Caring
for Gemstones and Crystals
Cleaning and Caring for Your Gemstones and CrystalsProper cleaning and care can prevent most gemstone damage. The biggest favor you can do for your gemstone jewelry is to keep it clean. Dust, body oils, and chemicals can affect the beauty of your gems. You can eliminate most problems by simply knowing your gemstone and how to care for it: Here are 10 tips to keeping your gemstones and jewelry looking its best. 1. Wipe your jewelry with a soft cloth after wearing it. 2. Use gentle soap and water solution is safe for many pieces but it can harm others. . Soft, porous gems, such as pearls, turquoise, and opals will absorb water and anything that is in it. The water will evaporate, but the chemicals and minerals it contained will remain in the gem, often ruining it. 3. Opals need moisture, and an occasional overnight soak in pure water will revive them. 4. Most of the hard and nonporous gemstones, such as Rubies, Sapphires, and Diamonds, may be dipped in alcohol to dissolve fingerprints and body oils. 5. Strung gems should never be immersed in water. Moisture often will not evaporate from the stringing material, which causes it to swell or deteriorate; trapped moisture can damage the inside of the bead. 6. Put your jewelry on after you've applied makeup, perfume, or hair spray. Hair spray in particular is destructive to many kinds of gems. For example, it permanently dulls amber. 7. Take rings off before using hand creams or lotions, to prevent a buildup of oil and the dirt it attracts. Removing jewelry before cooking, housework, gardening, and similar tasks is also highly recommended. Dishwashing detergents and most cleaners will remove the finish on even good electroplated jewelry. The acids found in many types of cleaners will discolor, if not destroy, most jewelry. 8. Many gemstones are sensitive to sudden temperature changes or extreme temperatures. Topaz is especially sensitive to both heat and light and fades quickly when overexposed to either. Amber melts when it gets hot. 9. Many of us store our gemstone jewelry in a tangled mass in a jewelry box. That's a sure way to ruin most of it. Any time a gemstone comes into contact with another, the softer piece suffers damage. Try to wrap them or keep each piece in a little bag. 10. Organic gems, such as amber, pearls, ivory, and coral, need to breathe. They should never be stored in plastic. Porous stones, like turquoise and opals, also need exposure to fresh air and humidity. They will deteriorate if stored in dark, dry places. Wrapping the "breathing" gems in a soft cloth is recommended. |
This table will give you important information about your gemstones, their durability and care. |
|||
| GEMSTONE | DURABILITY Moh's 1-10 Scale: 1=soft 10=Hard |
|||
| AMBER | Hardness: 2-2.5 A soft organic gemstone, this is fossilized Tree Sap. Can be rinsed in warm water. NO harsh cleaning solutions. Do not keep in heat or water for long periods of time. |
|||
| AMYTHEST | Hardness: 7 Very durable gemstone, don't keep in the heat or sun got prolonged periods of time. |
|||
| APATITE | Hardness: 5 Somewhat Fragile. Protect from heat, excessive exposure to water and harsh cleaning fluids. |
|||
| AQUAMARINE | Hardness: 7.5-8 A very durable gemstone, this is Beryl. |
|||
| AVENTURINE | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. Composed of finely crystalline Quartz. |
|||
| AZURITE MALACHITE | Hardness: Variable Fragile! Soft and dissolvable in water. Protect from HEAT and WATER. |
|||
| BLOODSTONE | Hardness: 4-6 Relatively durable. |
|||
| BLUE LACE AGATE | Hardness: 6 Relatively durable. A Quartz based gemstone. |
|||
| CARMELIAN | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. A Quartz based gemstone. |
|||
| CHRYSAL QUARTZ | Hardness: 7 Durable gemstone. |
|||
| CHRYSOPRASE | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. A Quartz based gemstone. |
|||
| CITRINE | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. A Quartz based gemstone. |
|||
| GARNET | Hardness: 6-7.5 True Garnet is always heavy. Durable |
|||
| JADE | Hardness: 6 Jade is a durable gemstone. |
|||
| LEPODOLITE | Hardness: 5 FRAGILE! A lithium Mica, Mica is quite soft and can be scratched easily |
|||
| MOONSTONE | Hardness: 6 A feldspar, this is a relatively durable gemstone, however protect from excessive heat and long-term exposure to water. |
|||
| MOSS AGATE | Hardness: 6 Relatively durable, this is a Quartz based gemstone. |
|||
| ONYX | Hardness: 6 Relatively durable, however, often dyed. This gemstone holds dye well. AVOID harsh cleaning substances which may strip the dye if you even half-suspect the gemstone has been treated. Always ask your dealer before purchasing Onyx, as this is one of the most dyed of all gemstones. |
|||
| PETRIFIED WOOD | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. |
|||
| RED JASPER | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable. |
|||
| RHODONITE | Hardness: 9 Very durable. |
|||
| ROSE QUARTZ | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable, avoid rough handling as Rose Quartz will fracture. Avoid exposure to sunlight, as this will fade the gemstone. |
|||
| SMOKY QUARTZ | Hardness: 7 Relatively durable, avoid rough handling as Smoky Quartz will fracture. |
|||
| SODALITE | Hardness: 5.5-6 Somewhat FRAGILE. Sodalite usually has characteristic white runners, which is really Calcite, an extremely soft and fragile gemstone. Use extreme care when cleaning this gemstone. Avoid heat, sunlight and harsh cleaning solutions. |
|||
| SUNSTONE | Hardness: 5-6 Somewhat fragile, genuine Sunstone is not stable at the Earth's surface temperatures and pressure. If closed up in a baggie for a while, it generally has a smell--like a musty cliff. |
|||
| TIGER EYE | Hardness: 5-6 Relatively durable gemstone. |
|||
| TOPAZ | Hardness: 8 Durable gemstone. |
|||
| TURQUOISE | Hardness: 5-6 Somewhat fragile and porous, Turquoise will eventually dry out and turn green. Keep from heat and direct sunlight, which will dry out and fade the gemstone. Most Turquoise will eventually turn green, but you can delay it by keeping it in a cool dark place between wearing. |
|||
| UNIKITE | Hardness: 6-7 A feldspar, this is a relatively durable gemstone, however protect from excessive heat and long-term exposure to water. |
|||
| WHITE HOWLITE | Hardness: 3.5 A soft gemstone. It can be rinsed in warm water. NO harsh cleaning solutions. Do not keep in heat or water for long periods of time. |
|||
