Do you treat your alexandrite ring like you should?
First of all you have to consider the type of metal your alexandrite ring is made of: silver, yellow gold, white gold or platinum. Depending on this, the alexandrite ring will be affected by different conditions and chemical factors. Special care is needed in each case.
Silver
Silver alexandrite rings can lose original luster, darken and get scratched over time. It is a soft metal and the change in color the oxidation process is natural (due to sulfides in the air).
Solutions:
-don’t wear the alexandrite rings when using products with abrasive chemicals: nail polish, detergent, hair spray, bleach. So, avoid getting the metal in contact with alcohol, acetone, chlorine, ammonia or turpentine.
-store the silver alexandrite ring in a container that is non-reactive, meaning the jewel does not come in contact with humidity, light or air
-avoid placing the jewelry in places where it can get scratched or rubbed against other jewels
-don’t place it on wood! The wood can damage the finish through its contained acids
-the cleaning process has to be gentle: use a soft cloth, a soft brush or a horse hair brush made specially for silver cleaning.
-use certain cleaning lotions for silver jewelry, but be careful because the alexandrite gemstone can be affected if the cleaning spray or paste has certain chemicals.
-dipping the alexandrite rings into cleaning solutions or using paste on the alexandrite can remove the natural luster of stones
-a soft bristle brush is ideal for the professional cleaning of alexandrite rings
-after cleaning procedures, wash off any trace or residue of the gem with clean water
-if the tarnishing process has been slowed down by a lacquer shield, then you shouldn’t use any products until the lacquer has completely worn off; otherwise, spotting might appear on the alexandrite ring
Gold and Platinum
These metals are of varying hardness between 2 and 4 (measurement based on the Mohs scale). Gems are measured in this scale also and, the diamond, which is the hardest, is rated a 10. So, one can now see that gold and platinum are soft metals. Just like in the case of silver alexandrite rings, platinum and gold ones are made with the help of alloys; the mix of precious metals, mostly with copper, has the desired hardness and strength. Being easy to scratch metals and getting deteriorated in alloys also, special care has to be given to gold and platinum alexandrite rings.
Solutions:
-alexandrite rings made from gold and platinum have to be stored separately to avoid scratching
-cloth wraps, soft pouches or even plastic bags that help protect the alexandrite ring are very useful.
-keep the gold alexandrite ring out of pools or hot tubs because the chlorine and bromine can damage it
-same cleaning rules (like in the case of the silver alexandrite ring) apply to these metals also
How do you protect the alexandrite stone in alexandrite rings?
The alexandrite is a very though stone. It is rated an 8.5 on the Mohs scale. Still a lot of care and protection is needed. The alexandrite ring mustn’t suffer hard blows because it can eventually be damaged. High temperature changes can also destroy it and certain chemicals contained in cosmetics or harsh solutions for cleaning can make it lose its color. The jeweler’s heat torch can damage its color when the gem is remounted into another alexandrite ring. This doesn’t mean that the gem shouldn’t be used to remake the alexandrite ring once it was destroyed. Nor does it mean that, once alexandrite rings brake, they shouldn’t be repaired. On the contrary, these things have to be done so that the beauty of the exquisite alexandrite can live on for more than a life a time. However, certain care has to be given to an alexandrite ring. It is a special jewel that has to be treated with more care than other pieces of jewelry.
The longevity of alexandrite rings doesn’t necessarily imply great investments. When learning to apply some basic rules, it is easy to see that the protection or maintenance of an alexandrite ring can cost almost nothing. If you consider that more information is needed for the special care of your alexandrite, Randy G. Lander can help you. She, just like many professionals in this field, holds the answers to your questions. It is just a matter of asking and researching. Learning basics just takes self discipline and a lot of love for jewelry.]]>
