TAKING CARE OF YOUR GEMS
COPPER CARE
Your Beautiful copper jewelry, which started out so shiny and sparkling, has gradually lost its rosy luster. Over time, the jewelry has become chocolate brown - maybe even black. What is going on? Tarnish. It’s easy to clean copper at home using a few household ingredients. Naturally acidic ingredients such as vinegar, lemon and ketchup are perfect for getting rid of copper tarnish. While cleaning your copper is easy, it becomes a bit more complicated if your copper is set with gemstones. Acidic substances can damage your gemstone, so take this into account before you follow any of the methods below.
Here are some quick and easy ways to do restore the shine of your copper:
Vinegar dip
Pour vinegar into a glass or plastic bowl and submerge your copper jewelry in the vinegar. Add some salt for a deeper clean and leave the copper to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. When you take it out, your copper should be sparkling! Give it a good rinse to wash off all the vinegar and then dry it with a soft cloth.
If the copper piece has gemstones, then take care as soaking in acidic vinegar can damage the stone. In that case, it is best to skip both this method as well as the lemon juice dip, and try one of the others.
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CRYSTAL CLEANSING
SAGE
Sage is a sacred plant with a multitude of healing properties. Smudging your stone is said to clear inharmonious vibrations and restore its natural energy.
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You’ll need:
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a fire-safe bowl
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a lighter or matches
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loose or bundled sage
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If you’re unable to smudge outdoors, make sure you’re near an open window. This will allow the smoke and negative energy to disperse.
When you’re ready, ignite the tip of the sage with the flame. Transfer the sage to your nondominant hand and firmly grasp your stone and move it through the smoke.
Allow the smoke to envelop the stone for about 30 seconds. If it’s been a while since your last cleansing — or you feel the stone is holding onto a lot — consider smudging for an additional 30 seconds.