Which Stones Can Get Wet? A Water-Safe Guide for Gemstone Jewelry
Hard, dense stones can get wet. Quartz, amethyst, agate, jasper, onyx, tiger's eye, jade, garnet and obsidian take a rinse, a hand wash or mild soapy water without harm, which is why quartz beads suit everyday bracelets. Soft, porous, water-soluble or chemically reactive stones should stay dry: selenite and angelite dissolve or change, copper minerals such as malachite and turquoise stain and dull, opal, pearls and wood take up water, heat and chemicals cloud amber, and dyed stones can bleed. Even with water-safe stones the cord is often the weak point, so take beaded bracelets off to swim or shower. The chart below covers the stones we carry.
Why Some Stones Should Stay Dry
Soft stones scratch when scrubbed (see the Mohs hardness scale), but softness alone is not what makes water a problem. Water damages stones in a handful of ways, and the chart names the reason for each:
- Soluble: the stone slowly dissolves or turns into another mineral.
- Porous: water carries soap, oils and dirt into the stone, where they stain or dull it.
- Reactive: iron and copper minerals tarnish, rust or etch, especially with acids, sweat or chlorine.
- Layered: micas are soft and flake along their sheets when scrubbed.
- Organic: pearl, shell, coral, amber, wood and seeds swell, crack or lose luster.
- Hydrophane: some opal soaks up water like a sponge and looks different until it dries.
- Dyed: added color can bleed onto skin, cord and neighboring beads.
Water-Safe Gemstone Chart
A quick rinse means a few seconds under the tap or a gentle wash in mild soapy water, dried straight away. Brief only means a damp cloth or a splash, wiped dry at once. Soaking means minutes or longer, including swimming and bathing.
| Stone | Mohs hardness | Quick rinse | Soaking | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz: amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, clear quartz | 7 | Yes | Yes | Dense and non-porous |
| Agate, carnelian, onyx, chalcedony | 6.5 to 7 | Yes | Yes | Dense quartz |
| Jasper | 6.5 to 7 | Yes | Yes | Dense quartz with mineral impurities |
| Tiger's eye | 6.5 to 7 | Yes | Yes | Quartz; unaffected by water |
| Jade (nephrite and jadeite) | 6 to 7 | Yes | Yes | Dense and very tough; for dyed jade, see dyed stones |
| Garnet | 6.5 to 7.5 | Yes | Yes | Non-porous |
| Tourmaline | 7 to 7.5 | Yes | Yes | Non-porous; avoid hot water and sudden temperature changes |
| Obsidian | 5 to 5.5 | Yes | Yes | Volcanic glass, unaffected by water |
| Lava | About 5 to 6 | Yes | Yes | Water does no harm, but the pores hold water and oils; dry it well |
| Kyanite | 4.5 to 7 | Yes | No | Chemically stable, but it cleaves easily; avoid knocks and long soaks |
| Labradorite, moonstone, amazonite | 6 to 6.5 | Yes | No | Feldspars with cleavage cracks that draw in water and soap; wash quickly |
| Fluorite | 4 | Yes | No | Soft with perfect cleavage; hot water or a sudden temperature change can crack it |
| Hematite | 5.5 to 6.5 | Yes | No | Plain hematite is unaffected; electroplated silver and gold colors wear faster with water, sweat and chlorine |
| Turquoise | 5 to 6 | Brief only | No | Porous; cosmetics, skin oils and sweat discolor it |
| Lapis lazuli | 5 to 5.5 | Brief only | No | Slightly porous rock with calcite and pyrite; the pyrite flecks tarnish, and dyed lapis can bleed |
| Larimar | 4.5 to 5 | Brief only | No | Soft; heat and long sun exposure can fade the blue |
| Pyrite and stones with pyrite flecks | 6 to 6.5 | Brief only | No | Iron sulfide; moisture tarnishes it and can eventually rust and stain |
| Calcite | 3 | Brief only | No | Soft carbonate with perfect cleavage, etched by acids such as vinegar and lemon juice |
| Rhodochrosite | 3.5 to 4 | Brief only | No | Soft carbonate with perfect cleavage, etched by acids |
| Malachite and azurite | 3.5 to 4 | Brief only | No | Copper carbonates; acids, sweat and cleaners dull and etch them |
| Chrysocolla | 2 to 4 | Brief only | No | Soft, porous copper silicate; water and soap dull the surface |
| Lepidolite and mica | 2 to 3 | Brief only | No | Soft, flaky micas; scrubbing lifts flakes along the layers |
| Opal: pink, yellow, boulder and dendritic | 5.5 to 6.5 | Brief only | No | Holds water in its structure; some is porous; avoid heat |
| Ethiopian opal | 5.5 to 6 | No | No | Hydrophane: soaks up water, turning clear and losing its color play until dry, and can take in oils and lotion |
| Pearls | 2.5 to 4.5 | Brief only | No | Organic nacre, dulled by chlorine, acids and soap; silk stringing weakens when wet |
| Mother of pearl and shell | 3 to 4 | Brief only | No | Calcium carbonate, etched by acids; dyed shell can lose color |
| Coral | 3 to 4 | Brief only | No | Porous calcium carbonate, and sponge coral is often dyed. Fossil coral that has turned to agate washes like agate |
| Amber | 2 to 2.5 | Brief only | No | Fossil resin; hot water, alcohol and perfume cloud it |
| Wood and seed beads | Soft | No | No | Absorb water, swell and crack as they dry; finishes and dyes can lift |
| Selenite and satin spar | 2 | No | No | Gypsum, which dissolves slowly; water pits and dulls the surface |
| Angelite | 3 to 3.5 | No | No | Anhydrite, which takes up water and slowly turns to gypsum |
| Dyed stones, such as dyed howlite and dyed jade | Varies | Brief only | No | Dye can bleed with water, soap and sweat, tinting skin, cord and pale beads |
Stones to Keep Dry
Selenite, Satin Spar and Angelite
Selenite and satin spar are both gypsum, a mineral that dissolves in water at roughly 2 grams per liter. A splash will not make a bead disappear, but repeated hand washing, sweat and steam etch the surface dull and chalky. Angelite is anhydrite, gypsum without its water, and moisture slowly converts it into softer gypsum. Take all 3 off before washing your hands. Our post on selenite vs satin spar explains how to tell the 2 apart.
