Most times, when people are asked to differentiate between a ruby and an emerald, the first thing that comes to mind is their color. In terms of color, an emerald refers to any of various green gemstones, usually regarded as the green transparent form of beryl. This green is gotten through the combination of a certain amount of vanadium and chromium.
On the other hand, a ruby is usually regarded as a precious stone with a variety of red color. The most important thing about ruby is the color, whereas an emerald is usually priced because it is transparent and because of its green color. In terms of hardness, ruby is quite harder compared to emerald.
Their hardness can easily be determined when you use a Mohs scale. When it comes to shape, a ruby is trigonal in shape, whereas an emerald is hexagonal. However, aside from these little differences, both are two important gemstones.