Jewelry Care & Cleaning

General Care

With some regular attention and thoughtful care your jewelry can last a lifetime.

Read on to learn some helpful tips that can help you keep your heirlooms in optimal condition.

If at all possible pieces should be stored individually, so that stones cannot rub against each-other.
Necklaces should be hung if possible to avoid pesky tangles that can easily damage chains. It is also a bad idea to wear necklaces and bracelets to bed as they can easily get snagged and break. Rings can also catch and scratch on things, so it is a good rule of thumb to take as much jewelry off as possible each night.
Never wear jewelry in the pool! Chlorine can easily damage your jewelry, as can other common chemicals like hairspray and perfume.
Stow your jewelry safely while you do the housework as many household cleaners not only have bleach, but also ammonia. Chlorine will cause gold to pit and begin to break down.
Many gems are susceptible to fracturing when they undergo extreme temperature change (thermal shock) - even diamonds. Many gems, especially organic ones like jet and amber can fade or change color with prolonged exposure to light/heat. Even the steam and heat from boiling water on the stove may be too much for certain stones.

Cleaning

Most jewelry can be easily cleaned with a soft brush, a soft towel, mild dish soap, and a bowl or glass filled with clean water. Simply use the brush to gently clean the jewelry with the soap and then dunk it in the clean water to rinse. If there is a build up of grime, oil, dirt, etc. let the jewelry soak in the soap solution for a little while. Dust and oils can easily build up behind stones, so make sure that you clean the undersides of the stones if you can access them. Don’t rinse your jewelry directly in the sink to avoid accidentally dropping your piece or loose stones down the drain.

Often just a quick swish in a bowl of clean water is enough to get your jewelry sparkling again. Never use toothpaste to clean your jewelry.
When in doubt, use the most gentle method possible to clean your jewelry.

Tools

Clockwise from the top-left: Soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well) , fresh water, a polishing cloth, soft lint free towels, and a new soft bristled tooth brush.

Jewelry to Be Cleaned

From Left to Right: A strand of pearls, three gold rings, two pairs of gold stud earrings, two silver rings, and a silver necklace with matching earrings.

Many stones are sensitive to heat, so heated ultrasonic machines and steam should be avoided for:

Tanzanite,
Feldspar (sunstone, labradorite, and moonstone),
Fluorite
Iolite
Kunzite
Lapis lazuli,
Malachite
Opal,
Topaz
Turquoise
Zircon
Others

These types of cleaners should also be avoided for jewelry where gems are set with only a few prongs, are tension set, or where gems actively touch each other.
Some gems should also never be scrubbed in any way, as they are soft and easily scratched. Some examples are

Amber
Mystic Topaz (the coating can be abraded off)
Moonstone and other Feldspar
Opal
Turquoise

Cleaning Diamond Jewelry

A white gold diamond cluster ring

This style of ring has plenty of places for dust and oil to collect in.

A quick dip into the soapy water

After a few swishes in the water

For rings that are frequently cleaned this may be all they need. This ring hasn’t been cleaned in a while and also has plenty of places that collect extra grime, so it will need some more help.

*Gently* wipe the brush over the ring.

Because these stones are diamonds and are securely set, they do just fine with a soft brush. You are not scrubbing the jewelry, you just want to gently encourage any stubborn grime to come off. The brush is also very helpful in getting to the undersides of stones.

Dip and swish in the fresh water

Do your best to get any soap residue off the jewelry

A cleaned ring

Some jewelry may need a couple passes, and it is always better to be extra gentle and have to go back rather than to accidentally scratch or dislodge a stone.

Pat dry

Avoid rubbing the towel over the jewelry, as things can get snagged - especially with pronged settings.

The cleaned diamond ring

The ring is nice and clean, and ready to go back in its ring box until it is needed again.

Small Diamond Studs

Earrings should be cleaned frequently. Always make sure you are cleaning and posts or hooks as well.

Dunk and swish in the soapy water

Very gently use a few of the bristles to make sure there is nothing on the underside of the stones.

Sparkly clean diamond studs

Give them a swish in the fresh water and pat dry

Cleaning Gold jewelry with Other Gemstones

While this little stone looks like it could be diamond, it’s actually a sapphire without the chemical inclusions that give color to these gems.

Sapphire isn’t quite as hard as diamond, but it is hard enough that it doesn’t require a great deal of special attention to clean.

Swish in the soapy water

The setting in this ring makes it easy to reach the underside of the stone, so the brush can be used to gently dislodge any stubborn grime

Gently pat the brush against the back of the stone.

A freshly cleaned and dried ring

If you have a box or small bag in which to individually store your jewelry that is always best. While this stone is hard to scratch, it can easily scratch softer stones.

