There are a lot of differences between a gem and a crystal. A gem is something that has a lot of value to it and is usually a rare mineral. A gem can be a crystal whereas a crystal cannot be a gem.

A gemstone by definition is called a gemstone because it is beautiful, rare and durable. This gemstone is cut, faceted and polished to be set in jewellery or to decorate or accentuate the luxury quotient of any product.

Crystals are solids that have atoms, ions and molecules fixed in a regular order which extends in three dimensions. You can say that crystals are objects that have a well-defined geometric shape.

For instance, rock salt and common sugar are both crystals but they are the farthest stretch of the imagination close to being gemstones. Neither are they rare nor are they durable. They are just crystals with an orderly pattern of constituent atoms and molecules.

In terms of value, the gemstones are much pricier than crystals. Almost everything related to minerals can be termed as crystals as they have specific properties. When comparing the hardness, specific gravity, refractive index, durability and fluorescence, the crystals are different from gemstones. One thing is to be noted that different gems have different properties as different crystals have different properties.

Gemstones and crystals are both used in various applications in today’s world. While gemstones are primarily used in jewellery and decoration pieces, crystals can be used in various applications such as healing, jewellery, vases, scientific purposes etc.