How do I care for the gemstone jewelry?

Jewelry is usually very durable, but it does not mean that gemstones are indestructible. Sometimes gemstone jewelry can be damaged if you do not clean them properly.

This artical will tell you how to care for your gemstone jewelry safely. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but if you’re looking to put some of the sparkle back into your older pieces, this guide will help you get started.

Cleaning is a big concern for most people. But it should be noted that different gemstones have different physical properties, so they can react very differently to heat, light, acids, and scratching.

Nevertheless, warm water, a mild detergent, and a soft brush are the safest cleaning materials for almost all gems.

Warm water cleaning:

The thing you need to prepare:

Warm water, a soft brush, soapy water, glasses cloth. 

The steps to clean the gems:

Soak the gemstone in warm soapy water for a few minutes and then using a soft toothbrush to brush gently，after that using warm water to clean it for few times, when you finish cleaning, make sure you wash off all the soapy residue. Finally they can then be air-dried or wiped dry with a soft cloth.

The precautions are shown as followings:

1. For daily cleaning, wipe the jewelry gently with a soft, lint-free cloth. You can use a toothpick or a soft brush to gently remove dirt or grime from the setting. Clean slowly and carefully to avoid scratching the gemstone.
2. Avoid using too hot water or scrubbing the jewelry with harsh or abrasive chemicals. After cleaning, rinse and pat dry.
3. Please note that lemon juice or vinegar should never be used to clean these gemstones, as the acidity can damage them.

Someone may ask: What Kind of Brush Can Be Use to Clean Gemstone Jewelry?

The toothbrushes with "soft" or "extra-soft" bristles are suitable for cleaning most jewelry gemstones at home.
Nowadays, it is easy to buy those toothbrushes with "soft" or "extra-soft" bristles.
Toothbrushes with these bristles may scratch tooth enamel, which has a Mohs hardness of 5.
While most gemstones commonly used in jewelry have a hardness greater than 5, the gold and silver alloys commonly used for inlays have a hardness of only 2 to 3. Platinum has a hardness of 4.5. A medium or hard bristle toothbrush can easily scratch jewelry inlays made of these metals.

The Ways of Cleaning the Gemstone Jewelry

Cleaning with detergent:

Many merchants also sell specific detergents for cleaning jewelry. Most of the detergents provided are safe.But when using detergents, beware of those that contain ammonia or chemicals that can damage some gems like pearl or amber.

Ultrasonic cleaning: 

Ultrasonic cleaning is the easiest way for most people. Because ultrasonic cleaning uses high-frequency sound waves to clean items. This process produces many tiny bubbles. When these bubbles form and burst in the water, the energy generated will help remove dirt and impurities on the surface. There is no hard object directly in contact with the gemstone. Most people think this is the safest cleaning method, but actully it is not.

Be aware that not all types of gemstone jewelry are suitable for ultrasonic cleaning way.

The machine’s vibration can damage porous, brittle, and fragile gems. Generally, the use of ultrasonic cleaning for gems falls into the following categories:

Avoid – emerald, peridot, topaz, onyx, pearl.

Okay if gems are not fractured, filled, or dyed – diamond, ruby, sapphire, amethyst, citrine, garnet.

Gemstone Care: Wearing Gemstone Jewelry

Removing jewelry when gardening, baking, or applying lotion will help to minimize grime build-up.