To ensure that your favorite jewelry always shines as new, you should pay attention to the care and cleaning of gemstones.

First, to preserve gemstone jewelry, you should have some basic information about the hardness and characteristics of the stone. Each type of gemstone has different hardness levels, determined by the Mohs hardness scale.

The most durable hardness belongs to four gemstones: diamond, emerald, sapphire, and ruby. To protect and minimize impact on the stones, jewelers often combine them with other metals such as gold or silver to encase the gemstones. This method also helps make the gemstone jewelry more durable and safer.

1. Minimize impact when using gemstone jewelry

To avoid creating impact and breakage, you should not wear gemstone jewelry 24/7, especially during vigorous activities, sports, or heavy lifting. Gemstones with different hardness levels should not be worn close together as they can easily collide and get scratched.

For colored stones with low hardness, you should visit jewelry stores to have them encased in gold or silver to make the jewelry more robust.

2. Avoid exposing gemstones to chemicals

The composition of gemstones is natural chemical elements, so they tend to lose their unique value when reacting with suitable chemicals.

“Name a few” stones that are easily reactive with chemicals that you need to pay attention to when owning them. For instance, coral can fade when exposed to soap, shampoo, or shower gel. Meanwhile, mother-of-pearl and pearls dissolve in acid. Moreover, amber is highly sensitive to perfume or chemical solvents like acetone nail polish remover or strong alcohol.

3. Properly care for gemstone jewelry

Besides minimizing impact and avoiding chemical exposure, a thorough care routine for gemstones should be performed once a month.

For colored gemstone jewelry with long-standing stains that make the stones dull, the simplest method is to use toothpaste to make the stones shine like new. First, apply a sufficient amount of toothpaste to a brush or a small brush. Then, clean every corner of the gemstone jewelry and rinse it with clean water. Finally, dry the jewelry with a cloth or you can also use a hairdryer.

Additionally, to effectively clean your favorite gemstone jewelry, take them to jewelry stores for professional assistance. This does not take much time and ensures that your valuable jewelry is well taken care of.