Specific Gravity Values of Selected Gems
Measuring specific gravity helps gemologists identify gemstones. The following table lists the specific gravity values for a variety of gem materials.
4 Minute Read
By International Gem Society, updated on
Specific gravity (SG) is a property that helps identify gemstones by measuring how much heavier they are compared to water. Simply put, it's the ratio of a gemstone's density to water's density.
Gemologists measure specific gravity using Archimedes' principle:
- Weigh the gem in air
- Weigh it submerged in water
- Calculate: SG = Weight in air / (Weight in air - Weight in water)
This measurement is particularly useful for identifying rough or carved stones where other tests might be difficult to perform. Specific gravity is a reliable diagnostic tool because each gemstone type has a consistent SG value range. When determining a gemstone's identity, SG testing is often combined with other tests like refractive index measurements and hardness tests.
This property helps distinguish similar-looking stones and detect imitations, making it a valuable tool in gemstone identification.
The following table lists the specific gravity values for a variety of materials commonly found in gem and jewelry collections, as well as for some materials more rarely encountered.
Table of Specific Gravity Values
| Gemstone | Density |
| Gold | 15.50-19.30 |
| Thorianite | 9.70-9.80 |
| Silver | 9.60-12.00 |
| Algondonite | 8.38 |
| Bismutotantalite | 8.15-8.89 |
| Cinnabar | 8.00-8.20 |
| Stolzite | 7.90-8.34 |
| Niccolite | 7.78 |
| Manganotantalite | 7.73-7.97 |
| Melonite | 7.72 |
| Breithauptite | 7.59-8.23 |
| Stibiotantalite | 7.53 |
| Mimetite | 7.24 |
| Huebnerite | 7.12-7.18 |
| Wolframite | 7.10-7.60 |
| Gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG)* | 7.00-7.09 |
| Cassiterite | 6.70-7.10 |
| Wulfenite | 6.50-7.00 |
| Vanadinite | 6.50-7.10 |
| Cerussite | 6.46-6.57 |
| Cobaltite | 6.33 |
| Anglesite | 6.30-6.39 |
| Phosgenite | 6.13 |
| Simpsonite | 5.92-6.84 |
| Scheelite | 5.90-6.30 |
| Crocoite | 5.90-6.10 |
| Cuprite | 5.85-6.15 |
| Pyrargyrite | 5.85 |
| Yttrotantalite | 5.70 |
| Zincite | 5.66 |
| Proustite | 5.51-5.64 |
| Descloizite | 5.50-6.20 |
| Chalcosite | 5.50-5.80 |
| Cubic zirconia (CZ)* | 5.50-6.00 |
| Millerite | 5.50 |
| Fergusonite | 5.35-5.44 |
| Euxenite | 5.30-5.90 |
| Linarite | 5.30 |
| Senarmontite | 5.20-5.50 |
| Magnetite | 5.20 |
| Aeschynite | 5.19 |
| Tantalite | 5.18-8.20 |
| Hematite | 5.12-5.28 |
| Fabulite (Tausonite) | 5.11-5.15 |
| Bornite | 5.06-5.08 |
| Boleite | 5.05 |
| Samarskite | 5.00-5.69 |
| Pyrite | 5.00-5.20 |
| Monazite | 4.98-5.43 |
| Bixbyite** | 4.93 |
| Marcasite | 4.83-4.92 |
| Greenockite | 4.73-4.79 |
