Taking Care of Gemstones – Gold Definitions

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 fossilized 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.

The proper care of gemstones is very important. Because of the composition of gemstones each one is very different in hardness, toughness, reaction to heat, light, acids, cleaners, etc. Gemstones can absorb chemicals which can change their color, a hard brush used for cleaning can scratch the surface, and some gemstones are even prone to lose their brilliant color when exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time (Kunzite – lavender color).

Taking care of your gemstone is a very important task and home maintenance is fairly easy once you know your stone. Purchasing a commercial jewelry cleaner is for the most part safe. A few stones to be careful with are: Pearl, Emerald, and Amber. The ammonia and or chemicals in the commercial cleaners can damage sensitive gems.

Gemstones are durable substances, still, they do need some care. Follow a few general rules and they’ll last for generations still looking brand new.

Keep your jewelry clean! Rings in particular tend to collect dirt behind the stone, especially if you wear them on a regular basis. You can clean transparent gemstones by simply soaking them in water with a touch of soap. Use a soft toothbrush to scrub the stone.

Even the hardest gemstone variety can be vulnerable to breakage if it has inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Exercise common sense: if you have a ring set with a softer gem variety or an included stone, take it off before strenuous activity.

Are Diamonds Porous?

Even the hardest gemstones like Diamonds, Rubies and Sapphires can shatter with a single well-placed blow especially if they have inclusions, which weaken the crystal structure.

Think twice before putting gems in an ultrasonic cleaner. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires will be fine but many other gems may not be: when in doubt, leave it out. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires, and other single-crystal gems can be cleaned with a touch of ammonia in water to remove all films and add extra sparkle.

Porous Gemstones

Never use an ultrasonic cleaner or ammonia for cleaning such opaque gemstones like lapis, turquoise, malachite or onyx. They should be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb chemicals, even soap, which may build up inside the stone and discolor it.

The reason why these materials need more care than transparent gemstones is that these materials are essentially rocks, not crystals of a single mineral. Think about it: when you put a rock in water, it absorbs the water and is moist all the way through. A single crystal gem like sapphire will not absorb water: all the molecules are lined up so tightly in the crystal that there is no room for water to enter.

Opals also require special care. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner or ammonia, and avoid heat and strong light which can dry out the water in opals.

Organic gems like pearls, coral, and amber should only be wiped clean with a moist cloth. Due to their organic nature, these gems are both soft and porous. Be careful about chemicals in hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume: they can, over time, damage pearls in particular.

Store each piece of gemstone jewelry separately so that harder stones don’t scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch the finish on your gold, silver or platinum if you throw your jewelry in a heap in a drawer or jewelry box.

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

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 for consistent color	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