No, Rhodochrosite should not go in water.
While many will disagree, this conclusion is based on the Mohs Mineral Hardness Scale.
The softer a mineral is, the more likely it is to be damaged in water.
As you will see later in a chart, the mineral Rhodochrosite is one of the softer minerals that cannot handle being in water as its harder counterparts can.
Can Rhodochrosite Go In Water (EXPLAINED)
What is Rhodochrosite?
The Rhodochrosite is a highly popular gemstone.
Many times, it is slabbed to display its elaborate patterns.
These slabs are often used to cut cabochon gemstones like the Idaho Opal, Amber, Kyanite, Spessartite Garnet, and Tourmaline.
Cutting Rhodochrosite is not an easy task because it has perfect cleavage.
In addition, it is found to be soft material, making it difficult to clean and polish.
It’s not often you find Rhodochrosite to be transparent.
However, as great and durable as it is, ornaments and small boxes are made from its material.
Rhodochrosite mineral specimens can sell for much more money than even some faceted materials.
Mineral collectors are ecstatic when the rhodochrosite material features a crystal in matrix, preferring that over broken and fragmented pieces.
These preferable pieces, when faceted, can display a beautiful pink or red appearance.
Collectors usually snatched up these gorgeous stones because of their fragility and jewelers’ reluctance to use them.
Rhodochrosite has a hardness of only 3.5 to 5 and has perfect cleavage in three directions.
This eliminates it as a good choice as a ring or bracelet stone which might be subject to abrasion or impact.
Instead, it is better suited in earrings, pins, and pendants, which are generally not subject to abuse as a ring.
Since Rhodochrosite is hardly found in a well-formed way, these crystals can be precious as mineral specimens.
Mohs Hardness Scale, what is it?
The Mohs Hardness Scale is a 1-10 scale m, testing the hardness of minerals by their resistance.
Two minerals are put together to perform the test to see which mineral either scratches or causes damage to the other.
Notes are also taken of the one that received the most damage.
The harder the mineral, the higher up the material is on the Mohs Hardness scale.
In 1812, a German mineralogist named Friedrich Mohs developed the scale.
Mohs picked ten minerals, each one differentiated in hardness from soft to extremely hard.
The scale Mohs created is relevant when looking at crystals and their tolerance to water.
The softer the material, the more dangerous water can be to it.
When minerals fall below a five on the Mohs scale (0 – 5), the more intolerable it is to water.
Here is a chart of the Mohs hardness scale found on crystalclearintuition.com.
It ranges from 1-10, starting from the softest, scaling up to the hardest.
The following minerals are usually kept out of water due to their softness: Selenite, Lepidolite, Azurite, Malachite, Calcite, Angelite, Halite (Rock Salt), Celestite, Fluorite, Ammolite, and of course, Rhodochrosite.
How do you get your Rhodochrosite gemstone clean without water?
Many swear by hydrogen peroxide or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with a more acidic chemical.
However, it may be best to have your gemstone cleaned at a professional lab to maintain its shine and pristine condition.
If water is your preferred cleaning method and you are dead set on using it to clean your crystals, you may want to use a light mist.
Using a light mist is a way you can utilize water while possibly keeping your crystal safe from damage.
Simply fill a spray bottle with water and while standing a few feet away, spray the water in the air so that the water comes down on the crystal in the form of a mist.
Then you let the gem air dry for a few minutes.
Using this method minimizes the likelihood of causing cracks or rust forming in your gem.
You could even polish it with a soft cloth afterward.
Notwithstanding, your gemstones are significant to you.
Be careful not to use any method to clean your Rhodochrosite stones by placing them in water.
Some stones may dissolve or become blemished.
We would avoid cleaning them with water at all costs – just to be safe.
Damage to a crystal cannot be fixed. If you’re fortunate, a jeweler may be able to polish it for you or make a mini modification.
That is the only chance of the stone being salvaged.
It is so substantial that you are doing your research on this topic.
You may find it helpful to experiment on cleaning your smaller, less important crystals first so that you know what your stones can and cannot handle.
