Newsletter - March 19, 2008

The Jewelry Crafter

A newsletter for the home jeweler

This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.

If you have an idea for an upcoming article, or would like to submit an article for the newsletter, please contact us. Anyone who submits an article will receive a permanent link to their website in a special section of our link pages.

New Stock Update

We have received a new shipment of sterling silver pre-notched settings. Many of the styles that were out of stock are now back in inventory at great prices. Shop soon for best selection

Ultrasonic vs. Ionic Cleaning

by

Mary Harvey

In the last issue, we discussed how to tumble polish jewelry. But what if you have a piece that won’t stand up to tumbling, like pearls, opals, or other soft stones? Or what if you have a piece that is extremely tarnished? This is where an ultrasonic or ionic jewelry cleaner comes in. In this issue, we will discuss the differences between the two, and which one is best for your particular application.

Ultrasonic cleaners use a method called “cavitation” for the cleaning process. Basically, an electric transducer produces high frequency ultrasonic waves in a special solution, which causes millions of tiny bubbles. The energy released from the creation and collapse of these bubbles causes dirt and contaminants to break up and be lifted away from the piece being cleaned. It’s a very effective process, but with a few caveats. Because the piece being cleaned is bombarded with high frequency sound waves, certain stones can be damaged or shattered from the process, including opal, emerald, pearl, tanzanite, malachite, turquoise, coral and lapis.

An Ionic cleaner uses a different cleaning process than ultrasonic cleaners. Ionic cleaners use electricity alone to create the bubbling action that cleans the piece. A clip is placed on the metal of the piece to be cleaned, the piece is then lowered into a special, mild detergent solution and the machine turned on. Electric current flows through the piece, producing bubbles that remove dirt, grime and tarnish. Since no sonic waves are used, this method is safe to use on stones that would be damaged using an ultrasonic cleaner. Some lightly tarnished pieces can be dipped in the cleaning solution and rubbed with a cloth instead of going through a cleaning cycle. Like the ultrasonic cleaner, there are also a few caveats. Hematite should not be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. Also, use a short cleaning cycle for silver, and don’t clean silver chain in the ionic cleaner. If the chain lays across itself, it will turn black, and need to be polished by hand.

With both methods, it’s important to thoroughly rinse the piece after cleaning to remove all of the cleaning solution, and protect the finish.

As you can see, each system has it’s pros and cons. Ultrasonic cleaners are great for heavily soiled or badly tarnished pieces, but it can damage certain stones. Ionic cleaners are good for cleaning and final polishing of sensitive stones, and removal of light tarnish, but can darken silver pieces and chains. Each cleaner has it’s place in the jewelry industry, and the best way to see which one is right for you is to ask those who use them, or try them yourself.