Gemstones have been adored by people for their magnetic color scheme and exquisite brilliance. Ever since their discovery, gemstones have garnered immense popularity among people belonging to aristocratic families. Gemstones were extensively favored by ruling emperors and queens to establish their supremacy and flaunt their wealth. Following the rich history of precious gems for centuries, humans have examined and found several ways of maintaining the sparkling legacy of these gemstones.
Best Ways for Precious Gemstones & Jewelry Maintenance
Natural gemstones are favored for being rare and most of them are durable enough to sustain normal environmental conditions and weathering. But whatever the case may be, to maintain the natural beauty and luster of these stones, you must learn the most important lesson of gemstone care. Let us explore ways to keep your precious gems shining forever.
How to Clean Gemstones at Home?
You can clean your gemstone jewelry regularly at home without the need for any appliance. All you need to do is to add a few drops of mild detergent in warm water and your cleaning solution is ready. Apply the solution to your gemstone jewelry and scrub the stones with a soft brush. Clean the stones gently until all the oil and dirt particles are removed. In the end, rinse the jewelry in a bowl of clean water and tap dry with a soft cloth.
When Not to Use Ultrasonic Cleaners?
There are several instances when natural gemstones are treated using different techniques to enhance their clarity or color. Similarly, many gemstones have a lot of cracks or fractures inherent in them that are often filled with oils or resins to protect the stone from chipping, as in the case of emeralds or rubies. Such stones should not be cleaned in ultrasonic or steam cleaners, or the extensive pressure may break the stones or dissolve the oil filling in them.
Hence, you must ask for treatment details from your jeweler before you subject your sensitive stones to any form of appliance cleaning. Even if your stone is untreated it is not a good practice to clean them with ultrasonic cleaners frequently. It is best to take your jewels to your jeweler only if you want your gemstone jewelry to be cleaned using such cleaners.
Keep Your Gemstone Jewelry Separately
Different gemstones have different composition and hardness. As such it is common for a harder stone to scratch other softer gemstones. For instance, a diamond, the hardest of all gemstones, can scratch any gemstone other than itself. However, sapphires and rubies that rate 9 on the 10-point Mohs hardness scale, cannot scratch a diamond but vice-versa is possible. To prevent the gemstones from scratching or getting chipped by other gemstones, make sure to store them separately.
General Tips on Precious Gemstones Care
Although most gemstones can be cleaned with mild detergent and warm water, the best option is to consult your jeweler before adopting this practice on any gemstone.
Soaking the stones in soap solution might not be a good option, especially for softer gemstones such as amber and turquoise. Exposing these stones to water for long may damage the natural sheen or polish of the stone.
Avoid using harsh chemicals, cleaning agents, bleach, sprays, etc. on your gemstone jewelry, they are too harsh and may tarnish the metal or damage the stones.
When you go swimming, remove your gemstone jewelry beforehand. It is not only prone to getting lost, but the chlorinated water of the pool may also have an adverse reaction on your gemstone jewelry.
Every time you apply makeup, oil, perfume, hairspray, lotions, etc. make sure to do that before you wear your jewelry. Similarly, after removing the jewelry, wipe off makeup residue from gemstones with a soft cotton cloth.
Regularly check your stones for loose metal settings. Losing your solitaire stone unknowingly would be the last thing you would expect, but it might just happen anytime if you do not pay enough attention to your jewelry. In case of damaged or loose settings, visit your jeweler immediately for repair.
Conclusion
After taking inspiration from naturally occurring gemstones and studying gemstone facts for years, humans imitated the physical and chemical gemstone properties to create lab-grown versions of several natural gemstones. It not only helped to meet the increasing demand for many precious and semi-precious gemstones but also made it possible for the commoners to acquire these gemstones at affordable prices.
To ensure that our investment in these gemstones leaves us with memorable keepsakes that last for generations to cherish, gemstone cleaning and jewelry maintenance is the key. So don’t forget to keep your jewelry box essentials safe from harsh environments, chemicals, and other gemstones. For more informative posts on jewelry, weddings, lifestyle, technology, and fashion, stay tuned to FadPost.
