How to Clean an Aquamarine Ring

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 24, 2022

Aquamarine is a blue green stone that is the birthstone for the month of March. It is a hardy stone. Because of its light color, the stone can get dirty or cloudy when you wear the ring. Cleaning your aquamarine often can keep it beautiful and shining. To clean your aquamarine ring, wash it with warm soapy water and avoid doing anything that will damage the stone.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning the Ring with Soap and Water

1
Fill a bowl with water. The safest way to clean an aquamarine ring set in gold or any non-silver metal is to use soap and warm water. Take a small bowl and fill it with warm water. Add a drop of dish soap.^{[1]
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Gemological Institute of America
Nonprofit institute responsible for gemological research and education and setting gemstone buying and selling standards
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2
Soak the ring. Place the ring in the warm soapy water. Leave it soaking for around five minutes. If it is really dirty or dingy, leave it soaking for longer.^{[2]
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3
Scrub the gem carefully with a soft toothbrush. Remove the ring from the water. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles to clean the band and the stone. Gently move the bristles across the surfaces.^{[3]
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- Be careful around the prongs that hold the stone. The prongs are usually vulnerable and can bend or break if they are damaged.
- Do not use a toothbrush on the band if the setting is silver.
- If your setting is made of yellow gold, white gold, stainless steel, platinum, or other metals, you can use the soft toothbrush to gently clean the band.
4
Rinse the ring. After scrubbing, rinse the ring with warm water. Make sure to remove all the soap. Either let it air dry or gently dry it with a towel.^{[4]
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- Make sure to dry the ring completely if the band is made of silver.
5
Polish with a soft jeweler’s cloth if the band is made of silver. If your aquamarine stone has a silver setting, you can’t clean the band with the toothbrush at the same time as the stone. Instead, use a soft cloth. You can soak it in water and clean the aquamarine with a toothbrush, but must clean the band a different way. After drying the ring completely, take a soft jeweler’s cloth and buff the stone and the band.^{[5]
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- If your band is silver, you can skip the soaking step and just use the soft cloth to clean both the stone and band unless the stone is extremely dirty.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Protecting Your Ring

1
Refrain from using harsh chemicals. Though aquamarine is a hard stone, it may be damaged by chemicals. Don’t use alcohol or ammonia to clean aquamarine. Though it might work on some of your other rings, those chemicals can damage the stone.^{[6]
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2
Avoid placing aquamarine under heat. Unlike some gemstones, you should never place aquamarine rings into the microwave or in boiling water to clean. This can damage the stone. You should also never put them in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner.^{[7]
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3
Wrap your ring in a soft cloth when storing. Aquamarine stones can get scratched and may fade in the sun. To protect your aquamarine ring from dirt or damage, wrap the ring in a soft cloth. You may also want to place it in a small box or bag for safe keeping.^{[8]
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