How to Care for Precious Stones and Minerals

Helpful tips to make your precious collection last a long time.

So you’ve finally amassed an enviable collection of precious stones and minerals – make sure you’re doing what you can to make them last for years to come. Using the right jewelry display and storage tools is just the beginning. You also need to make sure you’re keeping them clean and protected from damage so they can maintain their beauty and shine.

We’ve listed below a few helpful tips to help you clean and care for your stones.

Pearls

Keeping your pearls clean is pretty simple – just plain water (chlorinated water is a big no no) and a non-detergent soap will do. Using a soft cloth dipped in soapy water, wipe your pearl to clean. For storage, keep them away from other jewelry pieces to avoid scratching its surface. Also, avoid air-tight containers such as a sealed up plastic bag. Storing them somewhere that’s too dry will lead to cracks, so use a soft pouch for storing instead. If you plan to display them, make sure to keep your pearls and jewelry display away from heat.

Source

Turquoise

Keep your turquoise stones and jewelry beautiful by cleaning them using soapy water, but don’t soak it. Turquoise absorbs water which can soften it over time. Instead, use a soft cloth moistened with the soapy water and gently dab it on your piece. You don’t have to buy any special solution as these simple products will do. Let it air dry once you’re done.

Silver

You can use any of the commercially-available silver polish solutions out there to take care of your silver pieces. Just use a lightly damp soft cloth to spread polish on the surface. Remember to rub in an up-and-down motion to avoid highlighting scratches. Once done, you can rinse your silver jewelry in warm water, then pat it dry using a clean cloth.

One tip to keep tarnishing away is to wear your silver jewelry often, as friction (in this case, skin and/or fabric contact) slows down tarnishing.

Source

Tourmaline

You can soak your tourmaline pieces in warm, soapy water and then gently brush it using a soft brush (could be a child’s old toothbrush). Remember to brush in a circular motion to make it shine bright.

As with many precious stones and minerals, heat can affect the color of tourmaline, so remember to place your jewelry display holders away from sunlight. Better yet, store your tourmaline away in a box or safe but make sure to use the dividers to keep them away from your other stones.

Source

Amethyst

Keeping your amethyst crystal clean is similar to the steps in cleaning tourmaline. You can soak amethyst in soapy water for up to 20 minutes to loosen dirt, then use a soft brush for a more thorough cleaning and polishing. Rinse it in clean water then pat dry it in using a soft cloth. You can also air dry, but avoid applying direct heat like using a blow dryer.

Source

Garnet

Yes, soapy water can also clean garnet but alternatively, you can use rubbing alcohol. Constant exposure to sweat, dead skin, and lotions due to usage can leave your garnet looking dull. You can use these two cleaning options to keep your collection looking fresh and beautiful.

For storage, you can use individual jewelry boxes, or if you have to mix up different stones together, make sure they are kept inside small pouches or bags.