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Although gemstones are among the most durable of substances, they do need some care. Following a few general rules will make sure that they last for generations still looking like the day you bought them.
First of all: keep them clean! Rings
in particular tend to collect dust and
soap behind the stone, particularly if
you wear them all the time. To clean
transparent crystalline gemstones,
simply soak them in water with a touch
of gentle soap. If necessary, use a
soft toothbrush to scrub behind the
stone, then simply rinse with lukewarm
water and allow them to dry.
Even the hardest gemstones can be
vulnerable to breakage if they have
inclusions that weaken the crystal
structure. Exercise common sense:
remove your jewelry during strenuous
work or exercise. Diamonds are the
hardest substance on earth but they
can shatter in two with a single
well-placed blow. Rubies and sapphires
are the toughest gems but even they
can chip if hit sharply.
Take
particular care if you have a ring set
with a gem variety with a hardness
less than 7 on the Mohs scale or an included stone.
Opaque gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite, require special care. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner and never use ammonia or any chemical solution. These gem materials should just be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb chemicals, even soap, and they may build up inside the stone and discolor it.
The reason why these materials need more care than transparent gemstones is that these materials are essentially rocks, not crystals of a single mineral.
Imagine: when you put a rock in water, it absorbs the water and is moist all the way through. A single crystal gem like sapphire will not absorb water: all the molecules are lined up
tightly in the crystal so there is no room for water to enter.
Opals
also require special care. Never use
an ultrasonic, never use ammonia, and
avoid heat and strong light which can
dry out the water in opals.
Organic
gems like pearls, coral, and amber
should only be wiped clean with a
moist cloth. Due to their organic
nature, these gems are both soft and
porous. Be careful about chemicals in
hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume: they
can, over time, damage pearls in
particular.
Store
each piece of gemstone jewelry
separately so that harder stones don't
scratch softer ones. Almost every
gemstone is much harder than the metal
it is set in. Gems can scratch the
finish on your gold, silver or
platinum if you throw your jewelry in
a heap in a drawer or jewelry box.
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