Which gems and crystals can get wet? A water-safe list

Quick answerUpdated October 2026

The gems and crystals that can get wet are the hard, non-porous ones: diamond, moissanite, ruby, sapphire, spinel, garnet and the quartz family can be washed and worn in the shower. Turquoise, lapis, malachite, azurite, selenite and opal doublets or triplets should not be soaked or worn in the shower, and malachite and azurite never belong in drinking water.

Which gems and crystals are water safe?

Stone	Mohs hardness	What water and washing can do	In the shower?
Diamond	10	Nothing to the stone; a build-up of grease and soap dulls the sparkle	Yes; rinse off soap
Moissanite	9.25	Nothing to the stone; soap build-up dulls it	Yes; rinse off soap
Ruby and sapphire	9	Nothing to untreated or heated stones. Glass-filled, cavity-filled or dyed stones: damp cloth only, and even lemon juice can damage them	Yes, except glass-filled or dyed stones
Alexandrite	8.5	Nothing; GIA calls it resistant to heat, light and common chemicals	Yes
Spinel	8	Nothing; GIA calls it stable to light and chemicals	Yes
Topaz	8	Water is fine; high heat or sudden temperature changes can break it	Yes, not hot
Cubic zirconia	8 to 8.5	Nothing to the stone; GIA says it attracts fingerprints and smudges more easily than diamond	Yes; rinse off soap
Aquamarine and emerald	7.5 to 8	Aquamarine: nothing. Emerald: most are fracture-filled; light and chemicals can spoil the filling, and heat can extend the fractures	Aquamarine yes; take emerald off
Zircon	6 to 7.5	Nothing; GIA says it can be brittle, and heat can change some colours	Yes, not hot
Garnet	6.5 to 7.5	Nothing; GIA calls it stable to light and chemicals	Yes
Quartz: amethyst, citrine, rose, smoky and clear quartz	7	Nothing; abrupt temperature changes can crack it	Yes, not hot
Tiger’s eye and carnelian	About 7	Nothing to the stone; dyeing is common, and solvents can affect dye	Yes
Green onyx	About 7 for jewellery; 3 for carvings	Green onyx jewellery is dyed chalcedony: keep solvents off the dye. Carvings are onyx marble, a soft calcite	Jewellery yes
Jade	6 to 7	Nothing to untreated jade; warm acids and heat can harm it, and dyed or impregnated jade needs gentler care	Yes
Tanzanite	6 to 7	Water is fine; GIA says to keep it from very high heat and sudden temperature changes	Yes, not hot
Feldspar: moonstone, labradorite, sunstone	6 to 6.5 (GIA gives sunstone 6.5 to 7.2)	Water is fine; heat, sudden temperature changes and bleach cleaners harm it	Lukewarm only
Opal	5 to 6.5	Solid opal washes safely. Porous (hydrophane) opal absorbs water and chemicals; doublets and triplets are glued layers	Solid opal lukewarm only; hydrophane, doublets and triplets no
Turquoise	5 to 6	Porous: chemicals, cosmetics and even skin oil or sweat can discolour it	No
Lapis lazuli	5 to 6	Porous. The dye in some lapis comes off with acetone or alcohol; wax sealers break down with heat or solvents	No
Fluorite	4	Soft, splits along its perfect cleavage, sensitive to heat and sudden temperature change	No
Malachite and azurite	3.5 to 4	Soft copper carbonates that acids attack; sensitive to heat	No; never in drinking water
Selenite (gypsum)	1.5 to 2	Dissolves slowly in water	No; keep it dry

Why does water damage some stones?

Plain water rarely harms a gem on its own: GIA says most coloured gems can be cleaned with warm water, mild dish soap and a soft brush, and its care guides call warm, soapy water safe for opal, turquoise and lapis. The damage comes from what travels with the water, from heat, or, for a few soft minerals, from the water itself. Porosity: GIA describes turquoise as porous and says chemicals, cosmetics and even skin oils or perspiration can discolour it; the International Gem Society adds that soap and cleaning solutions can soak in and turn it green or an off-colour blue. Some opal, often from Ethiopia, is porous too; the International Gem Society says this hydrophane opal absorbs water and chemicals, which can spoil its look, and advises keeping it dry. Treatments: the dye in some lapis comes off with acetone or alcohol, so it is sometimes sealed with wax, which GIA says breaks down with heat or solvents. GIA cites estimates that 90 percent or more of emeralds are fracture-filled, and says hot steam can make oil or soft resin sweat out of the fractures. See gem treatments. Glue: an opal doublet is a thin layer of opal glued to a black base, and a triplet adds a clear quartz cap; the International Gem Society says they should never be soaked. Heat: GIA names tanzanite, moonstone, sunstone, fluorite, lapis, malachite, opal, topaz, turquoise and zircon among gems sensitive to heat and temperature changes, so skip hot water and never go from hot to cold. Solubility: selenite is a variety of gypsum, and gypsum dissolves slowly in water: NIOSH gives its solubility as 0.2% at 77°F (25°C), about 2 grams per litre.

