More Tips on Gem Care and Jewelry Cleaning

18. November 2015 · Comments Off on More Tips on Gem Care and Jewelry Cleaning · Categories: Gemstone Care, Gemstones, Tanzanite · Tags: , , , ,

The purpose of this post is to add to the information we provided on March 17, 2012 about gemstone hardness and cleaning methods. Below are a few more tips and additional information about gemstone and jewelry cleaning.

Striking 3.88 ctw Marquise Shape Tanzanite and Diamond Ring in 14k white gold

Tanzanite is susceptable to thermal shock, therefore, avoid rapid changes in temperature such as occurs during steam cleaning (image: Tanzanite ring from MyJewelrySource.com)

Tanzanite is susceptable to thermal shock, therefore, avoid rapid changes in temperature such as occurs during steam cleaning (image: Tanzanite ring from MyJewelrySource.com)

When a gemstone is subjected to a rapid temperature change it is referred to as thermal shock. Thermal shock can actually crack stones like tanzanite and peridot so don’t use hot water when cleaning them. Other gems that can be damaged from hot cleaning solutions include opal, lapis lazuli and turquoise. Thermal shock is one reason to avoid having your jewerly steam cleaned at your local jewelers especially if your jewelry contains any of the gemstones metioned above.

Organic gems like amber, pearls and coral, can be damaged by lotions, perfumes and especially ammonia, so that’s why you probably have been told to put your pearls on after you are completely finished getting yourself ready in the morning. Although most gems stand up much better to chemicals, it is best to remove jewelry when using cleaners or solvents and it is not recommended that jewelry be cleaned with them.

Chlorine can attack gold alloys and acids can etch gemstones so it is best to remove your jewelry before enjoying your pool.

Ultrasonic and steam cleaners can do a great job at cleaning jewelry but they have many drawbacks and we do not recommend them. Ultrasonic cleaners can loosen stones from their settings and damage porous stones like lapis or turquoise. Because most emeralds are oiled, they should never ever be placed in an ultrasonic cleaner because this will cause the oil to leak out of the stone and severely damage the gem’s appearance. This is also true of any fracture filled gemstones. Additionally, the vibrations caused by ultrasonic cleaners may loosen the stones in the settings, expecially rings with the pave setting of many small stones.

In summary, it’s best to avoid having your jewelry cleaned with an ultrasonic or steam cleaner altogether (even if you are offered a free cleaning by your local jeweler). We clean all of our jewelry at MyJewelrySource with a soft-bristled tooth brush or a cloth using plain luke warm or slightly soapy water or gentle jewelry cleaner.

A Quick Introduction to Sapphires

18. November 2015 · Comments Off on A Quick Introduction to Sapphires · Categories: Gemstones, Gemstones 101, Sapphire · Tags: ,

An Introduction to Sapphires:

Although sapphire means blue in Latin, sapphires can be found in a rainbow of colors. Kings once believed these stones offered protection form harm and envy. Sapphires are calm and relaxing. Until the discovery of extraordinary stones in Kashmir in 1880, Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) was the standard bearer of sapphire. The Kashmir supply was essentially exhausted by 1930, leaving Sri Lanka as the location of the world’s most beautiful sapphires. In the 1990′s Southern Madagascar became one of the top sources of good to fine quality sapphires. Sapphires are also mined in the US (Montana), Australia, Thailand, Cambodia and Northern Madagascar, however these locations don’t produce as fine a sapphire and are mainly used to supply “commercial grade” sapphires to the industry. Sapphires come other colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and pink. Colors other than blue are referred to as “rainbow sapphires” or “fancy sapphires”. Sapphire is the traditional gift for the fifth and forty-fifth wedding anniversaries and the birthstone for September.

Buying a Sapphire:

2.83 carat Oval Ceylon Sapphire Solitaire Engagement Ring in 14k white gold

A Beautiful Blue Sapphire Ring

Overall, sapphires can be considered the ideal colored gemstone. Besides the amazing selection of colors, sapphires are highly durable with a rating of 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Sapphires in sizes of more than 1 carat are considered to be important. Minor inclusions are generally acceptable although certainly not as many as with ruby or emerald. Nearly all of the sapphires sold by MyJewelrySource are eye clean and most important, all are very pleasing to the eye. We offer a wide range of colors from a traditional Ceylon blue, to rich lustrous royal blue, to many styles with bubble gum and baby pink, orange, and yellow sapphires.

Care of Sapphires:

Since sapphires are tough and durable, they can withstand most cleaning methods. While steaming and ultrasonic cleaning will not damage the gemstone, these methods are not recommended by us as they may loosen the setting, and subsequently, stones may fall out. Your jewelry may be cleaned with a soft-bristled brush or a cloth with plain or soapy water. Sapphires should not be put in hot or boiling hot water since a stress fracture due to thermal shock my result. Avoid exposure to hairspray, perfume and chlorine, which can dull gemstones.

