Jade is one of the toughest gemstones, allowing it to be intricately carved into bangles, dragons, and Buddhas. While diamonds are harder and rank higher on the Mohs scale, jade is tougher, meaning it resists breaking, chipping, and cracking better. Learn more about the difference between hardness and toughness on our Jade Education Blog.
Is Jade Harder Than Diamonds?
Understanding Why Jade Is One of the Most Durable Gemstones
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Jade – Known as one of the toughest stones in the world, jade’s incredible toughness allows it to be intricately carved into dragons, bangles, Buddhas, and more.
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Diamond – The hardest natural stone on the Mohs scale, diamonds are used to cut other diamonds due to their extreme hardness.
While diamonds are harder than jade, jade is actually tougher. This means jade resists breaking, chipping, or cracking better than diamond, even though it ranks 6–7 on the Mohs hardness scale compared to diamond at 10.
Think of it this way:
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Toughness vs. Hardness: Leather is tougher than glass, but glass is harder than leather. Similarly, jade may not scratch other stones like a diamond does, but it can withstand impacts better without breaking.
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Dive deeper into the world of jade, jadeite, and nephrite on our Jade Education Blog.
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