Whether you’re the proud owner of a stunning emerald piece or pondering a potential purchase, cleaning and caring for emeralds—and knowing how to give these amazing gemstones the proper TLC—is crucial. After all, even the most resilient jewelry pieces need a little spa treatment now and then. Luckily, cleaning emeralds at home is fairly simple. However, unlike diamonds, emeralds have a delicate side; if you’re not careful, you can do more harm than good. So, let’s dive into the various methods for cleaning and caring for your emeralds!
How to clean emeralds step by step
Cleaning emerald jewelry can still be quick and painless despite requiring extra care. Follow the steps below to gather your supplies, clean your exquisite emerald, and learn about some important things to avoid that will help protect against damaging it during the cleaning process.
Step 1: Gather your emerald cleaning supplies
It’s time to assemble the troops! Having the right emerald cleaning supplies will make this process smooth and effective. The best and safest way to clean emeralds is to use warm, soapy water and gentle scrubbing. For this method, you’ll need a small dish or bowl, mild dish soap or baby shampoo, warm (not hot!) water, a soft, lint-free cloth, and a soft-bristled brush (optional).
Step 2: Cleaning method #1: Cleaning emeralds with soap and water
Combine soap and water
Add several drops of mild dish soap to a small dish or bowl filled about halfway with lukewarm water. Do not use hot water, as this can damage the emerald.
Soak your emerald jewelry
Place your emerald jewelry in the soapy solution for several minutes.
Give it a gentle scrub
Use your fingers or a gentle cloth to give the emerald jewelry a thorough rub-down, focusing on areas that may have accumulated more dirt or oils, such as the inside of a ring band or the clasp on an emerald pendant necklace. The soft-bristled brush may be used at this point to get into those hard-to-reach places.
Thoroughly rinse
Thoroughly rinse your emerald with lukewarm water (again, not hot, please!), removing any leftover soap residue.
Pat it dry
Using a gentle, lint-free cloth, thoroughly pat your emerald until dry. Lingering water can cause water spots or damage the setting.
Step 3: Cleaning method #2: Cleaning emeralds with a cloth
Sometimes, there just isn’t time to give your emerald a bath! Don’t worry; you can quickly and easily shine up your emerald jewelry with a clean, dust/lint-free cloth. By applying light pressure and rubbing in circular motions, you can buff out most dirt or grime built up over time. While this may not clean every crevice like a good soaking in Method #1 above, it can bring your beautiful emerald jewelry closer to its ideal appearance in a pinch. You can use this method as often as you’d like. However, you should consider completing a more thorough cleaning regularly, perhaps every few weeks or so.
Things to avoid when cleaning emeralds at home
First, a quick warning: The vast majority of emeralds are fracture-filled, meaning their natural cracks and inclusions have been filled by substances like oils, resins or glass. While this can make the gemstone appear clearer, it can also weaken the overall structure of the emerald. Therefore, experts recommend keeping your emeralds away from any ultrasonic or steam-producing cleaners. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause the oil or resin to seep out of fractures.
You should also avoid soaking and/or cleaning your emerald jewelry with acetone and alcohol, despite what you may have read online. While some sites may discuss using acetone in cleaning emeralds, this is a method primarily used by professionals. Because emerald "fillers" (used to fill emerald fractures to improve their appearance) are not permanent, they may need to be fixed or replaced over time. Acetone will strip the emerald of these fillers. Because using such chemicals in your everyday cleaning process is not recommended, consider using one of the gentle emerald jewelry cleaning methods above to keep those green goddesses shiny and protected from damage.
How to best care for emeralds
Properly storing your emeralds
Properly storing your jewelry, including your emeralds, is essential to keep it looking its best longer. Experts recommend storing your individual jewelry pieces (after a proper cleaning!) in separate containers or pouches to prevent them from bumping into each other. If possible, store your emeralds in a dark location to avoid unnecessary exposure to light as this can cause the stone to fade or lose its vibrant color over time.
Avoid the heat
Keep your emeralds away from heat during cleaning and storage—and always (even when not cleaning them). Even brief exposure can weaken or damage an emerald's oil or resin, resulting in a cloudy stone. Therefore, it’s important to keep your emeralds away from hot water (baths and showers, hot tubs and dishwater) and other sources of intense heat, such as tanning beds, hair dryers, space heaters or even direct sunlight.
Keeping your emeralds safe while traveling
Traveling with jewelry often presents opportunities for it to be exposed to harsh chemicals (think sunscreens, hand sanitizers, fragrances, chlorine and more!) and unwanted physical impact (hiking, sports, beach fun, etc.). If you want your emeralds to join you on your travels, consider keeping them in a locked safe or secure compartment while engaging in activities (like sunbathing, hiking, etc.) and only wearing them for emerald-safe activities (dinner, cocktails, etc.).
Traveling is also a hotbed for jewelry damage or loss: 50% of survey respondents have lost their engagement ring during work travel and 38% while vacationing, while 72% of engagement ring damage occurs while traveling. Remember, emeralds are tough (7.5-8 on the Mohs hardness scale), but not as durable as diamonds, rubies and sapphires, so exercise extra caution when frolicking around on your adventures.
Insure your emerald jewelry with Jewelers Mutual
You’re making a conscious effort to keep your jewelry beautiful and long-lasting by learning how to clean and care for your emerald jewelry. Now it’s time to make a conscious effort to protect these pieces from loss, damage and disappearance with a personal jewelry insurance policy from Jewelers Mutual. Individuals looking for jewelry insurance often think insuring their jewelry through a homeowners insurance policy is the best option. While home insurance companies may be experts at insuring homes, jewelry insurance companies are experts at insuring jewelry. Check your rate from Jewelers Mutual today by clicking the button below.