Garnet and ruby. Obsidian and onyx. Opal and moonstone. These are the pairs people most often mix up, so I put them side by side and show what actually separates them.

Handmade black tourmaline earrings in sterling silver, two shaped stones whose broken surfaces show blue and violet
Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Onyx: Why Only One Shows Colour

Three black stones, three checks you can make by eye, and only one shows colour.

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