| Psilomelane (Manganese oxide) | 4.70-4.74 |
| Linobate (Lithium niobate)* | 4.64-4.66 |
| Pentlandite | 4.60-5.00 |
| Covellite | 4.60-4.76 |
| Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG)* | 4.55-4.65 |
| Ilmenite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Pyrolusite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Chromite | 4.50-4.80 |
| Davidite | 4.50 |
| Barite | 4.43-4.46 |
| Magnesiochromite | 4.39-4.67 |
| Bayldonite | 4.35 |
| Parisite | 4.33-4.42 |
| Microlite | 4.30-5.70 |
| Adamite | 4.30-4.68 |
| Witherite | 4.27-4.79 |
| Galaxite | 4.23 |
| Powellite | 4.23 |
| Rutile | 4.20-4.30 |
| Spessartite garnet | 4.12-4.18 |
| Shattuckite | 4.11 |
| Chalcopyrite | 4.10-4.30 |
| Wurtzite | 4.09 |
| Brookite | 4.08-4.18 |
| Hancockite | 4.03 |
| Painite | 4.01 |
| Gadolinite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Smithsonite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Gahnite | 4.00-4.62 |
| Legrandite | 3.98-4.04 |
| Ruby | 3.97-4.05 |
| Celestite | 3.97-4.00 |
| Libethenite | 3.97 |
| Ferrosilite | 3.96 |
| Sapphire | 3.95-4.03 |
| Durangite | 3.94-4.07 |
| Zircon | 3.93-4.73 |
| Almandine garnet | 3.93-4.30 |
| Hodgkinsonite | 3.91-3.99 |
| Sphalerite | 3.90-4.10 |
| Willemite | 3.89-4.18 |
| Tephroite | 3.87-4.12 |
| Siderite | 3.83-3.96 |
| Anatase | 3.82-3.97 |
| Goethite | 3.80-4.30 |
| Gaspéite | 3.71 |
| Andradite garnet | 3.70-4.10 |
| Azurite | 3.70-3.90 |
| Periclase | 3.70-3.90 |
| Chrysoberyl (Cat's eye, Alexandrite) | 3.70-3.78 |
| Schorlomite*** | 3.69-3.88 |
| Barytocalcite | 3.66 |
| Staurolite | 3.65-3.77 |
| Benitoite | 3.64-3.68 |
| Strontianite | 3.63-3.79 |
| Pyrope garnet | 3.62-3.87 |
| Pyroxmangite | 3.61-3.80 |
| Holtite | 3.60-3.90 |
| Taafeite | 3.60-3.62 |
| Grossular garnet | 3.56-3.73 |
| Realgar | 3.56 |
| Spinel | 3.54-3.63 |
| Kyanite | 3.53-3.70 |
| Nambulite | 3.53 |
| Sphene (Titanite) | 3.52-3.54 |
| Allanite | 3.50-4.20 |
| Aegirine | 3.50-3.60 |
| Hedenbergite | 3.50-3.56 |
| Diamond | 3.50-3.53 |
| Topaz | 3.49-3.57 |
| Chambersite | 3.49 |
| Sinhalite | 3.46-3.50 |
| Rhodochrosite | 3.45-3.70 |
| Piedmontite | 3.45-3.52 |
| Euchroite | 3.44 |
| Rhodizite | 3.44 |
| Serendibite | 3.42-3.52 |
| Uvarovite garnet | 3.41-3.52 |
| Rhodonite | 3.40-3.74 |
| Lithiophilite | 3.40-3.60 |
| Sapphirine | 3.40-3.58 |
| Aegirine-augite | 3.40-3.55 |
| Hypersthene | 3.40-3.50 |
| Chromdravite | 3.40 |
| Scorzalite | 3.38 |
| Tinzenite | 3.36-3.43 |
| Tanzanite | 3.35 |
| Triphylite | 3.34-3.58 |
| Dickinsonite | 3.34-3.41 |
| Idocrase (Vesuvianite) | 3.32-3.47 |
| Bustamite | 3.32-3.42 |
| Serandite | 3.32 |
| Manganaxinite | 3.31 |
| Epidote | 3.30-3.50 |
| Hemimorphite | 3.30-3.50 |
| Diaspore | 3.30-3.39 |
| Jadeite | 3.30-3.38 |