The Role of Gemstone Hardness in Selecting a Proper Cleaning Method

18. November 2015 · Comments Off on The Role of Gemstone Hardness in Selecting a Proper Cleaning Method · Categories: Gemstone Care, Uncategorized · Tags:
1.92 ctw Princess Cut Blue Sapphire and White Sapphire Ring in 14k white gold

With a hardness rating of 9, sapphires make an excellent choice for engagement rings or rings intended for everyday wear. Sapphires can be cleaned using most cleaning methods since they are tough and durable.

The hardness of the gemstones plays a role in what cleaning methods are appropriate for that gem. The Mohs scale of hardness will give you a lot of the information you need. Diamonds are the hardest gem with a Moh’s hardness rating of 10, followed by ruby and sapphire (hardness of 9), then topaz (hardness of 8), followed by aquamarine, tourmaline, emerald, and garnet (hardness of ~7.5), and then amethyst, citrine, iolite and zircon (hardness of 7). These gems are good choices for every day wear in terms of hardness, which is resistance to scratches. Extra care should be taken with gemstones with have a hardness rating under 7.0 since more every day items can scratch them. Gemstones that fall into this category are peridot, tanzanite, kunzite, and opaque gems like malachite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, opal and pearls.

Household dust generally has a hardness of 7, so if you were to use a cleaning cloth that had dust on it to clean your peridot, you could cause of light surface scratching. Metals such as gold and platinum have a hardness in the 3-4 range, and so they too can be scratched by a dusty cleaning cloth. Ever wonder why when you go to a jewelry store, they often show the jewelry on a soft pad? Besides the fact that it looks professional, it’s also because the glass countertop can actually scratch the softer gems like pearls.

Another issue that you may not have considered is that since gold and platinum are softer than most gemstones, a loose stone in a setting can actually slowly wear away at a prongs. So it is important to check your jewelry regularly to make sure the settings are secure.

MyJewelrySource.com recommends using lukewarm water and a soft toothbrush to clean your gemstones. You may also add a detergent-free soap as well. To clean out under the stones well, you can also use a pulsed water dental cleaning appliance. Finally, you can also use a lint/dust-free jewelry cleaning cloth to spruce up the metal mountings.

Bringing Gemstones to Market

18. November 2015 · Comments Off on Bringing Gemstones to Market · Categories: Gemstone Mining, Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

Ruby in ring from Myanmar (Burma) and Sapphire in ring from Sri Lanka (Ceylon)Peridot in this ring is from Arizona, USA

Most people do not realize and appreciate what it takes to bring a beautiful gemstone to the market. A majority of gemstone mining is done by artisanal miners working with hand picks and shovels. The work is extremely strenuous and even sometimes dangerous with the mining working in deep underground tunnels or on very high mountain sides. Once the rough gemstone material is unearthed, these miners sort it and put together the best pieces to sell to a broker. The mining areas often unfortunately do not have the gemstone cutting expertise so these miners get very little for their hard work. Luckily there are many organizations now that are working with local people to develop cutting skills so that they can eventually make a better living.

For now, for the most part, gemstone rough travels thousands of miles to the major cutting centers of the world. These locations include Thailand, China and India. Bangkok, Thailand, for example, has some of the world’s best cutters who are experts at what they do. Fashioning and cutting a gemstone requires great skill and it is also an art form. Knowing what material to cut away, how to best display the stone’s color, clarity and brilliance, the right methods for treating (like heat treatment) the gemstones takes years and years of experience.

Once the gemstones are ready for the market, they are sold often in these locations. Large jewelry manufacturers and gemstone wholesalers travel great distances to seek out the gemstones that are right for their clientele. The large jewelry manufacturers most often purchase commercial quality goods that are available in bulk for the large volume of pieces they produce. Similarly, wholesalers from New York, for example, travel to the cutting centers often looking for middle market and one of a kind gemstones. These buyers also need great skill in what they do. Did you know that natural daylight is not the same around the world. So a beautiful ruby that has the perfect pigeon’s blood red color in Bangkok will not actually have the same color in New York. So the buyers have to adjust what they buy accordingly.

The large jewelry manufacturers then use the gems they have purchased to mass produce gemstone jewelry for large catalog companies or home shopping channels. The wholesalers would sell their goods to the independent or small retail jeweler who then creates more unique and one of a kind pieces. When you stop and think about it, you can really gain great appreciation for all the people across the globe who actually play an important role in the pieces of jewelry we ultimately wear and enjoy.

The tanzanite in this ring is from Tanzania, Africa

The peridot in this ring was mined from Arizona

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