Gems are among the
most durable of nature’s creations. With a little care, they will
be
as beautiful for generations to come as they are today.
To keep your gems sparkling, clean them when dust and fingerprints
have dimmed their brilliance. The best way to clean your gemstone
jewelry is in a bowl of water with a few drops of ordinary dish
detergent. Using an old toothbrush or other soft brush, scrub
gently behind the stone where dust and soap can collect. Then just
rinse and pat try with a soft cloth.
A Home Ultrasonic Cleaner
should be used with extreme caution. It can be used to clean ruby,
sapphire, diamond, iolite, amethyst, citrine, garnets, iolite,
chrysoberyl, and unadorned gold jewelry but it may damage gems like
emerald, pink tourmaline, peridot, pearls, coral, lapis lazuli,
malachite, turquoise, and any gem that has many inclusions. When in
doubt, don’t use it.
Organic gems like pearls, amber, and coral require special care
because they are porous. Make sure you don’t expose them to the
chemicals in hair products, fragrances and cosmetics. Store them in
a cloth-lined box or pouch and keep them away from other jewelry,
which might scratch them. To clean them, simply wipe clean with a
soft cloth. Strands of pearls should be restrung if the cord frays
or stretches so that individual pearls move.
To keep your gemstone rings looking brilliant, remove them before
vigorous exercise or working with your hands. Some gem varieties
might be damaged with a sharp blow. When removing your rings, don’t
pull them off by the gemstone: this won’t damage the gem but it
can, over time, stretch the metal that holds it in place, making
the setting less secure.
To protect the beauty of your gems and jewelry, make sure you store
each piece separately. Gems may scratch each other or the metal in
your jewelry. Avoid creating a tangle of jewelry by wrapping each
piece individually or keeping it in its own compartment. Especially
when you travel, make sure your jewelry pieces don’t jostle each
other in one bag.
If you have jewelry, perhaps passed down to you, that has seen
better days or doesn’t suit your style, consider resetting the gems
into a modern piece. Gems should be worn and enjoyed, not kept
locked away in a safety deposit box.
Colored gemstone information and jewelry fashion
from the non-profit American Gem Trade Association
