GemstoneEnhancementChart

Jewelry
Gemstone Care Chart We love gems—and we want to make sure
all of our stones look their very best.
We use top industry practices to bring out
their truest colors, improve durability
and give each stone a gorgeous shine.
Shop gemstones Gemstone guide
Abalone Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Agate Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment Sometimes heat-treated and/or dyed to enhance bands in layers
Care Instructions Normal care
Alexandrite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Almandite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Amazonite Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color; sometimes stabilized with a colorless wax, oil, plastic or hardening agent to enhance appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Amber Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes heat-treated, dyed or surface-treated to deepen color; sometimes pressed/compressed with extreme pressure and heat to fuse together small pieces of natural amber
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Amethyst Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment Occasionally heat-treated and/or irradiation to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Ametrine Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Ammolite (Ammonite Shell) Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes stabilized to increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, ultrasonic cleaning
Andalusite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Apatite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Aquamarine Gemstone (see Beryl)
Treatment Occasionally heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Aventurine Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Azurite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally filled with epoxy or resin to create smoother surface
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Azurmalachite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally filled with epoxy or resin to create smoother surface
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Beryl Gemstone (also listed by type)
Treatment Occasionally dyed, heat treated, irradiated to improve color; usually oil-, wax- and/or resin-filled increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Bloodstone Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Blue Topaz Gemstone
Treatment Usually irradiated and heat-treated to produce blue color
Care Instructions Avoid steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Calcite Gemstone
Treatment Dyed to enhance color; stabilized with colorless plastic to increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Canary Aqua™ Gemstone
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid excessive heat
Carnelian Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment Sometimes dyed and/or heat-treated to improve color
Care Instructions Avoid excessive heat
Cat's Eye effect
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Chalcedony Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment Usually dyed and/or heat-treated to produce different colors
Care Instructions Normal care
Chrome Diopside Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Chrysoprase Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Chrysocolla Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Citrine Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Coral Gemstone
Treatment Usually dyed or bleached to enhance color; sometimes stabilized with colorless plastic increase durability and to improve appearance; sometimes stabilized and compressed under extreme pressure and heat to bind together small pieces of natural material into a larger whole
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Corundum Gemstone (also listed by type)
Treatment Usually heat-treated, diffusion-treated or irradiated to enhance color; occasionally dyed, oiled, glass-filled to enhance clarity
Care Instructions Normal care
Demantoid Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Diamond Gemsotne - Mined - Clear
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Diamond Gemsotne - Mined - Colored
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Diamond Gemsotne - Laboratory Grown - Clear
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Diamond Gemsotne - Laboratory Grown - Colored
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Drusy Quartz Gemstone
Treatment Coated and/or dyed to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, re-polishing, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Emerald Gemstone (see Beryl)
Treatment Usually oiled to improve color; usually oil-, wax and/or resin-filled to increase durability and/or to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Fluorite Gemstone
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Garnet Gemstone (also listed by type)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Gaspeite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally stabilized with plastic/resin increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Normal care
Goshenite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Grossularite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Heliodor Gemstone
Treatment Irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Hematite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Hessonite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Hiddenite Gemstone (see Spodumene)
Treatment Irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid extreme heat and light exposure
Howlite Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes dyed to enhance color and to simulate turquoise and other stones
Care Instructions Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning
Indicolite Gemstone (see Tourmaline)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Indicolite Gemstone (Tourmaline)
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to improve color; usually oil-, wax and/or resin-filled increase durability and/or to improve appearance
Care Instructions Normal care
Iolite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Ivory and Bone Gemstones
Treatment Usually bleached or dyed to enhance color; sometimes stabilized increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals and ultrasonic cleaning
Jade Gemstone
Treatment Usually dyed and/or heat-treated to enhance color; occasionally wax-coated to enhance appearance
Care Instructions Normal care
Jasper Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment Occasionally dyed to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Jet Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning
Kornerupine Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid rough handling, sudden temperature changes, stream, ultrasonic cleaning
Kunzite Gemstone (see Spodumene)
Treatment Usually irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid exposure to excessive light, rough handling, sudden temperature changes
Kyanite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid rough handling, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Labradorite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid rough handling, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Lapis Lazuli Gemstone
Treatment Usually dyed and wax-coated to enhance color and shine
Care Instructions Avoid chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Lepidolite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Malachite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally infused with wax or epoxy to enhance durability and appearance, and to create smooth surface
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Mammoth Gemstone (see Ivory)
