Taking Care of Gemstones
A gemstone is a mineral, rock (such in the case of lapis lazuli), or petrified material that when cut or faceted and polished is collectible or can be used in jewelry. Others are organic (such as amber, which is fossilised tree resin, and jet, a form of coal). Some gemstones which may be generally considered precious or beautiful are too soft or too fragile to be used in jewelry (for example, single-crystal rhodochrosite) but are exhibited in museums and are sought by collectors.
GemstonesTreatments/Benefits Care Instructions
Normal care |
None |
Agate(see Chalcedony) |
Normal care |
None |
Alexandrite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Almandite(Garnet) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Occasionally heat- treated or dyed to deepen color |
Amber |
Normal care |
Occasionally heat- treated to improve color |
Amethyst(Quartz) |
Normal care |
None |
Ametrine(Quartz) |
Normal care |
Rarely heat-treated to improve color |
Andalusite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Apatite |
Normal care |
Usually heat-treated to improve color |
Aquamarine(Beryl) |
Normal care |
None |
Aventurine(Quartz) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Rarely filled with epoxy or resin for smoother surface |
Azurite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Rarely filled with epoxy or resin for smoother surface |
Azurmalachite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Usually irradiated and heated to produce blue color |
Blue Topaz |
Normal care but avoid excessive heat. |
Commonly heated for color enhancement |
Canary Aqua |
Normal care |
None |
Cat's Eye |
Normal care |
Usually dyed or heat-treated to produce different colors |
Chalcedony |
Avoid chemicals and sudden temperature changes |
None |
Chrome Diopside |
Normal care |
Usually heat-treated to improve color |
Citrine(Quartz) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Usually dyed or bleached to improve color |
Coral |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Demantoid(Garnet) |
Normal care |
None |
Diamond - clear |
Normal care |
Usually heat-treated or irradiated for color |
Diamond - colored |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Usually oiled to improve color |
Emerald(Beryl) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Usually heat teated or irradiated to improve color |
Fluorite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Garnet(also listed by type) |
Normal care |
Occasionally stabilized with plastic |
Gaspeite |
Normal care |
None |
Goshenite |
Normal care |
Irradiated for color enhancement |
Heliodor |
Normal care |
None |
Hematite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Hessonite(Garnet) |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Occasionally dyed to improve color and to emulate turquoise |
Howlite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Commonly heat-treated to impr |
Indicolite(Tourmaline) |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Iolite |
Normal care |
Commonly dyed, heated, occasionally filled with wax for appearance |
Jade |
Normal care |
Occasionally dyed to enhance color |
Jasper |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Jet |
Normal care but avoid rough handling |
None |
Kornerupine |
Avoid sudden temperature changes, rough handling and exposure to strong light |
Usually irradiated to enhance color |
Kunzite(Spodmene) |
Avoid rough handling, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Kyanite |
Avoid rough handling, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Labradorite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Commonly dyed and paraffin-coated for color and shine |
Lapis Lazulli |
Normal care |
None |
Lepidolite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Wax or epoxy occasionally added to cover small chips and to smooth surface |
Malachite |
Normal care |
None |
Mariposite |
Normal care |
None |
Moldavite |
Normal care |
None |
Moonstone |
Normal care |
Commonly heat-treated to enhance color |
Morganite (Beryl) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Commonly dyed to produce colors |
Mother ofPearl |
Normal care |
None |
Muscovite |
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|
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Normal care but avoid abrasives and harsh chemicals. These stones should not be recut. |
The top is coated to enhance the color. |
Mystic Topaz |
Normal care |
Commonly dyed |
Onyx (Chalcedony) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
To enhance appearance and durability, wax, oil or plastic may be added |
Opal |
Avoid chemicals (including hairspray and cosmetics), steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Commonly bleached or dyed |
Pearl |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning, sudden temperature changes |
None |
Peridot |
Avoid rough handling, ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Petalite |
Normal care |
None |
Petrified Wood (see Chalcedony) |
Normal care |
None |
Pietersite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Pyrope (Garnet) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Occasionally stabilized withplastic |
Rainbow Calsilica |
Avoid chemicals, rough handling, and excessive heat. |
None |
Rhodochrosite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Rhodolite (Garnet) |
Normal care |
None |
Rhodonite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Rosenite (Garnet) |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Commonly heat-treated or irriadiated to enhance color |
Rubellite (Tourmaline) |
Normal care |
Usually heat-treated to enhance color |
Ruby |
Normal care |
None |
Rutilated Quartz |
Normal care |
Usually heat-treated to enhance color |
Sapphire |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning, avoid exposure to strong light |
Commonly irradiated for color enhancement |
Scapolite |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Commonly dyed or waxed to improve appearance or alter colors |
Serpentine |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Commonly dyed to produce colors |
Shell |
Normal care |
Occasionally heat-treated or irradiated to improve color |
Smokey Quartz |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Sodalite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Spessartite (Garnet) |
Avoid chemicals, sudden temperature changes, and rough handling |
None |
Sphene |
Normal care |
None |
Spinel |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Sugilite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Sunstone |
Avoid steam, ultrasonic cleaning and sudden temperature changes |
Zoisite is routinely heat-treated to produce Tanzanite´s signature violet-blue color |
Tanzanite |
Normal care |
None |
Tiger Iron |
Avoid sudden temperatures changes and strong chemicals |
Commonly heat-treated, dyed or bleached to enhance color |
Tiger's Eye (Quartz) |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Usually heat-treated to create colors |
Topaz (other than blue) |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Green and blue commonly heat-treated to enhance color. |
Tourmaline |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
None |
Tsvorite (Garnet) |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning. Perspiration and cosmetics may alter color. |
Commonly stabilized — infused with plastic to enhance durability and color |
Turquoise |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Unakite |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
None |
Variscite |
Normal care but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Commonly heat-treated to enhance color |
Verdelite (Tourmaline) |
Normal care |
None |
White Aqua (Beryl) |
Normal care but avoid excessive heat |
Commonly heated for color enhancement |
Yellow Beryl (Heliodor) |
Avoid abrasives, rough wear and exposure to strong light. |
Routinely heat-treated to create blue color |
Zircon |