TYPES OF GEMS & GEMSTONE TREATMENT
Shopping for gemstone jewelry but don’t know where to start? Check out our selection of top picks in rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and sets. Get inspired while you browse our most popular pieces featuring your favorite gems.
STONE
TREATMENT & INFORMATION
CARE
Amethyst
Almost all amethyst (purple, pink and green) is heated to improve its appearance or deepen the color. It is February’s birthstone.
Do not expose to intense heat. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Aquamarine
Almost all aquamarine is heated to improve its appearance. It is March’s birthstone.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Citrine
Citrine is usually heat treated or irradiated to improve color. It is November’s birthstone.
Do not expose to intense heat. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Diamond
There is usually no treatment for diamond. It is April’s birthstone.
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Emerald
Emerald is usually penetrated with oil, wax or resin to improve appearance and often dyed with color agents. It is May’s birthstone.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Avoid sudden temperature changes, steaming and contact with cosmetics, hair spray, perfume and household chemicals. Clean with a damp cloth or soft brush.
Garnet
There is usually no treatment for garnet. It is January’s birthstone.
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Jade
Jade is usually dyed or heated to enhance its color. It’s also permeated with paraffin wax to hide surface cracks.
Wipe your jade jewelry with a soft cloth after wearing, and wipe it down with a gem cleaner every so often. Do not use any chemical cleaners. Do not use ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Remove jewelry before swimming. The chlorine in pools and hot tubs can be harmful to jade.
Morganite
Morganite is commonly heat treated to enhance the color.
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Onyx
None
Wipe down with a dry or damp cloth. Never use any harsh chemicals or cleaners. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners.
Opal
Opal is occasionally treated with sugar or smoke to enhance the color. Sometimes it’s infused with wax, oil or plastic to enhance its appearance and durability.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Avoid heat and contact with cosmetics, hair spray, perfume and household chemicals. Clean with a damp cloth or soft brush.
Pearl
Pearl is usually bleached, dyed irradiated and/or coated to enhance its color. It is June’s birthstone.
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Peridot
Peridot is sometimes infused with oil, wax resins and/or a colorless hardened substance to enhance its appearance. It is August’s birthstone.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Avoid sudden temperature changes and contact with harsh chemicals.
Quartz
Quartz (all colors) is heat treated to improve its appearance or deepen color.
Do not expose to intense heat. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Certified Ruby
Ruby is usually heated to improve appearance and some may be diffused to enhance color. Ruby is July’s birthstone.
Clean with warm soapy water and soft brush or cloth. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe for untreated, or heat-treated stones.
Sapphire
Sapphire is usually heated to improve its appearance and occasionally irradiated. It’s commonly diffused along with heat application to create different colors. Yellow sapphire is always diffused. Sapphire is September’s birthstone.
Avoid strong detergents, heat, pressure and ultrasonic cleaners or steamers. Avoid re-polishing or re-cutting the stone. Color may fade in light or with heat. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is usually heated to improve its appearance.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Clean with a damp cloth or soft brush.
Topaz
Topaz (all colors) is usually irradiated and heated to produce color. Some topaz may be coated with a thin film of minerals applied through heat. Blue topaz is December’s birthstone.
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth.
Turquoise
Manufactured turquoise is usually stabilized with plastic to enhance its durability and dyed to enhance its color. Reconstituted turquoise is powdered turquoise compressed with a binding agent under extreme pressure and heated to bind together small pieces of natural material into a larger whole, and dyed to enhance its color.
Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer. Avoid contact with cosmetics, hair spray, perfume and household chemicals. Clean with a damp cloth or soft brush.
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