Treatment Usually bleached, dyed and/or stabilized to improve color or increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, ultrasonic cleaning
Marcasite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Mariposite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Moldavite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Moonstone Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Morganite Gemstone (see Beryl)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Mother-of-Pearl Gemstone
Treatment Usually bleached, dyed, irradiated and/or coated to produce colors
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Muscovite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Mystic Topaz® Gemstone
Treatment Surface-enhanced with a coating to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid abrasive and harsh chemicals, do not re-cut stones
Obsidian Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Onyx Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment Usually dyed to enhance color
Care Instructions Normal care
Opal Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes infused with wax, oil or plastic to enhance appearance and durability
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Pearl Gemstone
Treatment Usually bleached, dyed, irradiated and/or coated to enhance appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals -- including hairsprays and cosmetics -- steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Peridot Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes infused with oil, wax , resins and/or colorless hardened substance to enhance appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Petalite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid rough handling, ultrasonic cleaning
Petrified Wood Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Pietersite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Prasiolite Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Prehnite Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally stabilized increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Pyrope Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Quartz Gemstone (also listed by type)
Treatment Usually dyed, heat-treated and/or irradiation to produce different colors, sometimes surface-enhanced with a coating to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid abrasives, harsh chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning; surface enhanced-stones should not be re-cut
Quartzite Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes stabilized with colorless resin increase durability and to improve appearance
Care Instructions Normal care
Rainbow Calsilica Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes stabilized and compressed with a binding agent under extreme pressure and heat to bind together small pieces of natural material into a larger whole
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Rhodochrosite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid excessive heat, household chemicals, rough handling
Rhodolite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Rhodonite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Rock Crystal Gemstone (Quartz )
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Rosenite™ Gemstone (Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Rubellite Gemstone (see Tourmaline)
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Ruby Gemstone
Treatment Usually heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color; occasionally glass-filled to enhance clarity
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household cleaning solutions, ultrasonic cleaning, repairs; they can cause damage, as this treatment is not considered permanent or stable
Rutilated Quartz Gemstone
Treatment None; needle-like rutiles are natural characteristics
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Sardonyx Gemstone (see Chalcedony)
Treatment Usually dyed to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Sapphire Gemstone
Treatment Usually heat-treated, diffusion-treated and/or irradiated to enhance color; occasionally dyed, oiled, glass-filled to enhance clarity
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household cleaning solutions, ultrasonic cleaning and repairs; they can cause damage, as this treatment is not considered permanent or stable
Sard Gemstone
Treatment Sometimes dyed and/or heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid excessive heat and light
Scapolite Gemstone
Treatment Usually irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid exposure to excessive light, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Serpentine Gemstone
Treatment Usually dyed or waxed to enhance appearance or to alter color
Care Instructions Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning
Shell Gemstone
Treatment Usually dyed to produce colors
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Smoky Quartz Gemstone
Treatment Occasionally heat-treated or irradiated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid heat, household chemicals, sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Sodalite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Spessartite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Sphene Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, rough handling, sudden temperature changes
Spinel Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Spodumene Gemstone
Treatment
Care Instructions
Sugilite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid steam and ultrasonic cleaning
Sunstone Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Tanzanite Gemstone (see Zoisite)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Tiger Iron Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Tiger's Eye Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment Usually heat-treated, dyed or bleached to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid harsh chemicals, sudden temperatures changes
Topaz Gemstone (colors other than blue)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to produce different colors; sometimes surface-enhanced with a coating to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid abrasives, harsh chemicals, sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning; surface-enhanced stones should not be re-cut
Tourmaline Gemstone
Treatment Green and blue tourmaline are usually heat-treated to enhance color; yellow and red tourmaline are usually irradiated to improve color
Care Instructions Avoid steam, sudden temperature changes, ultrasonic cleaning
Tourmalinated Quartz Gemstone (see Quartz)
Treatment None; needle-like quartz rutiles are natural characteristics
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Tsvorite Gemstone (see Garnet)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes
Turquoise Gemstone
Treatment Usually stabilized with plastic to enhance durability and color; sometimes stabilized and compressed with a binding agent under extreme pressure and heat to bind together small pieces of natural material into a larger whole
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning; excessive perspiration and cosmetics may alter color
Unakite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Variscite Gemstone
Treatment None
Care Instructions Avoid household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Verdelite Gemstone (see Tourmaline)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
White Aqua™ Gemstone (see Beryl)
Treatment None
Care Instructions Normal care
Yellow Beryl Gemstone (Heliodor)
Treatment Usually heat-treated to enhance color
Care Instructions Avoid sudden temperature changes, steam, ultrasonic cleaning
Zircon Gemstone
Treatment Usually heat-treated to create blue color
Care Instructions Avoid abrasives, exposure to excessive light, rough handling