Gemstones and jewelry are an inseparable part of our lives since all of us happen to wear some or the other piece of metal or gemstone jewelry, be it a simple gold chain, dainty diamond studs, a sleek gold bangle or a solitaire engagement ring. And what’s even more important is to maintain their beauty and luster which tends to diminish over time due to wearing and atmospheric conditions.
Hence, cleaning jewelry is very crucial to keep it sparkling and lively for generations to cherish. In the post below, we have enumerated a few tips on how you could take care of your emerald jewelry, especially an emerald wedding band that you wear every day.
Emerald’s Durability on Mohs Scale
Emeralds are quite durable for everyday wear rating between 7.5 & 8 on the Mohs hardness scale. This is the reason why people prefer to choose emeralds as the center stone of their engagement rings since these gemstones are scratch-resistant and are not susceptible to wear. However, you need to be more careful with your emeralds than with sapphires or rubies, both of which score 9, and even diamonds which measure 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Simple Way to Clean Emeralds At Home
You can clean your emerald band ring or jewelry at home with mild dish soap and water. For this, you need a bowl of lukewarm water with a few drops of liquid soap added to it. Apply the solution to your emerald jewelry and rub gently with a soft toothbrush or cloth to remove any impurities on the stone. Now, rinse the ring in another bowl of lukewarm water to get rid of the soap and tap dry using a soft cotton cloth. Let it completely dry for some time before wearing or storing it.
Avoid using harsh cleaning agents, soaps, and chemicals such as paint thinners, bleach, alcohol, etc. that may impact the stone treatment or lead to discoloration of the stone. Using high temperatures or hot water for cleaning can also damage the stone.
In the case of emeralds, most of them are oil-treated artificially because most of the gem quality emeralds include a lot of fractures in the crystal which need to be filled in order to improve structural integrity and enhance their clarity and color. Though this type of treatment is acceptable in the trade, such treated emerald green stones command less price and also make the cleaning process of these emeralds a difficult task.
If you are wearing an enhanced emerald ring, you must not take the risk of cleaning it with steam or ultrasonic cleaners. The ultrasonic cleaners use a solution that may lead to the dissolution of the oil filled in the stone’s fractures. They use extremely high pressure for cleaning which might break apart your emeralds. The steam cleaners, on the other hand, develop warm vapors which may make the oil come out of the fractures in the stone.
Conclusion
If your mother is still wearing your grandmother’s chain necklace then you might wonder how the metal is still so bright. If she has shared with you how she keeps it clean then you need to keep that in mind for a lifetime so that you could do the same with your jewelry or what your mother or grandparents leave behind them as their legacy or gift to you. Since every metal and gemstone has different physical and chemical properties, their cleaning treatment may vary.
So make sure to get a cleaning guide from your jeweler before you buy any piece of gemstone jewelry. Also, keep it safe from scratching from other hard objects or other jewelry pieces and use appropriate means to clean it on a regular basis to maintain its shine. And for your next emerald purchase, consider visiting the official website of GemsNY to witness our vast collection of loose emerald stones and jewelry to make your life even greener.
