Jewelry husbandry may seem like a straight forward topic but there are a few points worth mentioning. In order for your jewelry to live a long, happy life, try following these guidelines:
1. Keep your gemstone jewelry dry.
This a a good general rule to follow. Although some stones are unphased by water, some can be destroyed. Most jewelry also contains metal components that will rust if allowed to get wet.
2. Avoid strenuous activities such as exercise with jewelry on.
Everyone knows that diamonds are extremely durable but this is not the case with most stones. Stones come in varying degrees of durability, or hardness. This hardness is measured via the “Mohs scale”. Knowing your stones Mohs hardness can be very beneficial to determining what activities your stones can endure. Repetitive clanking against surfaces could result in scratched, chipped or broken gems. Another note about strenuous activities, they usually involve sweat. Believe it or not, sweat can be acidic which can also damage your jewelry!
3. Prevent contact with household chemicals.
In general, household cleaners are considered potential dangers to gemstones. This includes bleach, acetone, ordinary jewelry cleaners and pretty much any other chemical. Before you break out the lemon pledge, just remember even water can damage a gemstone. “Below”, you can find how we recommend to clean your jewelry.
4. Avoid abrupt temperature changes and exposure to extreme heat.
Again going back to the chemical topic. Lotions and perfumes can cause early wear and tear by breaking down stabilizing substances that have been applied to protect gemstones.
5. Do not store gemstones in direct sunlight.
If exposed to long term sunlight, stones such as amethyst and citrine can actually alter in color. For this reason we don’t recommend storing gemstones on window seals or outside.
6. Avoid wearing jewelry over lotion and perfumes.
Quick temperature changes can cause a stone to fracture. Some stones are more susceptible to this than others. Tourmaline, citrine, kunzite, and opals are all susceptible to breakage at high temperatures. This is why it’s a good idea to check your pockets for jewelry before sending unsuspecting items through the dryer (yikes!).
Recommended cleaning process:
Fill a bowl or cup with lukewarm water. Mix in a small amount of mild soap (meaning nothing that smells great or has additives like aloe or oils). Dip a soft cloth into the warm water mixture. Wring it out. Gently rub the damp cloth over your stones to remove any excess dirt or oils. Next rinse the soap from the cloth with fresh lukewarm water. Wring out the cloth again until damp. Wipe the stones again to remove any excess soap. Pat dry. You can leave your jewelry wrapped in an absorbent cloth to dry throughly.
