JEWELRY GEMSTONE CARE, CLEANING AND STONE TREATMENT

Part of owning a precious stone is maintaining its beauty through care and cleaning. At TurquoiseJewelry, we have created a guide to help manage and maintain the quality of your jewelry. Use our guide to identify the best way to care for your jewelry.

 

Gemstone

Enhancement Method

Purpose

Frequency Used

Special Care

A

Agate

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

      

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab Created

 

 

Heated

To enhance color and durability

Usually

Amazonite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Amber

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Heated

To enhance the stones appearance, add "sun spangles: and deepen color

Commonly

Heated with oils and pressure

To enhance color or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color or alter color

Commonly

Amethyst

 

None

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

   

Heated

To lighten and/or remove color

Commonly

Lab Created

 

 

Irradiated

 

 Commonly

Aquamarine

 

None

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

   

Heated

To enhance color or alter color

Often

Lab Created

 

 

Luster enhanced

To enhance the stones appearance and clarity

 Often

Amazonite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Aventurine

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Azurite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

B

Bloodstone

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

C

Carnelian

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Lab created

 

 

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Charoite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Chrysoprase

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Chrysocolla

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Citrine

(All colors)

 

None

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

   

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To improve overall appearance

 

Coral

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

      

Bleached

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Impregnated with colorless wax

To improve quality of coral for shaping and polishing

 

Impregnated with plastic

To improve quality of coral for shaping and polishing

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To improve overall appearance

 

Cubic Zirconia

(All colors)

None

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

D

Dalmatine

 

None

 

 

 

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Diamond - (Natural color)

SilverTribe.com does not knowingly accept treatments of any kind for natural color diamonds.

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

Diamond - (Most colors)

Irradiation, Heat and High Temperature High Pressure. These are the only color treatments that QVC knowingly accepts.

To create color

 Always

 Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

Diamond - (Black)

Heated

To enhance or alter color

 Always

 Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

Dolomite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To create color

Occasionally

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

Dyed and impregnated with resin

Commonly

E

Emerald

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

  

Lab created

 

 

Oiling

To improve clarity and appearance

Usually

F

Fluorite

 

None

 

 

 

  

Heated

To enhance the stones appearance

 

Irradiated

To enhance the stones appearance

 

G

Garnet

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid sudden temperature changes.

 

Lab created

 

 

Gaspeite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Goldstone

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Howlite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Occasionally

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Jade

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Bleached with acid, dyed and impregnated with resin/polymer

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Impregnated with colorless wax

To enhance the stones appearance

Commonly

Dyed and impregnated

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

Commonly

Jasper

(All varieties)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Jet

None

To enhance or alter color

 Always

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

Labradorite

 

None

 

 

 

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lapis Lazuli

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Dyed

To provide color or uniformity of color or color durability

Commonly

Impregnated with colorless resin

To provide color or uniformity of color or color durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

 

 

Denim Lapis

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Dyed

To provide color or uniformity of color or color durability

Commonly

Impregnated

To provide durability

Occasionally

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Larimar

(All varieties)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Magnesite

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Dyed

To provide color or uniformity of color or color durability

 

Impregnated

To provide color or uniformity of color or color durability

 

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated

To increase durability & improve appearance

 

Malachite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Moonstone

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Mother-of Pearl

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

  

Lab created

 

 

Dyed

To stabilize color

Usually

Mother-of-Pearl Watch Dial

(An assembled product)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

   

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Coated with colored polymer

To improve durability

Commonly

Obsidian

(All varieties)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Onyx

(All colors)

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

 Usually

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

 

Lab created

 

 

Opal

(Black, White, Red, Pink, Blue, Purple, Fire)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

   

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Impregnated with colorless plastic

 To enhance the stones appearance

 Occasionally

Lab created

 

 

Oyster Shell

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

       

Bleached

To improve color and uniformity

Usually

Dyed

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Irradiated

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Chemical treatment

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Polished

To improve surface appearance

 

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance appearance

Sometimes

Pearl

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

       

Bleached

To improve color and uniformity

Usually

Dyed

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Irradiated

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Chemical treatment

To add or improve color

Sometimes

Polished

To improve surface appearance

 

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance appearance

Sometimes

Peridot

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Pieterstie

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Quartz

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

       

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Irradiated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Coated - Often called Diffusion Treated

To enhance or alter color

Often

Heated and quenched

To introduce crackled structure

 Always

Dyed

To add or improve color

Often

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

 

Quartzite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Dyed and impregnated

To improve color and appearance

Often

Impregnated with colorless plastic

To increase durability and improve appearance

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

Often

Rhodochrosite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Rhodonite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster Enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Rock

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

      

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Impregnated

To increase durability and improve appearance

 Commonly

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

 Often

Ruby

 

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

    

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Filling of surface cavities and fractures as a by-product of heating and visible under 10 X magnification.

No visible effect

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Latice Diffusion - See Red Sapphire

To enhance or alter color

Occasionally

Ryolite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Sapphire

(All colors)

 

None

 

 

Normal care, some stones may fade in color due to direct and extended exposure to sunlight.

    

Heated

To produce or alter color

Usually

Filling of surface cavities and fractures as a by-product of heating and visible under 10 X magnification.

No visible effect

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Lattice Diffusion

To enhance or alter color

Occasionally

Seraphinite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Serpentine

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Shell

(Abalone - Spiny Oyster)

None

 

 

Avoid sudden temperature changes, chemicals and ultrasonic cleaners.

   

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed

To create color

Commonly

Sodalite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Sugalite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

      

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Coated, Often referred to a Diffusion Treated

To enhance or alter color

 Commonly

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Often

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

 Commonly

Tiger's-Eye

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

      

Bleached

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Usually

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance the stones appearance

 

Tourmaline

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Heated

To enhance or alter color

 

Irradiated

To enhance or alter color

 

Oiling

To improve apparent clarity

 

Lab created

 

 

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

 

Turquoise

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Lab created

 The composite material is a manufactured product that consists mostly of turquoise and resin. Artificial veining.

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Unakite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Varasite / Variscite

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

     

Impregnated with colorless resin or plastic

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Luster enhancement

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Dyed

To enhance or alter color

Commonly

Lab created

 

 

Dyed and impregnated with resin

To enhance color and durability

Commonly

Zircon

(All colors)

None

 

 

Best to avoid temperature swings, heat, chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonic cleaners.

 

 

Lab created

 

 

Heated

To enhance or alter color

Commonly