Earrings With Mystery Stones

When I cleaned these I was not sure what kind of stones they had, so I erred on the side of caution.

Dunk and swish

After a Quick Swish

They could also do with a short soak to help loosen the build up on the backs of the stones.

A soft towel works well for removing finger prints and surface dust.

There is still a bit of dust on the backs of the stones, but I decided to hold off on using the brush to get to it until I could ID the stones

Not perfect, but an improvement.

Cleaning Silver Jewelry

This sterling silver ring has a moonstone in it and will require a gentler touch than something like a sapphire or diamond.

This ring just needs a quick swish in the soapy water

Because moonstone can be scratched much easier than many of the gemstones common in jewelry the brush should be avoided.

This ring has been rhodium plated so tarnishing isn’t a concern, but it is good to make sure there is no build up of dirt, oil, or dust.

Here is a good example of the difference rhodium plating makes! The skeletal leaf pendant has been plated and the chain is just sterling silver with no plating.

Most tarnish can be removed with a polishing cloth or rouge cloth

For chain like this, just pinch the cloth around the chain and gently pull it through. It is easier to move the chain through the cloth a few times, rather than try to pull the cloth back and forth over the chain.

The tarnish will come off on the cloth. This chain needed a few passes - it had been sitting for a while.

The chain no longer distracts from the pendant.

A silver ring with sapphires

This ring has many places for tarnish and dust to collect.

This ring could use a short soak in the water

Gently clean the underside of the stones

Jewelry with lots of surface area will often generate suds when cleaned with a brush

The bath helped clean the stones, but there is still some tarnish up against the setting on the leaves

The polishing cloth should take the rest of the tarnish off

The stones have more sparkle, and the silver isn’t dull any more

Cleaning Pearls

Pearls are going to need more careful attention and maintenance than most other gems.
Pearls should never be scrubbed or have anything abrasive used on them - new makeup brushes are good for cleaning pearls.
Strands of pearls that are very dirty should be restrung with fresh silk cord, allowing each of the pearls to be gently cleaned without compromising the integrity of the strand.

A basic strand of pearls, knotted with silk thread.

These are fairly clean but worn fairly often so any oils and perfumes need to be removed as soon as possible.

Dampen one of the soft towels

Get rid of excess water, you don’t want to soak the strand.

Gently pat the pearls with the damp cloth, making sure to support the full weight of the strand. You just want to remove any oil and dirt on the surface as gently as possible.

Lay the pearls flat until they are completely dry

Hardness & Toughness

All stones, even diamonds, can be chipped and broken. Tall settings, while beautiful, unfortunately position your gemstone so that it is more likely to get banged into things. Stones set with only a few prongs, especially marquise cut stones, are also more susceptible to chipping or shattering.

Hardness

Many people are familiar with the Mohs scale, which rates meterials on their hardness from 1 to 10. The ratings on this scale were developed with the 10 stones below and it is their relative hardness that the system is based on.

Talc
Gypsum
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Feldspar
Quartz
Topaz
Corundum (Ruby/Sapphire)
Diamond

Diamonds are a 10 on this scale and are exceptionally resistant to abrasion. Talc is a 1 on the Mohs scale and can be easily scratched with a fingernail. On this scale a gem can scratch anything with the same number and below.

Toughness

Toughness is another indication of gem durability. Toughness is the stone’s ability to resist breaking/chipping. Diamonds, while exceptionally hard are actually quite easy to fracture if hit just right. The points on a gemstone are always going to be more susceptible to breakage, and the gem’s toughness should be taken into consideration when choosing a setting. Something like tanzanite is going to need a more secure setting than jadeite.

Care for common gemstones:

Alexandrite (Mohs 8.5)

Alexandrite is an ideal stone for daily wear with good hardness, great toughness, and no cleavage. It will do alright in steam and ultrasonic cleaning.

Amber (Mohs 2.0 to 2.5 )

Amber is very soft, and therefore needs more care and attention than something like a sapphire. The only safe way to clean amber is with a very soft cloth and soapy water. Amber should be stored by itself away from heat and light.

Amethyst (Mohs 7)

Store your amethyst jewelry so that it does not come into contact with harder gems like rubies/sapphires & diamonds. Amethysts should not be cleaned with any methods where high heat is used. Excessive heat will permanently change the color of the stone and heat treated stones are more brittle. It should also not be left out in the sun for prolonged periods as this can also change the color over time. Steam should also be avoided when cleaning this stone.

Aquamarine (Mohs 7.5–8)

As long as there are no fractures, filled or otherwise, aquamarine can be cleaned with steam or an ultrasonic cleaner. They are fairly hard and tough, so they do not require much special care.

Citrine (Mohs 7)

Both relatively hard and tough, citrine is not one that you have to worry much about for daily wear. Like its cousin amethyst, high heat should be avoided.

