Care and CleaningYour Gold jewelry and gemstones are a gift of nature, which need special care. Once mined and worn, a gem needs to be taken care of, it can be exposed to conditions and chemicals that can damage it. The harder the gem, the less vulnerable it is to potential damage.

A diamond is the hardest gem known to man.  Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called the Mohs Scale.  This Scale was developed in the early 19th century. The scale is structured so that material rated at each higher number can scratch substances with lower numbers. 

This is how gems stones fall on the Mohs scale:

     10=Diamonds

     9=Rubies and Sapphires

     8= Emeralds and Topaz and Garnets

     7= Tourmalines and Quartz

Anything softer than a 7 can be scratched, including Opal, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Coral, Pearl. Gold, Silver, and Platinum are all only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4, which means that they require special care when wearing, storing, or cleaning.

Here are some Do's and Don'ts 

DON'T wear fine jewelry when doing housework or gardening.

DON'T heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can scratch that pearl necklace. Keep them separate and ideally wrapped in velvet, paper, or silk.

DO check for loose stones frequently by gently tapping the piece with your finger near your ear.

 DO get pearls restrung every two years or annually with frequent use. DO clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty. Do not use toothpaste as its abrasives can damage softer gems and metals.

All fine jewelry can be safely cleaned, by soaking for 10 minutes in warm soapy water. Use a non-detergent soap. Use a soft brush on harder gems to loosen any dirt around the prongs.