This article was co-authored by Kennon Young. Kennon Young is a Master Gemologist Appraiser and the Owner of Vermont Gemological Laboratory in Burlington, Vermont. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Kennon and his team specialize in handmade engagement rings, wedding bands, and custom jewelry. He attended the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, the Gemological Institute of America, and the Rhode Island School of Design Extension. He is a Jewelers of America (JA) Certified Bench Jeweler Technician and received the highest credential in the jewelry appraisal industry, the ASA Master Gemologist Appraiser, in 2016.
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Sapphire is a precious and valuable gemstone that gets its deep-blue glow from its mineral base, Corundum. It's a relatively hard and durable gem, which makes it an optimal choice for everyday jewelry. Sapphires generally require little-to-no maintenance and can be cleaned easily at home.
Steps
Cleaning a Sapphire Routinely
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1Use a soft, dry jewelry cleaning cloth to polish sapphire. Giving the gemstones an initial polish before using soap and water will remove some of the less stubborn smudges and tarnishes, making the entire cleaning process more effective and efficient.[1]
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2Fill a small bowl with warm water and dish detergent. You'll want to make sure that the water temperature ranges from warm to hot and that there is enough water in the bowl so that the sapphires can be completely submerged. Keep in mind that most types of dish soups or cleaning detergents will suffice. However, make sure the soap you're using possesses a degreasing agent.[2]Advertisement
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3Place the sapphire in the warm, soapy water and let soak for a few seconds. This initial soak will help remove and/or loosen some of the remaining residue on the gemstone. This will also significantly reduce the risk of scratching the sapphire during the scrubbing process.
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4Scrub the rock gently with a damp cloth. After the sapphire has soaked, gently scrub it with a cloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the more resilient smudges and dirt. Most residue should come off relatively easy after the initial soak. You'll want to soak sapphires with more persistent residue or smudges for a longer period of time.[3]
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5Rinse the stone and dry it with a soft cloth. After you've removed the sapphire from the bowl, run it under hot water to wash away any of the dirt or excess soap that may have left. Dry the sapphire completely with a dry jewelry or polishing cloth to prevent water stains, which are more prevalent when cleaning with hard water.[4]
Cleaning More Stubborn Sapphire
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1Soak the sapphires in a bowl of hot water. Combine hot - not warm - water and soap in a small bowl and place sapphires in the bowl to soak anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Soaking the gemstones will help loosen the more persistent dirt or smudges that have built up.[5]
- The main difference in the two cleaning styles is the amount of time you let the sapphire soak. The dirtier the sapphire, the longer you'll want to let it soak, which is ultimately aimed at reducing the amount of scrubbing you'll have to do.
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2Gently scrub the sapphire to remove remaining smudges and residue. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, make-up brush or jewelry rag to scrub the sapphire. Rinse the sapphire under warm tap water to clear away dirt and then gently scrub away any remaining residue.
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3Make sure sapphire is dried thoroughly before storage. Use a dry jewelry cloth to thoroughly dry the sapphire before storing as to eliminate the possibility of leaving water marks. Store sapphires in a dry place to ensure cleanliness is retained.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can you tell if a sapphire is real?
Kennon YoungKennon Young is a Master Gemologist Appraiser and the Owner of Vermont Gemological Laboratory in Burlington, Vermont. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Kennon and his team specialize in handmade engagement rings, wedding bands, and custom jewelry. He attended the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, the Gemological Institute of America, and the Rhode Island School of Design Extension. He is a Jewelers of America (JA) Certified Bench Jeweler Technician and received the highest credential in the jewelry appraisal industry, the ASA Master Gemologist Appraiser, in 2016.
Master Gemologist AppraiserYou can't. At least not without some kind of professional equipment. Only a professional gemologist will be able to determine if a sapphire is real or not, but this isn't the kind of thing you can do on your own.
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Warnings
- Don't expose sapphires to prolonged heat or strong light. This can discolor them.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- These steps should only be taken with sapphires set in platinum or gold. Silver tends to be more sensitive to detergents and will tarnish if left to soak in soapy water. Instead, use a professional jewelry polishing cloth, which can be bought, at any jewelry store, or online, to thoroughly rub down your piece of jewelry.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Avoid using any cleaner that has moisturizers, abrasives or anti-static agents as they will leave residue and potential scratch the Sapphire.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Soft cloth
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Gentle detergent
- Bowl
- Warm water
References
About This Article
To clean sapphires, start by using a soft, dry jewelry cleaning cloth to polish your gemstone. Next, fill a small bowl with warm water and dish detergent, submerge your sapphire in the solution, and let it soak for a few seconds. Then, scrub the rock gently with a damp cloth or toothbrush, rinse the stone with hot water, and dry it with a soft cloth. For more stubborn dirt, allow the gemstone to soak for 10-20 minutes instead of a few seconds. To learn how to properly dry a sapphire before putting it in storage, keep reading!
