Gem World Jewellers - Facts & Figures

Care And Treatment Of Gems:
Some gems are very durable and hardy; they will take a lot of abuse without much damage. Others are easily chipped, broken, scratched, or otherwise damaged.

To be on the safe side, all gems and jewellery should be treated with care and respect.

To be on the safe side, let's start with some of the delicate stones.
Stones to be careful of are:

Strong cleaning solutions and heat may have a negative effect on some stones or on their enhancements. Emeralds or Rubies that have been oiled may lose their oil. Waxed or dyed Turquoise may lose it's wax or dye and become colourless or chalky. Doublet or triplet Opals may come apart. Pearls may lose their lustre.

If a stones enhancement is wiped out, it can often be put back. Oiled stones can be re-oiled. Dyed stones can be re-dyed. Chipped or cracked stones, however, can only be re-cut, and pearls are gone forever.

Pearls are delicate and should only be put on after all make up, perfume, and hair spray have been applied. Keep them away from any chemicals. If they are worn against the skin, they should be wiped carefully with a soft, damp cloth after each use. If worn more or less frequently, they should be restrung once or twice a year. If you see the string between the pearls becoming dark or stained, get them restrung immediately. That soiling may get into the pearls and become permanent.

Avoid temperature extremes, or rapid temperature changes with most gemstones. Opals, for example, contain as much as 11 percent water, and freezing or boiling may destroy them!

There are many cleaning solutions available commercially, but if you want to use something else, you can use detergent ammonia from under your kitchen sink. Dip a toothbrush in the ammonia and scrub your jewellery with it, then rinse it well. Do NOT soak your jewellery in bleach or ammonia! For your diamond and gold pieces, you can then boil them to get at any dirt that your toothbrush was unable to reach. Diamonds and gold can withstand a lot of heat, and boiling water can only reach 212 degrees Fahrenheit, so those pieces will be safe. Don’t do this with anything but Diamonds and gold! Use a few drops of liquid dish detergent in the water to cut grease and oil. Don't use too much or the pot will boil over and make a mess on your stove, and don't forget and let the pot boil dry, you will ruin your pot and possibly your jewellery too.

Gemstone	Hardness	Toughness	Boiling	Steam	Ultrasonic	Acid
Alexandrite	8.5	Very good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Amber	2	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor
Amethyst	7	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair
Andalusite	7.5	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair
Aquamarine	8	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good
Citrine	7	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair
Coral	3.5	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair	Poor
Cubic Zirconia	8.5	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Diamond	10	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Emerald	7.5	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Poor
Garnet	7	Fair	Poor	Fair	Good	Poor
Hematite	6	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Poor
Ivory	2.5	Fair	Poor	Good	Fair	Fair
Jade	6.5	Excellent	Good	Good	Good	Poor
Kunzite	6.5	Very Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair
Lapis Lazuli	5.5	Poor	Poor	Good	Fair	Poor
Moonstone	6.5	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair	Poor
Nephrite	6.5	Excellent	Good	Good	Good	Poor
Opal	6	Very Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor
Pearl	3	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair	Very Poor
Peridot	6.5	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Poor
Ruby	9	Very Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Sapphire	9	Very Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Shell Cameo	3.5	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Very Poor
Spinel	8	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Good
Tanzanite	6.5	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair
Topaz	8	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Good
Turquoise	5.5	Poor	Poor	Fair	Poor	Very Poor
Tourmaline	7.5	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair
Zircon	6.5	Poor	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair