Magnificent, rare, and durable, these three conditions and gemstone value are closely related.
What jewelry components corrode easily when exposed to acid?
Also has a beautiful face value. Most of the “semi-precious stones” or “niche gemstones” lose points because the “durability” is not good.
Gemstone durability, in addition to hardness enough to resist wear and tear, is very important to resist corrosion.
Corrosion-resistant gemstones, when encounter weak acid or sweat, the surface will corrode into a “matte matte”, losing the original luster.
Then what kind of gemstone is not corrosion-resistant? In fact, everything is traceable!
Since jade is a carbonate mineral, it is not corrosion-resistant. Calcium carbonate as the main composition of the organic gemstones are also easy to corrode when sweating.
What are their specific varieties? Together to see ~
Carbonate jade:
Carbonate jade production, origin, is one of the most common jade varieties. The mineral name of calcium carbonate is calcite, and the mineral name of calcium magnesium carbonate is dolomite.
Therefore, carbonate jade is composed of calcite or dolomite.
Carbonate jade varieties include: calcite, dolomite, rhodochrosite, manganese rhodochrosite, magnesite, etc. Carbonate jade has poor durability and is mostly found in aggregates. The majority of them are used as raw materials for large jade carvings or imitations of other gemstones.
Calcite may be unfamiliar to you, but you may know the term “marble”. Calcite is a crystalline aggregate also known as “marble,” and has long been used in construction and decorative materials.
The pure white color of this material is commonly known as “white jade,” and it is one of the most commonly used raw materials for jade carving.
Among marble jade, there is another variety with a delicate texture and high transparency, known in the market as “Afghan Jade”.
Afghan Jade:
Afghan Jade is formed from carbonate rocks through regional or contact metamorphism. Its main components are calcite and dolomite. It also contains wollastonite, talc, tremolite, diopside, plagioclase, quartz and magnesite.
Afghan Jade is rich in color patterns, including the white Afghan Jade variety often used to imitate Hetian Jade.
Although outwardly similar to Hotan Jade, Afghan Jade has a low hardness and corrosion proneness.
After a period of time, quality Hetian jade will become more and more moist, while Afghan jade will lose its luster the more it is worn (corroded by sweat).
An important optical material, calcite is a colorless, transparent single crystal. Avoid the use of the process of ice island stone lens contact with all weak acidic substances, otherwise the lens “flower” cannot be reversed.
Rhodochrosite:
The name of said rhodochrosite may not be familiar to you, but its commercial name “red stone” should be familiar to you! It is also a type of carbonate jade.
The most common quality of rhodochrosite is dark or light pink in color, with a pattern that looks like layers of pancetta.
Gem-quality pure rhodochrosite crystals are even more colorful, pink to reddish or even bright pink, and the crystals are crystal clear.
Gem-quality rhodochrosite is quite attractive from the outside, but why does it remain a semi-precious stone or a niche gemstone in terms of value?
That’s because it is really too “brittle” and very fragile: rhodochrosite Mohs hardness is only 3 ~ 5, and the main component of the “manganese-containing carbonate minerals” rhodochrosite, weak acids are very easy to corrode.
Love sweating people, it is recommended not to wear ruby red strings in the summer, or not a summer you will find. This is because they are worn on the wrist of the rhodochrosite group.
Malachite:
Malachite is named for its color similarity to peacock feathers. It is actually a carbonate mineral containing copper.
Malachite can be made into a variety of jewelry and carvings because of its dense and delicate texture, gorgeous color, and clear and varied bands.
As a matter of common sense, jade with such beauty is more expensive. But when God opens a door, he always closes a window, because malachite has poor durability, so it is “cheap and large”.
Although malachite has a noble green color and beautiful patterns, there are shortcomings that cannot be ignored:
Low hardness (malachite Mohs hardness of 3.5 ~ 4), brittle, not tough enough, and not corrosion-resistant. After prolonged contact with sweat on the skin surface, malachite takes on a dull, “matte, frosted” texture. Although the color remains the same, it is always less “pearly”.
Calcium carbonate based organic gemstones:
Coral:
The crunchiest organic gemstone, coral is definitely on the list. Coral is a marine animal coral polyps secreted supportive skeleton, color varieties.
Corals can be classified into two categories based on their composition: carbonate corals and mesocosmic corals. Carbonate corals are divided into reef-building and precious corals.
Noble corals are secreted by corals living in tropical waters, and their branching groups are smaller. They are the main corals used for jewelry.
Carbonate: Corals are mainly composed of calcium carbonate, with small amounts of magnesium carbonate and organic matter; they corrode when exposed to weak acids.
This means that the precious coral long-term wear contact with sweat will be corroded into the frosted texture, which is also rumored that the coral more wear the more “Wu” is one of the main reasons.
If you want in addition to the beauty of wearing more “anti-build” jewelry, it is not wise to choose the right coral.
Especially in the summer sweat more season, it is recommended not to wear coral products for a long time close to the body.
If you really like, it is recommended to wear inlaid coral jewelry after it has been wrapped in metal back, as it is easier to maintain and store.
Shells:
Shells are not resistant to corrosion and coral for almost the same reason, also because the main component is calcium carbonate, when weak acids will corrode.
The white color of giant clam shells is particularly corroded by sweat, so you will notice it is not clean, the more you wear the more black it will become.
Therefore, daily wear shell jewelry, in addition to preventing bumps, and to avoid prolonged contact with sweat.
Inlaid with mother-of-pearl shell K gold jewelry cleaning time should also pay attention to the shell part, do not contact chemical cleaning agents.
Pearls:
The pearl is known for its rounded shape, soft colors, bright and clean beads.
It is one of the most popular organic gemstonitses in daily life. Because they have a soft and elegant temperament, people call pearls the “queen of gemstones.”
Many people say, “pearl is not durable”, and after wearing beads for a long time, they turn yellow. That’s what is known as “people old pearl”, or “pearl yellow”.
Right and wrong from this point of view.
Pearls contain 91% inorganic component mass fractions. The main body is calcium carbonate (aragonite and calcite), and a small amount of magnesium carbonate (magnesite). Seeing that the pearl’s main ingredient is calcium carbonate, you won’t be surprised that weak acids will corrode it.
Innate factors：
It is important to recognize that pearl luster is beautiful in addition to sweat erosion (acquired factors), but the most important thing is the quality of her own pearl (innate factors).
Even if the pearls are corroded by sweat, it doesn’t happen overnight, it is worn for years and years and you don’t clean the pearl necklace on the sweat stains caused. If you wear pearls daily, take them off when you get home and wipe them well before storing them in a jewelry box. Even after many years, pearls can look as beautiful as ever.
If you wear dark pearls (colored pearls other than white), even if they have been eroded by sweat, it is not easy to see the aging of the pearls in terms of color. But it does not mean that the dark color pearls will rest easy.
If you don’t wipe the pearls for a long time to clean the sweat stains deposited on the surface, the luster of the pearls will also be affected.
Fish and bears can’t have it both ways. A natural gemstones aren’t perfect.
Our article today contains a detailed inventory of summer wear, easy to corrode jewelry categories in case of sweat.
Despite their unique beauty, they require careful maintenance and care. If you are really careless and can’t take care of them, you may also want to consider other more durable gemstone varieties~