Copper Minerals and Turquoise
Malachite, azurite and chrysocolla are soft copper minerals that react with acids, so sweat, citrus, vinegar and many cleaners dull and etch them. Turquoise, a copper phosphate, is porous, so cosmetics, skin oils and lotion soak in and can discolor it; stabilized turquoise holds up better but still should not soak.
Opal
Most opal holds water within its structure, which is why heat and sudden temperature changes can craze it. Much Ethiopian opal is hydrophane, a porous opal that absorbs water, turning clear and losing its play of color until it dries, and water can carry in oils and soap that may change its body color. Keep it dry and away from lotion.
Pearls, Shell, Coral and Amber
Organic gems mind chemicals more than water. A damp cloth is fine, but chlorine, acids, perfume and soap film dull pearl, shell and coral, and alcohol and heat cloud amber. Our guide to caring for pearl and amber jewelry covers them in detail.
The Stringing Material Matters Too
Much of the damage water does to beaded jewelry happens to the cord.
- Elastic cord: hot water, chlorine, soap, lotion and sunscreen all age elastic, so it loses its stretch and snaps sooner. Take stretch bracelets off to shower, swim or wash dishes.
- Silk: silk is weaker and stretches when wet, which loosens knots. Let silk-strung pieces dry flat, never hanging.
- Nylon cord such as S-Lon: nylon takes up a little water and is slightly weaker while wet. A splash does no harm, but long soaks loosen knots.
- Beading wire: nylon-coated stainless steel is water-safe, but plated crimps, clasps and findings tarnish or wear faster when wet.
- Leather: water stiffens, darkens and stains leather.
Chlorine and salt water are harder on jewelry than tap water. Pool and hot tub chlorine attacks elastic, silk, pearls, copper minerals and plated metal, and can fade dyed stones. Salt water dries into crystals in drill holes and pores that grind at cord and soft stones, and it corrodes base-metal findings. If a piece does go in the sea, rinse it in fresh water and dry it well.
How to Clean Gemstone Jewelry Safely
- Find the most delicate part. Check every stone and the cord against the chart, and clean the piece the way its most sensitive part needs.
- Water-safe pieces: dip a soft cloth or soft toothbrush in lukewarm water with a drop of mild dish soap, clean the beads gently, then wipe with a cloth dampened in clean water so no soap is left in the holes.
- Brief-only stones: wipe with a soft cloth barely dampened with plain water, no soap, and dry at once.
- Keep-dry stones: use a dry microfiber cloth or a soft brush only.
- Dry flat. Lay the piece on a towel until the cord is completely dry, several hours for silk and nylon, before wearing or storing it.
- Skip harsh methods. No ultrasonic or steam cleaners, jewelry dips, vinegar, baking soda, bleach or alcohol on strung jewelry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I shower with my gemstone bracelet on?
Better not. Even with water-safe stones, hot water, soap and shampoo shorten the life of elastic and silk, and soap film dulls polish.
Can you swim in gemstone jewelry?
Take it off first. Pool chlorine attacks cord, pearls, copper minerals and plated metal, and salt water leaves abrasive crystals in the drill holes.
Which stones dissolve in water?
Among bead stones, selenite and satin spar, both gypsum, dissolve slowly, and angelite turns into gypsum when it stays damp. Halite, or rock salt, dissolves quickly, which is why it is not used for jewelry.
Can amethyst and clear quartz go in water?
Yes. Quartz is hard and non-porous, so a rinse or mild soapy wash is safe. Long, strong light and heat are the bigger risk, since they can fade amethyst over time.
Can I wash my hands while wearing a beaded bracelet?
With water-safe stones on beading wire, yes; dry it afterward. For elastic, silk or any stone marked brief only or no, slip it off first.
Shop Stones and Stringing Supplies
Browse every stone in our gemstone bead collection and pick up elastic cord and beading wire for pieces that will be worn every day. For more on durability, read Mohs Hardness Scale and What it Means to Your Designs and How To Care For Pearl And Amber Jewelry.
Leave a comment