Corundum - Ruby & Sapphire (Mohs 9)

Rubies and sapphires require the same care. These stones have great hardness, excellent toughness, and no cleavage. They are well suited for daily wear in everything from rings to bracelets. It is best to avoid any cleaning methods that use high heat as this can damage stones that have been treated in any way. You should always try and determine if your ruby or sapphire has been treated when purchasing.

Diamond (Mohs 10)

While diamonds are the hardest of all gems, they are not invincible. Diamonds can be scratched by other diamonds, and they will break if they are struck from the right angle. Diamonds that have been filled or have many inclusions should be kept out of ultrasonic cleaners and away from heat. Something to keep in mind as well is how your diamond has been set. If your jewelry has stones that are set so they are touching (channel set for example) it should not be placed in an ultrasonic cleaner.

To learn more about diamond quality factors, check out our guide!

Emerald (Mohs 7.5-8)

Emeralds are beautiful stones that need some mindful care, but with the right attention they will do just fine being worn for many years in all manner of jewelry.

Heat is not a friend to emeralds and should be avoided, as should any vibrating cleaner.

Emeralds are not as tough as rubies and sapphires, so they are more susceptible to chipping and breaking. Emeralds should be kept away from chemicals and pressure changes.

Garnet (Mohs 6.5-7.5)

Steam cleaning is not recommended for garnets, and ultrasonic cleaners are generally safe as long as the gem has no fractures or has not been fracture filled. Cleaning with a gentle soap and a soft cloth is an effective and safe cleaning method.

Jade (Mohs 6.5 to 7 and 6.0 to 6.5)

Jade is actually two separate minerals that are lumped under one name. Jadeite, the harder of the two scatters light beautifully, and nephrite chimes musically when struck. Jade is very tough but not particularly hard, so it should never be scrubbed. Cleaning with a soft cloth and warm water is ideal.

Moonstone & Other Feldspar (Mohs 6)

While it is towards the middle on the hardness scale, moonstone is not a tough stone. Care should be taken with your moonstones so as to prevent abrasions and fractures. High heat can cause moonstone to break so steam and ultrasonic cleaners should be avoided. These stones should never be scrubbed.

Opal (Mohs 5-6.5)

Opal is another of the softer gems and requires some special care. They should only be cleaned with warm water and soft cloth. They should be kept away from high heat. Opals can also dry out if kept in an excessively dry environment for a long period. Opal doublets and triplets have adhesive used in their construction and prolonged exposure to water can cause the adhesive to weaken.

Pearl (Mohs 2.5-3)

Pearls are especially sensitive to chemicals, heat, and abrasion. They should never be cleaned in an ultrasonic machine. They should not be stored in plastic as the chemicals can seep into the surface of the pearls. Hairspray and perfume should be put on before you put pearls on.

Pearls should only be cleaned with very soft brushes and towels. Strung pearls should be placed flat on a towel until they are completely dry. The silk thread that is used to string pearls loves to attract perfumes and oils, so pearls that are frequently worn should be restrung every year or so. They should be put on last and taken off first. A good practice is to give your pearl strands a quick, gentle swipe with a damp cloth after they are worn.

Peridot (Mohs 6.5-7)

Softer than most of the other popular gems, peridot will require a little more special care. It will be more prone to scratching and should not be stored with anything higher on the Mohs scale. Never use steam or an ultrasonic cleaner on a peridot. These stones should only be cleaned with a soft cloth or brush and warm water.

Tanzanite (Mohs 6-7)

These stones are sensitive to acids and heat. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning is best avoided. They are also not excessively hard or tough stones so they are best suited to pieces like earrings and pendants, though with attention and a thoughtful setting they can work wonderfully in rings for special occasions.

Topaz (Mohs 8)

While these stones are hard, they have poor toughness so they are more susceptible to breakage. Steam and ultrasonic cleaning must be avoided for these stones. Topaz can be damaged by some chemicals, and in orange to brown stones prolonged exposure to light will sometimes cause fading. Mystic topaz is treated and requires a little bit of extra care. The coating that causes the colorful effect can be removed with abrasive cleaning or buffing wheels.

Turquoise (Mohs 5-6)

One of the softer stones, turquoise is sometimes treated to improve its hardness and sheen. High heat can cause discoloration or even fractures. Turquoise is vulnerable to acids, and should be cleaned after it is worn next to the skin as the oils in our skin and the chemicals in cosmetics can damage these stones. Turquoise should only be cleaned with warm soapy water and a gentle cloth or brush.

Tourmaline (Mohs 7-7.5)

Generally suited for everyday wear, tourmaline is fairly light resistant and sturdy. These stones should be kept away from heat, so steam and ultrasonic cleaning should be avoided.