How to Care for Emerald Jewelry

The birthstone for May and the commemorative stone for 35th wedding anniversaries, the emerald has been the foremost green gemstone since the time of Cleopatra. This beryllium gemstone can be a breathtaking sight when first seen and, with proper care, can remain so. Here's how to take care of your emerald jewelry.

Instructions

Choosing Emerald Jewelry

1

Purchase jewelry where the emeralds are bezel-set. This protects the gemstone from accidental bumps and knocks.

2

Look for surrounding accent stones such as diamonds or white sapphires. Not only do they enhance the beauty of the emeralds, these harder stones also protect the emerald from side impacts.

3

Ask your jeweler if the emeralds have been "oiled." Most emeralds are immersed in a colorless oil or resin to minimize the appearance of "inclusions," internal fractures that, if struck, can lead to breaks in the gemstone. Some emeralds are treated with green-colored oils or epoxy-like resins, but these are not standard treatments.

Cleaning and Storing Emerald Jewelry

4

Pour warm water into a basin.

5

Test the water temperature by dipping your hand into it. If the water is too warm for your hand, it is too warm for the emerald.

6

Add mild dishwashing liquid to the water.

7

Place the emerald jewelry in the solution. Soak for no longer than 10 minutes.

8

Remove the jewelry from the cleaning solution and clean the stones with a soft cloth or toothbrush.

9

Rinse the jewelry with warm water and pat it dry.

10

Store your emerald jewelry separate from other gemstones because harder stones will scratch softer ones. Diamonds, corundum (rubies and sapphires), topaz and alexandrite are harder than emeralds, while garnets are softer. Aquamarines and emeralds, both beryl gemstones, are of equal hardness and will scratch each other.