| Peridot | 3.28-4.39 |
| Dioptase | 3.28-3.35 |
| Ekanite | 3.28-3.32 |
| Jeremejevite | 3.28-3.31 |
| Parascorodite | 3.28-3.29 |
| Forsterite | 3.28 |
| Kornerupine | 3.27-3.45 |
| Dumortierite | 3.26-3.41 |
| Axinite | 3.26-3.36 |
| Povondraite | 3.28 |
| Malachite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Ferroaxinite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Papagoite | 3.25 |
| Smaragdite | 3.24-3.50 |
| Sillimanite | 3.23-3.27 |
| Diopside | 3.22-3.38 |
| Väyrynenite | 3.22 |
| Weloganite | 3.22 |
| Clinozoisite | 3.21-3.28 |
| Helvite | 3.20-3.44 |
| Purpurite | 3.20-3.40 |
| Humite | 3.20-3.32 |
| Enstatite | 3.20-3.30 |
| Neptunite | 3.19-3.23 |
| Clinoenstatite | 3.19 |
| Rinkite | 3.18-3.44 |
| Pumpellyite | 3.18-3.33 |
| Magnesioaxinite | 3.18 |
| Norbergite | 3.18 |
| Chlorapatite | 3.17-3.18 |
| Chondrodite | 3.16-3.26 |
| Apatite | 3.16-3.23 |
| Strass | 3.15-4.20 |
| Zoisite (non-Tanzanite) | 3.15-3.36 |
| Spodumene (Hiddenite, Kunzite) | 3.15-3.21 |
| Hureaulite | 3.15-3.19 |
| Sellaite | 3.15 |
| Clinohumite | 3.13-3.75 |
| Fluorapatite | 3.10-3.25 |
| Moissanite (Carborundum)* | 3.10-3.22 |
| Ludlamite | 3.10-3.20 |
| Euclase | 3.10 |
| Lawsonite | 3.08-3.09 |
| Phosphophyllite | 3.07-3.13 |
| Friedelite | 3.06-3.19 |
| Andalusite | 3.05-3.20 |
| Eosphorite | 3.05-3.08 |
| Pargasite | 3.04-3.17 |
| Lazulite | 3.04-3.14 |
| Actinolite | 3.03-3.44 |
| Spurrite | 3.02 |
| Amblygonite | 3.01-3.11 |
| Fluorite | 3.00-3.25 |
| Meliphanite | 3.00-3.03 |
| Leucophanite | 3.00 |
| Schlossmacherite | 3.00 |
| Chiolite | 2.99-3.01 |
| Montebrasite | 2.98-3.11 |
| Brazilianite | 2.98-2.99 |
| Richterite | 2.97-3.45 |
| Danburite | 2.97-3.03 |
| Ankerite | 2.97 |
| Cryolite | 2.97 |
| Magnesite | 2.96-3.12 |
| Tremolite | 2.95-3.07 |
| Herderite | 2.95-3.02 |
| Phenakite | 2.95-2.97 |
| Boracite | 2.95-2.96 |
| Aragonite | 2.94 |
| Vlasovite | 2.92-2.96 |
| Sarcolite | 2.91-2.96 |
| Hornblende | 2.90-3.40 |
| Nephrite | 2.90-3.03 |
| Datolite | 2.90-3.00 |
| Anhydrite | 2.90-2.98 |
| Prosopite | 2.88-2.89 |
| Hurlbutite | 2.88 |
| Zunyite | 2.87 |
| Wollastonite | 2.86-3.09 |
| Grandidierite | 2.85-3.00 |
| Pollucite | 2.85-2.94 |
| Langbeinite | 2.83 |
| Tourmaline | 2.82-3.90 |
| Prehnite | 2.82-2.94 |
| Wardite | 2.81-2.87 |
| Dolomite | 2.80-2.95 |
| Lepidolite | 2.80-2.90 |
| Beryllonite | 2.80-2.87 |
| Zektzerite | 2.79 |
| Muscovite | 2.78-2.88 |
| Sogdianite | 2.76-2.90 |
| Sugilite | 2.76-2.80 |
| Sekaninaite | 2.76-2.77 |
| Ammolite | 2.75-2.80 |
| Eudialyte | 2.74-2.98 |
| Pectolite (Larimar) | 2.74-2.88 |
| Meionite | 2.74-2.78 |
| Bytownite | 2.72-2.74 |
| Catapleiite | 2.72 |
| Creedite | 2.72 |
| Xonotlite | 2.71-2.72 |
| Canasite | 2.71 |