Can malachite and azurite go in water?

Not for a soak, and never in drinking water. Both are copper carbonates: the Handbook of Mineralogy analyses put malachite at about 72% copper oxide by weight and azurite at about 69%. Both fizz in dilute hydrochloric acid, malachite reacts with weak acids, and GIA counts lemon juice as a mild acid, so lemon water, juice or vinegar can attack the stone and carry copper into the drink. ATSDR, the US public health agency for toxic substances, says ingesting a high amount of copper, usually in drinking water, can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. That rules out gem water and elixirs made with either stone. They are also soft, at 3.5 to 4 on the scale. GIA lists malachite among gems harmed by heat and temperature changes, the International Gem Society lists it as sensitive to acid, ammonia, heat and hot water, and heating turns azurite green or black. To clean malachite, the International Gem Society suggests cool water, a little detergent and a soft brush; dry it straight away and never leave it soaking. Wipe azurite with a soft dry cloth. Turquoise is a copper mineral as well, a hydrated copper aluminium phosphate, so keep it out of drinking water too.

Can you shower with gemstone jewellery?

With hard stones, yes. Water cannot hurt diamond, moissanite, untreated or heated ruby and sapphire, spinel, garnet or quartz, but a build-up of soap and skin oil dulls the sparkle until you clean it; the International Gem Society advises removing grease from diamond to keep its brilliance. See can you shower with moissanite. The metal often matters more than the stone: GIA says frequent moisture speeds tarnish on silver, and plating wears thin with use (see can you shower with sterling silver). Take turquoise, lapis, fluorite, malachite, azurite, selenite, hydrophane opal and opal doublets or triplets off first. GIA advises taking fine jewellery off before diving into a chlorinated pool or using household cleaners, and warns that chlorine bleach can pit or damage gold alloys. GIA’s sunstone guide also says feldspars, the group that includes moonstone, sunstone and labradorite, are rapidly attacked by hydrochloric acid, and advises avoiding cleaning products that contain bleach.

How do you clean stones that should stay dry?

GIA says warm, soapy water is safe for turquoise, lapis and solid opal; rinse the piece, dry it straight away, and do not leave it to soak. The International Gem Society is more cautious with turquoise: wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it at once. For opal doublets and triplets, it advises a cloth dipped in warm, soapy water rather than putting the piece in water. Before cleaning dyed lapis, GIA suggests testing a small hidden spot, because some dyes are not stable. Wipe azurite and selenite with a soft dry cloth or brush, and clean malachite as described above. GIA says not to use an ultrasonic cleaner on fracture-filled stones, pearls and other organic gems, stones coated with plastic or wax, some heat-treated stones, or gems sensitive to heat and temperature changes, and its care guides rule out steam for turquoise, opal, emerald, amethyst, citrine, topaz, tanzanite, zircon, garnet, moonstone and sunstone. See gem tools for what a home cleaner can and cannot do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which crystals are water safe?

The hard, non-porous ones: the quartz family (amethyst, citrine, rose, smoky and clear quartz), ruby, sapphire, spinel, garnet, topaz, diamond and moissanite. Keep hot water off quartz and topaz, because GIA warns that abrupt temperature changes can fracture amethyst, citrine and topaz.

Can malachite go in water?

Not for a soak, and never in drinking water. Malachite is a soft copper carbonate (3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale) that reacts with acids, and ATSDR says ingesting a high amount of copper can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A quick clean with cool water, a little detergent and a soft brush is fine; dry it straight away.

Is lapis lazuli water safe?

For a quick clean, yes: GIA says warm, soapy water is the safest way to clean lapis. Do not soak it or wear it in the shower or pool. The dye in some lapis comes off with acetone or alcohol, so it is sometimes sealed with wax, and GIA says wax sealers break down with heat or solvents.

Can opal get wet?

Solid opal can: GIA says warm, soapy water is the only safe way to clean it. Avoid hot water and sudden temperature changes, which can crack it. Porous (hydrophane) opal, often from Ethiopia, absorbs water and chemicals, and doublets and triplets are glued layers that should never be soaked, so keep those dry.

Is selenite water safe?

No. Selenite is a variety of gypsum, only 1.5 to 2 on the Mohs scale, and gypsum dissolves slowly in water, about 2 grams per litre at room temperature. Dust it with a soft dry brush or cloth.

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