QuestionHello. I am a very amature collector and Jewelry maker with precious and semi precious stones. I am just starting out, so if my question is silly, I apologize!
I recently bought a very pretty, well cut Rutilated quartz. The seller had the price sticker applied directly to one of the flat sides. I slowly tried to peel the sticker off to no avail. Is it safe to use rubbing alcohol to clean the sticky residue off?
Thanks!
AnswerDear Chantel,
Crystal gemstones such as rutilated quartz are perfectly fine to clean with alcohol. In fact, the stronger solvent acetone (often and ingredient in nail polish remover) is also safe. Generally, stones cut from crystals are safe with these solvents with a few exceptions. Exceptions indlude stones which may be internally flawed and with cracks extending to the surface, such as inexpensive emeralds. The stones are often soaked with oils to hide cracks and alcohol in a gentle wipe will be ok but a soak may remove the oil and then the cracks show and the stone looks worse afterwards. Solid cut stones like quartz gems(rutilated quartz, amethyst, citrine, smokey quartz) are ok for cleaning. The same goes blue topaz and colorless topaz. To see if a stone has crack which may be partially hidden by oil, take a small light an shine through the stone from the back.
A few gems may be dyes or plastic impregnated and some solvents may damage those. Examples are lapis lazuli which may be treated with blue dyes and turquoise which may be filled throughout with colored plastic. These are the lower priced versions of the gemstones and sellers of stones should be willing to tell you if the stones are treated or not. With lapis, wipe with alcohol and if any blue shows on the cloth, the stone is dyed. Alcohol will generally be safe on treated turquoise since the entire stone is impregnated with a plastic resin and that is resistant to alcohol but acetone may dissolve it! Touch a hot needle to a part of the back of the stone and if it looks like melting plastic at that tiny spot, then is plastic filled.
Opals are ok with alcohol, too. Wipe clean and dry. Dish detergent is a good general cleaner but will not take off sticky residue from price stickers.
Chantel, best wishes in your new hobby with gemstones. This is a fascinating and fun thing to do and many very beautiful gems are not terribly costly. I really like stones like rutilated quartz which is quartz with crystals of the mineral rutile formed inside the otherwise fairly clear quartz.
I hope this helps you. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
