How to Care For Your Loose Gemstones
Gemstones come in a range of exciting and vivid colors. They lose their value if the colors fade or become tarnished. In order to retain the beauty and brilliance of your loose gems and gemstone jewelry, you should properly care for them and store them in appropriate places. Stones also require regular cleaning just like other items in order to maintain their value and vigor. Some people also use ultrasonic cleaners to clean their valuable and precious jewelry articles. Different cleaning tips are given to clean different stones depending on their texture, color and other characteristics. In this article we will explore some of these tips.
Gems vary in hardness, size, shape and many other features. It is not a good practice to store all gems in the same place. Brittle gems when come in contact with harder ones become scratched and rough. Always store all your gems in separate boxes preferably cotton or velvet lined boxes. Keep a soft cloth always handy before storing your gems. Lightly damp this cloth and clean your gems one by one. Dry them before keeping them inside the box. Always keep your gems away from chemicals, perfumes and sprays. Soap can be used to remove dirt and other particles but do not rub your precious stones for long durations of time.
Gemstones tend to change their color and other physical properties when exposed to high temperatures. Always store your jewelry boxes in a constant temperature zone. Extended exposure to sunlight can also make the gems lose their color. Do not expose your gems to fire. Always remove your jewelry before going into the kitchen or doing other arduous activities. Getting in contact with abrasive materials will cause scratches and blemishes and even cracks. Also make it a habit to remove your jewelry before taking a shower or swimming. It is best to store jewelry articles in cloth bags or velvet cases or pouches.
It s ok to use soft toothbrushes to clean your gemstones. Some stones can be cleaned with a detergent, such as diamond. However, there are some gems that show negative behavior when brought in contact with a household cleaner. Pearl, aquamarine, garnet, amethyst and ruby come under this category. Ultrasonic cleaners can be used on a number of gems with the exception of emerald and opal. Most stones are durable and sturdy. These stones can be easily cleaned by soaking them in a mild soapy solution. Others are more brittle and should be cleaned only by using a soft moist cloth.
If you don t care for your gemstones regularly, they will lose their fire and brilliance and become scratched and blemished. Storing them in a slightly cool and dry place and cleaning them on a regular basis by using a soft brush or cloth are activities that can assure longevity and robustness of stones. It s also a good practice to store all your gems in separate boxes or velvet pouches to avoid scratches. Remove your jewelry articles before swimming because chlorine in the pool will make your gems lose their color.
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