How to clean your emerald jewelry.

In one of my previous blogs, Durability of Emeralds, I said that quality natural emeralds that are set properly are not all that fragile. Even so, one of the reasons that emeralds get the reputation of being fragile is how people are told never to clean their jewelry by ultrasonic cleaning or steam tools that are standard equipment in most jewelry stores. You may be led to believe that these methods of cleaning will change its appearance. In some cases it will.

Before many emeralds reach the retail market they are subjected to specific chemical treatments. These treatments are just like makeup. It is applied to hide blemishes, to enhance natural color, and to give a luster that does not appear naturally. Again like makeup, the treatment is not permanent and can be washed off or can wear off over time. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning do a really good job at washing off this treatment but do not harm the stones in any way. If a stone has been treated, its appearance will change and the change will not be for the better.

Not to keep you in any more suspense, you can never go wrong by cleaning your emerald jewelry with warm soapy water and a soft bristle brush like a child’s toothbrush. Make sure to rinse the piece in the same temperature water as you used to clean it so you don’t alter any of the inclusions in the stone. Dry the piece with a soft towel. This method of cleaning is the most gentle and the best way to clean a treated stone.

At Queen Emerald we always purchase our stones from the most trusted resources in the emerald market. I subject our stones to the harshest cleaning methods before I ever put them in the jewelry case or put them for sale on our website. Queen Emerald tries its best not to buy treated stones but even if one is bought by mistake (nobody is perfect), the cleaning I give it brings it back to its natural state.

If you did not purchase your emerald from Queen Emerald I will give you the same advice that everyone else will give you about how to clean your emerald. Do not use ultrasound or steam cleaning techniques, use soapy water.

At Queen Emerald every emerald is hand selected and is guaranteed not to change over time no matter what cleaning method you use. You can wear your emeralds daily, clean them often without worry, and enjoy them for a lifetime.