Claudine wrote - > I have not done what you're describing, but I just checked with a friend > who is a jewelry maker. She says the stones would survive dry cleaning, > but the color may change. She said she wouldn't risk it.
Claudine's jeweller friend has the right of it. As a gemmologist, jewellery valuer (yes that's how we spell these words here in Australia!) and jeweller, I can only back her up all the way. It has been suggested by someone else that 'dye' may run and ruin the garmet. This isn't true I'm afraid. Citrine wouldn't be dyed. However much citrine available today is actually amethyst that has been heat treated. They are both quartz and the colour can be easily altered through heat treatment. However that heat is pretty high so it comes down to what heat the cleaning process involves. Some quartz (eg green quartz) is largely dyed but that is through using a high pressure/heat process and it shouldn't leak out (unless the chemicals have some effect). I suspect Claudine's friend is mostly worried about what chemicals the dry cleaner may use, as they may also change the colour and surface texture. There is a very good chance that strong chemicals, even if safe to textiles, may alter the surface of the citrine. Best not to risk it. Someone else has said 'they are stones after all'. Sorry to be blunt but stones are not stones. This is like saying all oils are the same, or all fabrics. Would you cook with engine oil or use hessian where silk is preferred? Gemmology takes time to learn and the more you study the more you realise how different all gemstones and gem materials (a separate category including pearls, amber and other non-mineral substances) are from each other. There has been an ongoing discussion about the terminology of 'sacques'. I could launch into one here about 'stones', 'rocks', 'gems' etc but I suspect you'd all get bored very quickly!!! :) Eg Lapis Lazuli is a 'rock' not a 'gemstone'. 'Garnet' is a 'gemstone' - semiprecious and comes in every colour, not only red (of which there are 3 distinct chemical groups and 'reds') See what I mean! LoL. Another person suggested that they be applied to something like a collar or cuffs, and that is possibly the BEST bit of advice so far! Why not make it an easily removable part of the outfit such as tie on sleeves? Handwashing won't affect the citrine either. Cheers, ~ Tig (OL) _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
