Cleaning and its relationship with the hardness of stones

Here we will help you learn a little more about how to clean precious stones and this will help you choose the best cleaning method.

It is worth remembering that these guidelines are for isolated gemstones. Products containing stones and any other material such as silver, bronze, leather, brass, metal, acrylic, wood, gold leaf finish or other fixing resins must follow the guidelines available in the “care, cleaning and conservation” menu.

Do you want to clean your jewelry but don't know how to do it? Knowing its pieces and the stones that make them up is the first step. Here we will talk a little about some of them and the possible ways to clean them, without damaging the parts.

Assume that, for most of them, warm water, neutral detergent and a soft or extra soft brush is a good start. However, before you decide to clean up your collection, add a little gemology knowledge to the mix.

The principle of everything is to identify and know your stones and gems. For each product we sell in the store, we identify the crystal and inform you at the time of purchase. If you have saved this information, as we indicate, it is easy, but if you have not saved it or cannot identify the gem, the best thing to do is to send the piece to a gemologist. He is a professional trained and qualified to identify the gems and, if you are interested, make a certificate for each gem he owns.

This identification is important because different gemstones have different physical properties and each requires a specific cleaning method, as they react differently to light, heat, acid, water and scratches.

So, let's talk about the hardness of gemstones. Contrary to what we might think, technically hardness is nothing more than the ability to resist scratches. It is not related to heat resistance or strength. This means that a high hardness does not mean that the stone is indestructible. It will just be more resistant to scratches than others. Therefore, it is recommended to store jewelry separately.

To classify the degree of hardness of stones and gems, we use the Mohs scale, which goes from 1 to 10, where diamond is the hardest stone found in nature at 10. Therefore, it has the ability to scratch all other gems and stones, including other diamonds. Thus, the higher the hardness, the greater its ability to cause scratches on the stones.

Associated with this, we can remember the hardness of some tools we use on a daily basis in relation to minerals:

Another important point to consider is that, in terms of hardness, most household dust is made up of silica and therefore measures 7 - 7.5 on the Mohs scale. If you like to rub a cloth when dusting, be aware that this dust can scratch many of your stones and objects.

Below we will list different gemstones, their hardness and possible ways of cleaning and specific care.

Source: https://www.gemsociety.org/article/gemstone-care-guide

Regarding mechanical ways of cleaning, keep opal, pearl, emerald, tanzanite, coral, turquoise, malachite or amber away from an ultrasonic tank. If you choose to use ultrasound to clean other parts, follow the precautions below:

• Do not let the jewelry fall to the bottom of the stainless steel tank. Keep it suspended so that it floats in the liquid without touching the tank. Check the temperature of the liquid, as prolonged use of an ultrasonic cleaner can raise the temperature of the bath to unsafe levels. This will expose your yolks to thermal shock and can cause liquid-filled inclusions to break the yolk. Literally.
• Check the stones in your jewelry before and after cleaning. The vibrations can dislodge a loose rock so that it falls to the bottom of the tank.
• Use commercially prepared cleaning solutions intended for use in an ultrasonic cleaner.

When in doubt, look for a trusted professional to clean your gems.