Cleaning & Care

Gemstone treatments that QVC does not knowingly accept.

QVC makes every effort to ensure that all items we sell meet our strict quality standards. The chart below represents those gemstone treatments that QVC does not knowingly accept. To quickly find information on a specific gemstone, click the appropriate link below. Your page will "jump" to the top of that section. A-B C-E G-J L-O P-R S T-Z

Return to the chart of gemstone treatments that QVC knowingly accepts.

Gemstone Enhancement method Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Diffusion using chemicals Purpose Frequency used Stability Special care

Agate (also see onyx)

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Alexandrite

To improve appearance & clarity.

Unknown

Unknown

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Amazonite

To improve appearance.

Unknown

Unknown

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Amber - All Colors

To add color.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Amethyst

To improve appearance & clarity. To produce color and/or asterism. To improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with damp soft cloth only.

combined with heat. Dyed. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or

Ametrine

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Ammolite

To improve appearance & clarity.

Unknown

Unknown

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Andalusite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Apatite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Aquamarine

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with damp soft cloth only.

resins. Dyed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Dyed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Oiling with

Aventurine, Green

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Beryl

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with damp soft cloth only.

Calcite

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Carnelian

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Cat's-eye Quartz

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Chalcedony (often called agate or onyx)

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Chrome Diopside

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Chrysoberyl

To improve

Unknown

Poor to

Normal for all

colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Dyed. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Dyed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. QVC does not accept color or clarity treatments for natural diamonds with natural color. QVC does not accept clarity treatments for color-treated natural diamonds. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films.

appearance & clarity.

Fair

varieties listed.

Chrysoprase

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Citrine

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Coral

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Avoid chemicals, cosmetics & ultrasonic cleaners.

Coral, Sponge

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Avoid chemicals, cosmetics & ultrasonic cleaners.

Diamond, Natural Color white, champagne, yellow Diamond, Treated color yellow, green, blue, black, pink, green, and fancy hues

To improve color and clarity.

Occasionally

Fair to Very Good

Normal. Click here for cleaning and care instructions .

To improve clarity.

Unknown

Fair to Good

Normal. Click here for cleaning and care instructions.

Drusy Quartz

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Emerald

Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Dyed. Penetration of fissures with colored oil, wax or resin. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Diffusion using heat and chemicals. Dyed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil,

To improve appearance. To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Usually

Fair to Good

Avoid temperature changes, steaming, chemicals & ultrasonic cleaners.

Fluorite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Garnet

To improve appearance. To produce or improve a color.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Hematite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Howlite

To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster. To improve or produce color.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Jade, Jadeite

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp cloth only.

Jade, Nephrite

To add color, mask surface

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth

films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins.

defects, enhance luster.

only.

Jasper

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Jet

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Kyanite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Labradorite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Lapis Lazuli Denim Lapis

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Malachite

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Avoid chemicals & ultrasonic cleaners.

Moonstone - All Colors

To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster. To improve appearance & clarity.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Morganite (Pink Beryl)

Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Dyed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films.

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with damp soft cloth only.

Mother-of-pearl

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Mother-of-pearl Watch Dial

Coating with ink or foil.

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Obsidian

Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Impregnated with colorless oil, wax, and resins. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films.

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Onyx (see also agate)

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Opal

To improve appearance and clarity. To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Rarely

Fair to Good

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Pearl - Cultured Akoya, Cultured Freshwater

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Peridot

Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil.

To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To improve appearance & clarity.

Rarely

Good

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Prehnite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Quartz

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster. To improve appearance & clarity.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Quartz - Cat'seye, Tiger's-eye, Hawk's-eye, Drusy

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Quartzite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Rhodochrosite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Rhodolite Garnet

To improve appearance. To produce or improve a color.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Dyed. Intentional filling of surface cavities and fractures with a foreign material, including glass and easily visible under 10 X magnification. Oiling with colorless or colored oil, wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Dyed with colored oil. Irradiation. Intentional filling of surface cavities and fractures with a foreign material, including glass and easily visible under 10 X magnification. Oiling with colorless or colored oil, wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Dyed with colored oil. Irradiation. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster. To even out color. Wipe with a damp soft cloth only. Avoid chemicals & ultrasonic cleaners.

Rhodonite

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Ruby

To improve apparent clarity and appearance. To change color.

Common

Poor to Fair

Fracture fillings in ruby are fragil. Avoid repolishing or recutting. Avoid chemicals & ultrasonic cleaners.

Sapphire - All Colors

To improve apparent clarity and appearance. To change color.

Common

Poor to Fair

Fracture fillings in sapphire are fragil. Avoid repolishing or recutting. Avoid chemicals & ultrasonic cleaners.

Sard

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Shell - Abalone and Other

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, film or other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil. Impregnated with wax, natural resin, or manmade material. Oiling with colorless or colored oil, wax,

Sodalite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Spinel

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster. To improve appearance & clarity.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Sugilite

To add color, mask surface defects or enhance luster.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only

Sunstone

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster. To improve appearance & clarity.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Tanzanite (Zoisite)

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster. To improve appearance & clarity.

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Topaz - All Colors

To improve appearance & clarity. To

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

natural resin, or manmade material for all colors listed. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins for all colors listed. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colored oil, wax, natural resin, or manmade material for all colors listed. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins for all colors listed. Diffusion using chemicals combined with heat. Dyed.

improve appearance, durability or add weight.

Tiger's-eye Quartz, Brown, Red

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Tourmaline

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or add weight. To improve color.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

Turquoise

Impregnated with colorless oil or wax. Painted or lacquered with black lines. Dyed.

To enhance or create color. To simulate matrix.

Commonly

Poor to Fair

Avoid exposing turquoise jewelry to hot water & household chemicals. Very special care required. Wipe gently with soft damp cloth only.

Unakite

Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Coating with lacquer, ink, foil, films & other applied substances or baked films. Oiling with colorless or colored oil, wax, natural resin, or manmade material for all

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Varisite

To add color, mask surface defects, enhance luster.

Occasionally

Poor to Fair

Wipe with a damp soft cloth only.

Zircon - All colors

To improve appearance & clarity. To improve appearance, durability or

Unknown

Poor to Fair

Wipe with soft damp cloth only.

colors listed. Infilling with glass, plastic or resins for all colors listed.

add weight.