Cleaning and Caring for Adalusite Jewelry and Gemstones

Over the past decade or so many jewelry and gemstone collectors have fallen in love with the gemstone known as Andalusite but many of these fans are unsure on how to clean and care for their jewelry made with this semi-precious gemstone. Because this gem comes in on the hardness scale at 6 1/2 to 7 1/2, it does have a special handling for cleaning.

Just like any semi-precious gemstone you do need to handle your Andalusite jewelry with some care. Never submerge your jewelry in water or bathing, swimming, showering or washing your hands as water can damage the gemstone and possibly the setting too. Also put your Andalusite jewelry on after you have finished dressing and doing your hair so that the Andalusite does not come into contact with bath products, body products, perfume or hair products as chemicals will damage gemstones and the metal from which your gemstones have been set in.

Your Andalusite jewelry should be cleaned regularly with a mild solution of liquid dish soap (few drops) mixed with a 1/2 cup of tap water. Use a soft brush to scrub around the gemstones to loosen debris and dirt, rinse completely and then towel dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

You can also purchase professionally made gemstone and jewelry cleaner from your local department store or jeweler and follow the directions on the package for cleaning your pieces. If in doubt or if you don't want to put in the effort on cleaning them, take them to your nearest local professional jeweler and let them clean your pieces which only costs a few dollars, or is sometimes complimentary, depending on the jeweler.

What makes this stone special is that Andalusite is a strongly pleiochroic gemstone, meaning it displays different colors when viewed from different directions. This beautiful stone comes in pink, reds, golden, and browns and sometimes in the rarer colors of clear, yellow, green, white or purple.  It is truly a unique gem and it is so beautiful to wear. Enjoy it in your favorite jewelry settings for many years to come.

by Jasmine Yesak, Contributing Editor at ChasingTreasure.com, online retailer of quality jewelry boxes, jewelry organizers and watch boxes. Jasmine is a Jewelry Enthusiast and Organization Consultant, she writes about Jewelry Care and Jewelry Storage Tips.