Caring for red coral gemstones in your jewelry

It would be perfectly right to call the red sponge coral gemstone something like the hand-cut sea-formed natural porous skeletal deposit because that’s really what it is. But we all know this beautiful vivid red sterling silver jewelry adornment under the name of red coral.

Popular during the Victorian era, coral jewelry still attracts fashionistas with vibrant color and gentle texture due today. Coral reefs are endangered therefore people started to pay more attention to ancient jewelry pieces and care for them more. They pass precious decorations through generations so how to preserve coral quality and beauty? Here we would like to provide you with a couple of guidelines on how to keep looking great for a maximum amount of time.

Why should you care for your coral jewelry?

Coral is not a stone or mineral but an animal product that requires special treatment. Polyps produce these fascinating gemstones widely used in jewelry throughout the world at all times. They produce a skeleton from calcium extracted from the sea, so the coral surface is rather soft and even fragile. Its organic origin makes the cleaning process difficult but if you follow these tips your coral jewelry will please you for long.

How to enhance red coral color?

What we need to know is that the color of the jewelry corals might be artificially enhanced. Various methods are used to reach the target color including dyes, heat exposure, and chemicals usage. Corals are often polished to a glossy state, but sometimes they have a rough texture. There are lots of examples on our website – try looking for a red sponge coral.

Let's explore antique and modern ways of coral polishing to keep it shiny. Our ancestors used to put corals in jute bags, adding a special cleaning agent there. They added water sprays in bags and shook them for about six hours on wooden pewters. It is also possible to polish the red coral by rubbing.

Today, people benefit from a similar polishing method but use barratts instead of wooden pewters that take less time and effort. Remember that before coral necklace or bracelet polishing, you should unstring the jewelry so that every bead is clean and shiny.

When polishing a coral decoration at home, you can soak cotton wool in a drop of olive oil. Polish every coral gently without any pressure to avoid damages. In any case, resorting to a professional jeweler is the best solution when polishing your precious coral jewelry.

Tips for caring for your red coral gemstone

Considering the coral specifics we should realize that there might be some special care demanded to keep them good-looking. These tips will show you how to maintain good-looking red coral decorations. It’s essential not only to clean jewelry but also to wear and store them properly.

Cleaning

Firstly, we will find the coral jewelry cleaning process. These decorations must be treated gently. Being organic makes the specified gemstones easily dented. Despite its juicy look, you should avoid touching your precious red sponge coral jewelry a lot. Use a damp piece of cloth to clean it a bit after wear and dry it with a microfiber. You should rinse it in warm, soapy water to remove dirt. Avoid hot water and chemical cleaners that can damage the coral structure or discolor the gemstone. After rinsing, dry the jewelry thoroughly with a soft cloth. Never put pressure on corals when cleaning as you may damage the gemstone.

A dusty coral must be cleaned with compressed air that blows off microparticles and makes the jewelry shine. If you wear your coral decorations regularly, you should clean them every night before putting them in a jewelry box. After cleaning, make sure corals are tight in place in necklaces and bracelets. If you have a sterling silver ring adorned with red coral gemstone, read the article to learn how to get rid of skin discoloration. Want to know more details on coral jewelry cleaning read the article on our blog.

cleaning red coral gemstone

Wearing

Coral wearing requires some simple rules that enable your jewelry to preserve its beauty for a long time. The important step in extending the beauty period of red coral is putting them on only after the skin has been cleared and all the cosmetics have already been applied. Besides, avoid cleaning, cooking, and washing the dishes when wearing coral decorations. These gemstones do not like chemicals, acids as well as the overly humid conditions. That means no swimming with this jewelry.

Coral preserves best in moderate humidity conditions, so you would probably like to leave it at home before going to a beach, especially since the heat and sunlight are not the best gemstones’ companions. You would better keep coral jewelry away from the sun for as long as possible. If you do not want the color faded, remove them when the sun burns bright. Corals cannot withstand the high temperature on the earth’s surface. Do not exercise in your coral jewelry to protect them from breakage. Moreover, mind that wearing coral jewelry with coarse fabrics may expose the decoration to scratches.

Wearing red coral gemstone

Storing

If possible separate these delicate adornments from other decorations to not expose them to damage while storing. Coral jewelry should be stored in a soft fabric pouch or in a separate till in the jewelry box to avoid scratches. Besides, wrap larger pieces of coral jewelry in tissue so they don’t scratch other jewelry pieces in a box. It is best to use acid-free tissues for the storage of coral-adorned jewelry. Do not use plastic or other airtight containers that prevent the gemstone from getting fresh air.

Storing red coral gemstone

Conclusion

It might look like the red sponge coral gemstone is too much of a chore to take care of. But you get used to it in no time, especially when you start getting constant desired attention thanks to the perfectly looking beautiful pieces of red coral jewelry. These simple rules will enable you to enjoy your coral jewelry for a long time and present it to your children. Life passes, but precious jewelry items hold memory, so keep your decorations well cared for.


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