posted 05-02-2014 08:15 PM            

When, if at all, is it safe to clean jewelry with gem stones, I.e., pearls, diamonds, rubies etc. by dipping them in jewelry cleaner? Or what gems stones should not be dipped? Is there a list of some kind to say which ones can or can't be done this way?
I hope I have made myself clear. Any questions welcome.

Thank you again for any help.

posted 05-06-2014 08:08 PM            

Organic materials such as pearl, mother of pearl, amber, wood, ivory, and bone should not be dipped in harsh chemicals. Neither should soft or delicate stones such as opals, or gemstones that have been treated with dyes, resins, glues, etc.

You can clean pearls and mother of pearl by wiping them gently with a damp cloth. Metal jewelry set with pearls (a gold ring with a pearl in it, say) can be cleaned by dipping it in a weak solution of mild dishwashing detergent and water, then rinsing gently in water and drying with a soft cloth. If the jewelry is very dirty, you can soak it in the weak solution of dishwashing and water, then brush very gently with a very soft old toothbrush, rinse, and dry. Opals can be cleaned the same way.

Generally speaking, the harder the stone, the more cleaning it can stand. Diamonds and corundum (= rubies and sapphires), the hardest stones, can even be soaked in an ammonia solution. Do NOT try that on your pearls, opals, and ivory!

When in doubt, just use the gentle dishwashing liquid and water solution.

And remember to keep the drain in your sink plugged when you rinse your jewelry! You don't want your precious stones falling out and washing away down the drain.

posted 05-06-2014 09:18 PM            

Thank you so much for your great information. My main concern, is if it it set I gold or silver would it be safe to dunk the entire piece, be it a ring, bracelet or necklace. Or....do it by hand in segments or what. Does that make sense to you?

Thank you again for your helpful information. I'll ck out your links.

posted 05-08-2014 09:25 AM            

Same with platinum--it doesn't tarnish and it stands up to most chemicals, so go ahead and use whatever cleaning method is appropriate for the stones.

Silver does tarnish, of course, and I imagine that silver dips might damage some of the more delicate stones (though I don't know that for a fact). Silver dip isn't great for jewelry anyway--it makes it look flat. When I clean silver jewelry set with stones, I polish it gently with a silver polishing cloth, avoiding the stones. And if it's appropriate for the stones, I may also wash the piece with a soft toothbrush and a weak solution of water and dishwashing liquid, then rinse gently.

The same method works for badly tarnished low-karat gold pieces--a Victorian brooch made of 9K gold set with a glass paste stone, say. I mostly leave pieces like that unpolished, though. I like the look of old, tarnished 9K gold.

I do have a silver ring set with a diamond. It's a modern ring, only a few years old. I polish it with a silver cloth when it gets tarnished, and I clean the diamond with the soft-toothbrush method and either water/dishwashing liquid or a dilute solution of ammonia. Ammonia doesn't hurt diamonds. I wouldn't use it on more delicate stones, like opals or moonstones. And if the ring were old--most diamonds set in silver are from the 19th century or earlier--I would hesitate to clean it with anything stronger than dishwashing liquid and water.

One last comment: Jewelry where the stones are foiled or set with closed backs--that is, settings where there's metal behind the stone and you can't get at the back of the stone--should not get wet. Water or cleaning liquid could get behind the stone and make it look dirty and cloudy.

posted 05-09-2014 09:28 PM            

Than you again!

Have a great day!