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|
| Gemstones |
Common Gem Treatments |
Care Instructions |
Avoid |
| Alexandrite |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Almandite
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Avoid steam |
| Amber |
Occasionally heat- treated or dyed to add depth of color |
Gently clean using SparkleSparkle Pearl. Dry gemstone and setting completely with a soft lint-free GemCloth. |
Avoid soaking, steam, ionic, and ultrasonic cleaning. |
Amethyst
(Quartz) |
Occasionally heat- treated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Andalusite |
Rarely heat-treated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Apatite |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, steam, and ultrasonic cleaning |
Aquamarine
(Beryl) |
Usually heat-treated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Aventurine
(Quartz) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Aventurine - Sunstone
(Feldspar) |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, steam, sonic and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Azure malachite |
Rarely filled with epoxy or resin for smoother surface |
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Beryl
(also listed by type) |
|
|
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| Blue Topaz |
Usually irradiated and heated to produce blue color |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Avoid steam |
Cat's Eye
(Chrysoberyl) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Chalcedony |
Usually dyed or heat-treated to produce different colors |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Citrine (Quartz) |
Usually heat-treated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Coral |
Usually dyed or bleached to improve color |
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Cubic Zirconia |
Synthetic simulant of Diamond |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Demantoid / Andradite
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
Avoid heat and steam |
| Diamond - white |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Diamond - colored |
Usually heat-treated or irradiated for color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Diopside |
|
Avoid chemicals and sudden temperature changes |
|
Emerald
(Beryl) |
Usually oiled to improve color |
Emeralds are durable but require extra care when cleaning. |
Avoid hot water and steam, ultrasonic cleaning, or any chemical cleaning product not formulated for use with emeralds. |
| Fluorspar |
Usually heat teated or irradiated to improve color |
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Garnet
(also listed by type) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
| Gasperite |
Occasionally stabilized with plastic |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Goshenite
(Beryl) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Heliodor
(Beryl) |
Irradiated for color enhancement |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
| Hematite |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Hessonite (Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
| Howlite |
Occasionally dyed to improve color and to emulate turquoise |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
|
| Indicolite (Tourmaline) |
Commonly heat-treated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
| Iolite |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
| Jade |
Commonly dyed, heated, and occasionally filled with wax for appearance |
Wipe gently with a damp cloth. Dry thoroughly with a soft lint free cloth. |
Do not soak. Avoid hot water, chemicals, steam, and ultrasonic cleaners. |
Jasper
(Chalcedony) |
Occasionally dyed to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Jet |
|
|
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Kunzite (Spodumene) |
Usually irradiated to enhance color |
|
Avoid sudden temperature changes, rough handling and exposure to strong light |
| Kyanite |
|
|
Avoid rough handling, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Labradorite
(Feldspar) |
|
|
Avoid rough handling, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Lapis Lazulli |
Commonly dyed and paraffin-coated for color and shine |
Wash only as needed and rinse quickly with
cool water. Dry thoroughly. |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning. |
| Lepidolite |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Malachite |
Wax or epoxy occasionally added to cover small chips and to smooth surface |
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Moldavite
(Tektite) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Moonstone
(Feldspar) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Morganite
(Beryl) |
Commonly heat-treated to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Mother of Pearl |
Commonly dyed to produce colors |
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Onyx (Chalcedony) |
Commonly dyed |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Opal |
To enhance appearance and durability, wax, oil or plastic may be added |
Follow Delicate care guidelines. Dry gemstone and setting completely using a soft lint-free Gemcloth |
Do not soak. Avoid chemicals (including hairspray and cosmetics), steam, ionic, and ultrasonic cleaners |
| Pearl |
Commonly bleached or dyed for consistent color |
Follow Delicate care guidelines. Dry pearls completely using a soft lint-free Gemcloth |
Do not soak. Avoid chemicals (including hairspray and cosmetics), steam, ionic, and ultrasonic cleaners |
| Peridot |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning, sudden temperature changes |
| Peristerite |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Petalite |
|
|
Avoid rough handling, ultrasonic cleaning |
Petrified Wood
(see Chalcedony) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Pyrite |
|
Epoxy or Jeweler cement is often used in setting pyrite. For cleaning cemented stones,
wipe gently with a damp cloth. Dry thoroughly with a soft lint-free cloth. |
Avoid hot water,
soaking, steam, and ultrasonic cleaners. |
Pyrope
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
Rhodochrosite
(Feldspar) |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, rough handling, and high heat. |
Rhodolite
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature changes |
|
Rhodonite
(Feldspar) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Rose Quartz |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Rubellite
(Tourmaline) |
Commonly heat-treated or irriadiated to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
Ruby
(Corrundum) |
Usually heat-treated to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
Sapphire
(Corrundum) |
Usually heat-treated to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Scapolite |
Commonly irradiated for color enhancement |
|
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning, avoid exposure to strong light |
| Serpentine |
Commonly dyed or waxed to improve appearance or alter colors |
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
|
| Shell |
Commonly dyed to produce colors |
Perspiration can cause shell cameo to yellow. |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
| Smokey Quartz |
Occasionally heat-treated or irradiated to improve color |
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Sodalite |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Spessartite
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
| Spinel |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines |
|
| Sphene |
|
|
Avoid chemicals, sudden temperature changes, and rough handling |
| Sugilite |
|
|
Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning |
Tanzanite
(Zoisite) |
Zoisite is routinely heat-treated to produce Tanzanite’s signature violet-blue color |
|
Avoid steam, ultrasonic cleaning and sudden temperature changes |
| Tiger's Eye (Quartz) |
Commonly heat-treated, dyed or bleached to enhance color |
|
Avoid sudden temperatures changes and strong chemicals |
Topaz
(other than blue) |
Usually heat-treated to create colors |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
| Tourmaline |
Green and blue commonly heat-treated to enhance color. |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
Tsavolite
(Garnet) |
|
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
| Turquoise |
Commonly stabilized – infused with plastic to enhance durability and color |
Follow Delicate care guidelines. Dry gemstone completely using a soft lint-free Gemcloth |
Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning. Perspiration and cosmetics may alter color. |
| Verdelite (Tourmaline) |
Commonly heat-treated to enhance color |
Follow Normal care guidelines but avoid sudden temperature
changes |
|
| Zircon |
Routinely heat-treated to create blue color |
|
Avoid abrasives, rough wear and exposure to strong light. |
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