| Ceruleite | 2.70-2.80 |
| Augelite | 2.70-2.75 |
| Calcite | 2.69-2.71 |
| Aquamarine | 2.68-2.74 |
| Emerald | 2.67-2.78 |
| Precious Beryl**** | 2.66-2.87 |
| Pyrophyllite | 2.65-2.90 |
| Labradorite | 2.65-2.75 |
| Andesine | 2.65-2.69 |
| Quartz (Amethyst, Citrine, Prasiolite, Rock crystal, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz) | 2.65 |
| Vivianite | 2.64-2.70 |
| Aventurine | 2.64-2.69 |
| Kämmererite | 2.64 |
| Oligoclase | 2.62-2.67 |
| Sunstone | 2.62-2.65 |
| Pearl | 2.60-2.85 |
| Coral | 2.60-2.70 |
| Agate | 2.60-2.64 |
| Schaurteite | 2.60 |
| Peristerite | 2.59-2.68 |
| Petrified wood | 2.58-2.91 |
| Jasper | 2.58-2.91 |
| Cordierite | 2.58-2.66 |
| Chalcedony | 2.58-2.64 |
| Chrysoprase | 2.58-2.64 |
| Moss agate | 2.58-2.64 |
| Tiger's eye | 2.58-2.64 |
| Scapolite | 2.57-2.74 |
| Anorthoclase | 2.75-2.60 |
| Moonstone | 2.56-2.59 |
| Amazonite | 2.56-2.58 |
| Orthoclase | 2.56-2.58 |
| Sanidine | 2.56-2.58 |
| Talc | 2.55-2.80 |
| Nepheline | 2.55-2.65 |
| Lizardite | 2.55 |
| Charoite | 2.54-2.78 |
| Microcline | 2.54-2.57 |
| Clinochrysotile | 2.53 |
| Lapis lazuli | 2.50-3.00 |
| Marialite | 2.50-2.62 |
| Milarite | 2.46-2.61 |
| Howlite | 2.45-2.58 |
| Leucite | 2.45-2.50 |
| Carletonite | 2.45 |
| Serpentine | 2.44-2.62 |
| Variscite | 2.42-2.58 |
| Haüyne | 2.40-2.50 |
| Colemanite | 2.40-2.42 |
| Petalite | 2.40 |
| Brucite | 2.39 |
| Tugtupite | 2.36-2.57 |
| Wavellite | 2.36 |
| Obsidian (natural glass) | 2.35-2.60 |
| Hambergite | 2.35 |
| Moldavite (natural glass) | 2.32-2.38 |
| Turquoise | 2.31-2.84 |
| Apophyllite | 2.30-2.50 |
| Thomsonite | 2.23-2.39 |
| Analcime | 2.22-2.29 |
| Palygorskite | 2.21 |
| Cacoxenite | 2.20-2.60 |
| Gypsum | 2.20-2.40 |
| Zeolite (Natrolite, Mesolite, Scolecite) | 2.20-2.29 |
| Whewellite | 2.19-2.25 |
| Yugawaralite | 2.19-2.23 |
| Stichtite | 2.16-2.18 |
| Sodalite | 2.14-2.40 |
| Mordenite | 2.12-2.15 |
| Chabazite | 2.05-2.20 |
| Sulfur | 2.05-2.08 |
| Glass (artificial)* | 2.00-4.50 |
| Chrysocolla | 2.00-2.40 |
| Sepiolite | 2.00-2.10 |
| Gaylussite | 1.99 |
| Thaumasite | 1.91 |
| Kurnakovite | 1.86 |
| Sturmanite | 1.85 |
| Inderite | 1.78-1.86 |
| Ettringite | 1.77 |
| Ulexite | 1.65-1.95 |
| Mellite | 1.64 |
| Opal***** | 1.25-2.23 |
| Jet | 1.19-1.35 |
| Amber | 1.05-1.09 |
Notes
* Lab-created gem material.
** This is not bixbite, the gemstone better known as red beryl.
*** Non-gem garnet species.
**** Non-aquamarine/non-emerald varieties of beryl.
***** Please note: the SG of highly porous gems like opals will increase during testing if they are left in water for too long, as they will absorb it. Measurements should be taken immediately.
International Gem Society
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