Care and Cleaning Guide
SUITABLE FOR DAILY WEAR
Corundum (gem family of ruby and sapphire) is the second hardest gem material in the world, second only to diamond. This means sapphire can only be scratched by another sapphire or a diamond. This also means that unlike other coloured gemstones, contact with dust, which contains high quantities of silica will not scratch a sapphire.
Corundum also has excellent toughness and no cleavage (tougher than diamonds). This means that sapphires are not prone to cracking, chipping or breaking.
These qualities make natural unheated sapphire a highly durable gemstone suitable for daily wear. Natural sapphires are also stable under normal wearing conditions such as light, heat and common chemicals. However, even mild acids like lemon juice can damage fracture-filled sapphires.
CLEANING
Safest and easiest way to clean sapphire is to wash it in warm soapy water and wipe it with a gem cleaning cloth. Once set in jewellery, use a soft paintbrush to clean through the setting. It is important clean the pavillion of the stone to maintain high brilliance.
You do not need to use chemicals to clean your stone. Due to its hardness sapphire can take a high quality polish and therefore washing in soapy water is more than sufficient.
STORING SAPPHIRE JEWELLERY
When storing loose gemstones or jewellery take a good care not to let them touch one another and that each piece is stored separately. As a hard gem material, sapphire can scratch softer gemstones, other sapphires or precious metal such as gold or platinum. And as diamonds are harder than sapphires, it can scratch sapphires.
With proper care, your Deliqa sapphire engagement ring and fine jewellery will retain its exceptional beauty and character for many generations to come.
TIP
Natural gemstones, particularly sapphires are most vibrant in spring-summer months when the sun is shining. When storing gemstones away for periods of time, due to darkness they may reduce the appearance of their colour. Placing the natural gemstone in direct sunlight for 20-30 minutes will bring the colour and vibrancy back. This is a natural phenomenon in naturally coloured gemstones.