How to clean topaz jewelry at home and restore the shine to the stone?

Topaz in jewelry becomes dirty over time and needs to be cleaned. To effectively clean topaz yourself without causing harm to the product, you need to know and follow some rules.

General recommendations

Topaz is a gem that belongs to the hard minerals, second only to diamond and corundum in this indicator. However, it is susceptible to many chemicals and thermal effects. Blue-blue stones require special care and careful handling.

Products with well-fixed stones are cleaned by immersion in the solution. Topazes glued to the frame are coated with a detergent and then dirt is removed.
Cleaning of the entire decoration is carried out in a container of suitable size. To process topaz in earrings or rings, it is enough to use a glass. For large items, such as a necklace or bracelet, wider dishes are needed - the item should be placed freely to ensure even access to the surface of cleaning substances.
For mechanical cleaning, use an old toothbrush, which has lost its original hardness and cannot damage the surface.
To prepare the solution, use only filtered drinking or distilled water. Chlorine is one of topaz’s worst enemies, even when dissolved in water.
Do not use sharp metal objects or abrasives that could scratch the stone.Cotton swabs and soft napkins will do.

Most often, topaz in a ring needs cleaning due to constant contact with foreign substances.

Most of the dirt accumulates at the junction of the insert and frame - these places require more thorough treatment.

Methods for cleaning topaz

The method of cleaning jewelry at home must be selected taking into account not only the characteristics of the gem, but also the metal of the frame - usually gold or silver.

Gold with topaz

Method No. 1 – using soap solution and ammonia.

You need to prepare a mixture of 40-50 ml of liquid soap, 6-8 drops of ammonia and 100 ml of water.
Place gold earrings with topaz or other jewelry that needs to be cleaned into the solution.
Leave for 45-50 minutes.
Rinse with clean cold water, wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Method number 2 – use household dishwashing liquid.

Pour 50 ml of gel into 300 ml of warm water, beat with your hands until foam forms.
Soak the product in the solution for 25-30 minutes.
In case of heavy contamination, after a while, clean the stone with a toothbrush.
Rinse with clean water, wipe, polish the jewelry with a flannel cloth.

Method No. 3 – if the topaz in a gold ring or earrings is glued in and not mechanically fixed, it should be cleaned superficially without immersion in an aqueous solution.

Apply a drop of ammonia to each gem.
Leave for 15 minutes.
Remove dissolved dirt with a cotton swab.

You cannot boil gold jewelry with stones! This method is only permissible for products made of pure metal without gems.

Silver with topaz

Topaz in a silver frame cannot be cleaned with detergents - they contribute to the formation of plaque and cause dullness of the metal.

Method No. 1 – will help remove minor impurities and revive the shine of the gem.

You need to combine chalk crushed into powder and toothpaste (necessarily not whitening), wait until the chalk is completely dissolved.
Using the resulting mixture, use a toothbrush to clean the stone in silver.
Wash off excess with water.
Allow the product to dry and polish with flannel.

Method No. 2 – using wine vinegar (other types of vinegar essences cannot be used!).

Dissolve 5-8 drops of wine vinegar in 250 ml of warm water.
Leave the product in the solution for 30 minutes.
Wash and polish.

The above methods for cleaning jewelry at home are as effective as expensive commercial products, which are widely available in the form of pastes and solutions.

When purchasing a special product to clean the frame, make sure that it will not harm the gem insert. If necessary, consult a master jeweler.

How to restore the shine of topaz

Over time, a stone can lose its shine for a number of reasons. In some situations, these changes are irreversible, while others can be restored.

Originally bright, bright red and bright green stones are synthetic products that tend to become cloudy and dull over time. It is no longer possible to restore the original artificial beauty of such stones.
Natural specimens of blue shades fade under the influence of sunlight, which is also irreparable.
If there are initial signs of changes in the shades of blue-blue stones, it is possible to restore the original appearance using specialized methods using professional jewelry equipment.
Stones of pink, yellow, tea color can be restored to shine and brightness by repeated irradiation.

If topaz has become cloudy, then in some cases you can restore the lost radiance at home using improvised means.

Potatoes – for silver products with topaz. Several pre-peeled and cut potatoes need to be poured with boiling water. After 20 minutes, immerse the jewelry in the liquid for 1 hour. After time, rinse, dry, polish with a velvet cloth.
Onion. Squeeze the juice from one onion. Moisten a cotton swab with it and generously wipe the jewelry on all sides. Leave for 1.5-2 hours. Then rinse, dry, and shine with flannel.
Table salt and ammonia are a means to restore shine to gold jewelry with topaz. Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in 100 ml of water, add 10 ml of ammonia. Immerse the decoration in the solution for 5-6 minutes. Rinse, rub with flannel cloth or suede.

Wearing and care rules

Jewelry with topaz is jewelry for an evening out. Excess sunlight is harmful to the stone; moreover, under artificial lighting the gem looks much more impressive.

Blue topazes fade especially quickly under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Basic rules to significantly extend the life of jewelry with topaz:

avoid contact with cosmetics and detergents;
remove jewelry when doing housework and cooking;
do not wear when visiting the pool, sauna, swimming in fresh water bodies or the sea;
keep away from direct sunlight;
do not expose to sudden temperature changes - this causes microcracks to appear on the stone, which give it a cloudy appearance;
do not clean with chemicals, especially those containing chlorine, sulfur, iodine;
store in a separate box or tight bag that reliably protects the products from light and humidity;
All jewelry needs periodic (1-2 times a year) professional cleaning from a jeweler, which cannot be replaced by independent manipulation.

Topaz is characterized by sufficient wear resistance and durability, provided proper wear and care. By following simple recommendations, jewelry owners will be able to enjoy the amazing shine of the gem for a long time.