A care guide for every stone

A topaz and a moonstone need different care. Here's the one table we wish every jewellery box came with.

Every stone has a temperament. Some shrug off almost anything; others are softer, or split along a hidden grain called cleavage. Knowing which is which is the whole secret.

The dust rule

Hardness is measured on the Mohs scale from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond). Here's the detail most people never hear: ordinary household dust contains tiny grains of quartz, which is a 7. Any stone softer than 7 can be slowly scratched just by being wiped while dusty, which is why you should rinse before you rub, and store soft stones separately.

Hardness isn't toughness

Topaz is an 8, harder than quartz, yet it has "perfect cleavage": a sharp knock in the wrong direction can split it cleanly. So a hard stone can still be fragile. Treat every large drop kindly, and never let earrings fall onto tiles.

Stone	Hardness (Mohs)	Watch out for	Light
Topaz (incl. blue topaz)	8	Perfect cleavage: a sharp knock can split it. Avoid sudden temperature changes.	Blue is stable; some brownish topaz can fade in long sun.
Amethyst	7	Colour can fade with long exposure to strong sunlight or heat.	Store away from windows.
Citrine	7	Colour can shift with high heat; avoid sudden temperature changes.	Keep out of prolonged sun.
Peridot	6.5–7	Sensitive to acids and heat. Never use silver dip or polish on it.	Stable in light.
Garnet	6.5–7.5	Generally stable; can chip if knocked against hard surfaces.	Stable in light.
Moonstone	6–6.5	Soft, with cleavage: it can scratch from everyday dust and crack if knocked.	Stable in light.
Iolite	7–7.5	Has cleavage; avoid knocks and pressure.	Stable in light.
Rose / clear / green quartz	7	Rose quartz can pale in strong light over time.	Store in the dark.

The rule that works for all of them

Warm (not hot) water, a drop of mild soap, a soft brush, and a thorough dry. No ultrasonic, no steam, no dips. It's the one method that's safe for every stone we set.

Not sure which stones are in your piece? They're listed on its page, or ask us.