How to Polish Gems at Home: A Complete Guide

Polishing gemstones enhances their beauty. This is a precise skill performed by specialized lapidaries. But if you are a jewelry enthusiast or a complete beginner who loves shiny stones, you can still learn a few simple at-home tricks to make your gems look brighter without damaging them.  

These simple tricks can be applied to your precious stones, like ruby stone or sapphire. However, there are some precautions you need to take. Let's find out what these are in our blog:   

Understanding Your Stones First (Important Step Most People Skip)

Polishing gemstones restores their shine and makes them look more attractive. Though it's an important step to retain the long-term value of your stone, it is also essential to understand the type of stone you want to polish.   

Gemstones like yellow sapphire stone (and all sapphires), diamond, and ruby have high hardness. This means that they can resist scratches easily. So, you can polish them easily with different tools.   

While other stones, like turquoise, pearls, opals, emerald stone, and others that rank below 9, are more prone to scratches. It's crucial to polish them with smooth gemstone polish. Let's find out more about the techniques. 

Read More: Caring For Opals - How to Clean, Care & Store Opal Jewelry  

How To Clean Gemstones & Crystals (Simple Method That Works For Most)

Whether it's precious or semi-precious stones, cleaning is a must. A simple technique for gemstone cleaning is using soapy water. This method is not only affordable but also easy to perform at home, especially if you are a beginner.   

Here’s the simplest way:

• Take a bowl, put some warm water in it. 
• Add a few drops of mild liquid soap. 
• Dip your gemstone or jewelry piece inside for 5–10 minutes.
• Take a soft brush (an old soft toothbrush works fine) and scrub lightly. A medium soft-bristle toothbrush is best for cleaning gemstones. For cleaning faceted gemstones, use a fine-bristle artist’s brush for cleaning dirt from well-cut edges and prongs.  
• Rinse in clean water. Pat dry with a soft cloth. 

Also Read: How to Clean Gemstone Jewelry Naturally: Easy & Effective Tips

How To Clean Gold Rings With Stones At Home

Gold rings with stones get dirty in corners — behind the stone, around prongs, near edges. Oils from fingers collect there. Do this:

• Use the same warm water + mild soap method.
• Use a soft brush to reach the tiny spaces behind the stone.
• Rinse with clean water and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.
• The best way to care for your gemstone jewelry is to avoid perfume and hairspray after adorning it. The chemicals in these spoil the gemstone surface, reducing its shine. Soft stones like pearl stone are more prone to such chemicals. 

How To Polish Stones By Hand With Sandpaper (For Loose Stones Only)

Sandpaper scratches gemstones easily due to their grainy texture. However, with fine granules, you can clean gemstone rocks (raw/loose gemstones).  To polish stones with sandpaper, you’ll need:

• Wet/dry sandpaper (grits from coarse to fine)
• Water
• Soft cloth
• Polishing compound(optional)

Steps (simple but takes time):

• Start with coarse grit like 180. Keep both the stone and the sandpaper wet.
• Rub the gemstone gently at first, gradually increasing the grit size. 
• Always keep everything wet. Water reduces scratches.
• When the stone feels smooth, switch to a polishing powder or a gemstone polish liquid.

Another easy way to polish gemstones at home is to use a denim cloth. Put a polishing substance on one side and rub it gently with the denim cloth. This is the best way to clean a blue sapphire stone at home.

Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Blue Sapphire Cleaning: Expert Tips and Tricks  

Gemstone Polish Liquid: When Do You Need It?

These liquids help when manual sanding does not give enough shine. They usually contain tiny abrasive particles that bring out a glossy finish. You can apply these:

• After sanding
• To boost shine on polished crystals
• But avoid using them on super soft stones unless the bottle says it’s safe.

How To Clean Gemstone Rocks 

Gemstone rocks are naturally occurring minerals that are not cut into defined shapes. 

For raw stones or bigger rocks: 

• Use the mild soap method
• Use a soft brush or a paintbrush for deeper cracks
• Don’t use any chemical cleaner
• If the stone still looks dull, you can follow the sandpaper method (only if the stone is hard enough)
• Raw stones are easier because you don’t worry about settings or metal getting damaged.

Final Thoughts

Polishing gemstones involves using tools and techniques to enhance the stone’s surface. You can use the above methods to polish gems at home. Store polished gems separately in a closed box or in a velvet pouch.