subject: How to Clean Your Gemstone Jewellery [print this page] Gemstone jewellery is beautiful; have you ever looked at them and admired their true beauty? They come in many different bright colours. However, despite their beauty, things can ruin them faster than you could imagine. They could get chipped, scratched and discoloured. It's sad, but some of the damage they get may be permanent. However, when there is a bad side, there is always a good side to a story. The good news in this case is the fact that taking good care of your gemstones and cleaning them properly will prevent them from being damaged. This includes everything from the gemstone bracelet to the lovely gemstone necklace. If you are wondering how to properly clean these stones, we are going to discuss that in this article.
There is no bigger favour to do for this piece of jewelry than to keep it clean. Body oils, chemicals and even dust are waiting there for their opportunity to ruin these beautiful gems. It is easy to eliminate these problems. All you have to do is wipe the jewellery by using a soft cloth after you wear it. So, each time you take it off, you should remember to wipe it with your soft cloth that you keep right beside your jewellery box.
It is important that you are careful with dust. Just as a photographer knows that dust contains small particles that can scratch the camera lens, jewellers know that any little bit of dust could scratch the fine gem. You can gently whisk the dust off by using a bristle brush that is very soft. Did you know that camel hair brushes are used by painters? This would be great to use in order to wipe the dust off of your precious stone.
To be honest with you, when it comes to gems, there is no one safe way to clean it. You will need to consider how the jewellery is made as well as what the jewellery is made out of. For many pieces, simply using gentle soap to wash it would be great, but for other pieces of jewellery, this could harm it.
Gems that are soft and porous, such as turquoise, pearls and opals are known for absorbing water as well as anything else that is in the water. Sure, when you give it time to dry, the water is going to evaporate, but that does not mean that the minerals and water that are in the water will evaporate. In fact, they will remain in the gem, which could ruin it over time.
Opals need to have moisture and soaking them overnight in water could revive them. If you rarely wear the opals, then you could periodically dip them in water that contain a couple of drops of mineral oil or glycerine. As for all of the other stones, generally, all the need is a simple wipe with a soft cloth.
A lot of the nonporous and hard gemstones, including sapphires, rubies and diamonds can be dipped in alcohol in order to get rid of the body oils and fingerprints that are on them. You can wash them with weak ammonia as well.
As for the strung gems, you should never put them in water. The moisture is not going to evaporate from them and will cause them to either deteriorate or swell. This can lead to loss of the beads and they will break. If the stringing material does not break, then the moisture that is trapped can damage the bead. This is especially true for ivory beads.
If you look in the department stores or online, you can easily find many different commercial jewellery cleaners. Be careful though, it is important that you use these types of cleaners with caution. You should always follow the directions and never use them on any metal or stone that has not been specified on the label. The same advice is given for those who are looking into ultrasonic cleaners. If you are not sure if you can use it on the jewellery, then you should go for something that you are sure about. If you know for sure that the jewellery you have is silver or gold, then you can soak it in water and detergent solution with a couple drops of ammonia. If the jewellery is gold-filled or is brass, then the ammonia is going to ruin it.
Remember, before you wash your gemstone necklace or gemstone bracelet, it is important to do your research. If you are not sure, then ask an expert.
