturated blue, large size, and affordability are higher priorities.

Where can I ask about a stone that might be aquamarine or blue topaz?

Provide clear photographs, exact dimensions, carat weight, any report information, and the seller’s stated treatment details through Contact Gems Lore. Information submitted through the site is handled according to the Privacy Policy.

Aquamarine vs blue topaz becomes much easier once color stops carrying the entire identification. Aquamarine is lighter, lower in refractive index, uniaxial, and built on the beryl structure. Topaz is denser, somewhat more refractive, biaxial, slightly harder, and distinguished by perfect basal cleavage. Commercial blue topaz is commonly irradiation- and heat-treated, whereas aquamarine’s familiar treatment is usually heat used to reduce its green component.

Those physical differences also explain the ownership tradeoff. Aquamarine usually provides the stronger all-around choice for frequent rings and buyers seeking the market character of natural blue beryl. Blue topaz provides exceptional visual size and saturated blue color at accessible prices, especially in earrings, pendants, and protected settings.

Neither stone needs to be judged by a single number or marketing name. A measured comparison of identity, optical properties, treatment, durability, intended use, and value provides a much stronger decision than guessing from blue color alone. Gems Lore’s general standards for separating evidence from unsupported claims are explained on About Gems Lore.