Gemstone Care Guide: Cleaning & Storage Tips

Care guide

Most gemstones need only lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth, but softer and organic stones need extra care.

Use the hardness chart below to know which category your stone is in.

Basic cleanLukewarm water, mild soap

PerfumePut jewellery on after

StorageEach piece separately

AvoidUltrasonic for soft stones

Hardness chart (Mohs scale)

Stone	Hardness	Care level
Diamond	10	Easy
Sapphire (Neelam, Pukhraj), ruby	9	Easy
Cat's eye (chrysoberyl)	8.5	Easy
Emerald	7.5–8	Careful: brittle, often oiled
Hessonite (Gomed)	7–7.5	Easy
Quartz: amethyst, citrine, crystal beads	7	Easy; some fade in sunlight
Zircon, peridot	6.5–7.5	Moderate
Opal, moonstone, labradorite	5.5–6.5	Careful
Turquoise (Firoza), lapis	5–6	Careful: porous
Coral	3–4	Delicate, organic
Pearl	2.5–4.5	Delicate, organic
Selenite	about 2	Very delicate; keep dry

Put jewellery on after perfume, lotion and hairspray
Remove rings for gardening, gym, cleaning and swimming
Store each piece separately so harder stones do not scratch softer ones
Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners for emerald, opal, pearl, coral and turquoise

Pearl and coral: wipe with a soft damp cloth; never use acids or vinegar
Opal: avoid heat and sudden temperature changes
Turquoise and lapis: keep away from water, oils and cosmetics
Pyrite and hematite: keep dry to avoid tarnish and rust
Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, fluorite: avoid long exposure to strong sunlight
Rudraksha: avoid soap; occasionally rub with a little oil