HOW TO CARE FOR NATURAL STONE JEWELRY

Each stone, due to its composition and hardness, requires specific maintenance.

If you want your stones to keep their original shine, it’s important to take care of them.

Below, we present the main criteria to take into consideration:

1. STONE HARDNESS

The Mohs scale is one of the most widely used scales for evaluating the hardness of minerals. It is based on a simple principle: 1 corresponds to the softest minerals, 10 corresponds to the hardest minerals. The harder the stone, the more resistant it is to shocks and scratches.

 

Mohs scale	Reference minerals	How/by what can they be scratched
1	Talc	Crumbles under the fingernail
2	Gypsum	Can be scratched with a fingernail
3	Calcite	Can be scratched with a copper coin
4	Fluorite	Easily scratched with a knife
5	Apatite	Can be scratched with a knife
6	Orthoclase	Can be scratched with a file or sand
7	Quartz	Scratches glass, can be scratched by corundum
8	Topaz	Can be scratched by tungsten carbide
9	Corundum	Scratchable with silicon carbide
10	Diamond	Can be scratched by another diamond

 

When you have jewelry made of brittle stones such as apatite or fluorite, we recommend storing them in individual pouches to protect them from scratches.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of minerals along with their rating on the Mohs scale.

Mohs scale	Examples of minerals
2 to 3	Amber, serpentine, pearl
3 to 4	Howlite, Malachite
4 to 5	Rhodochrosite, charoite, kyanite
5 to 6	Lapis lazuli, turquoise, opal, apatite
6 to 7	Agate, carnelian, onyx, jasper, jade, peridot amazonite, tanzanite garnet
7 to 8	Amethyst, citrine, ametrine, aventurine, tiger’s eye, rose quartz, tourmaline, aquamarine, emerald
8 to 9	Topaz Ruby, Sapphire
10	Diamond

 

To simplify the reference to this scale, you can consider that stones numbered 1 to 6 on the Mohs scale are easily scratched and therefore require special attention: avoid shocks and use individual packaging if you want to store them.

2. STONE COMPOSITION

The composition of stones is a fundamental criterion, especially for cleaning. Some stones are not compatible with water. Any contact with water would tarnish or damage the stone.

Furthermore, jewelry with silver settings will oxidize less quickly if you avoid putting them under water. The elastic threads of bracelets will also be more durable.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of stones that should definitely not be put under water:

Stone	Why avoid water at all costs
Malachite	Contains copper; the stone will tarnish on contact with water
Chrysocolla	Contains copper; the stone will tarnish on contact with water
Lapis lazuli	Porous stone containing sulfur. Contact with water will tarnish the stone.
Amazonite	Contains copper; the stone will tarnish if it comes into contact with water
Selenite	Can partially dissolve on contact with water
Azurite	Can crack or degrade if it comes into contact with water
Pyrite	Contains mainly iron. Will oxidize on contact with water (rust)
Hematite	Contains iron oxide. Will oxidize/tarnish on contact with water

 

Generally speaking, porous minerals and minerals containing copper or iron should not be put under water. It is better to clean them with a soft cloth. In lithotherapy, prefer fumigation with sage or palo santo to purify the stone.

As you have understood throughout this article, the hardness of a stone and its composition determine its maintenance.

Finally, even if it seems obvious, you should avoid putting your jewelry in regular contact with shower gel and other cosmetic products such as perfume. A spray of perfume that accidentally lands on a pendant or an earring… and the natural stone could discolor or tarnish…

On our online store, we give you all the advice you need to pamper your jewelry and stones. Each product description includes care instructions and warns you when the stone is fragile, brittle, or should not be brought into contact with water.