Rose quartz is a pink-colored translucent crystal.
People have been using it in jewelry items for thousands of years.
Many ask can rose quartz go in water because they want to care for their jewelry in a better way. We will discuss the effects of water on the rose quartz to help you look after it better.
So, Can Rose Quartz Go in Water?
It is suitable to put rose quartz crystals in water for a short time. We do not recommend putting them in water for a long time as it can damage the crystal.
Many will advise you to put rose quartz in water after every few weeks for cleaning. Our advice is a little different. We will also explain the reason we gave this advice to you.
Why Shouldn鈥檛 You Put Rose Quartz in Water?
The rose quartz can’t go in the water because the crystal has small cracks, and water can enter the deep crystal structure leading to hardness reduction and crystal damage.
There are many small cracks on the rose quartz surface. You cannot see them from the naked eyes. If you wish to see them, you can use a microscope.
It is also possible to see how the water enters these cracks by putting the crystal in water and observing it under the microscope. We advise against putting your rose quartz crystal in water or giving it a water bath.
Why Water Damages Rose Quartz?
Water is bad for rose quartz because it can damage the crystal structure, oxidize trace metals, and reduce the mineral hardness. Water will affect the shine, durability, and color of the crystal.
This advice is for most minerals also as water will also damage them. Most collectors like to pick the crystals from the newly exposed rock because water and other natural forces are bad for the crystals.
Only a few minerals with extreme hardness levels can withstand the water damage for a long time.
The Water Encourages Rust in Materials Containing Metals
All metals are prone to rust as oxygen can react with the metals to oxidize them. This process of oxidation is known as rusting. Rusting is important for crystal collectors because water can change the crystal color due to rusting.
Quartz crystal has pink color due to the traces of iron and magnesium. When water enters the crystal through the invisible cracks, it produces iron oxide and manganese oxide.
This reaction produces different color lines on the crystals. You may see brown streaks on the crystals. You cannot rub away these lines as these are in the deeper part of the crystals.
We recommend that you avoid putting transparent crystals in water because it is unsuitable to take risks. Transparent crystals can also have some metal atoms in the crystal structure.
The Water May Also Damage the Finish or Coloring
Water damages the finish and coloring because it erodes the polishing material from the surface. Most jewelers use oil-based materials to polish the crystals.
This material also enhances the finish and color. Water will erode the polished surface exposing the natural look of the crystals.
The crystal will not appear as shiny and vibrant when the polished surface is not there. It also changes the crystal color because of the rusting of trace metals in the crystals.
The Water Encourages Physical Damage
Water encourages physical damage to the rose quartz because water can widen its small cracks that are invisible to the naked eyes.
The physical damage starts when you put the crystal in water because it seeps inside the small fissures. It will erode a small layer of the cracks to make them wider.
The cracks will appear to the naked eyes after some time. If you continue putting the crystal in the water, it will break at some point.
When someone asks you can rose quartz go in water, you can answer with a NO because it will break the crystal.
If Water Is Bad for Rose Quartz, Why Do Many Bloggers Recommend Soaking Quartz in Water?
Many bloggers recommend soaking quartz in water because they do not connect the damage to the water. It can take a lot of time for the water to damage the quartz. It can take months or years to see the effects.
It was easy for the people to connect the damage to water if they saw the effects fast. Selenite crystals can dissolve in water fast. You will not recommend putting them in water because you will notice the effects immediately.
Copper crystals will produce fumes when you put them in water. These effects force people to recommend against putting them in water.
People think that quartz crystal damage is due to some unknown cause because the water was not near it when it broke. People do not believe water can damage rose quartz because they do not have authentic crystals.
They may have a copy made of plastic. It will not damage due to water, and people will believe that rose quartz is immune to water damage.
How to Cleanse Rose Quartz Without Soaking the Quartz in Water?
You can cleanse rose quartz without soaking it by placing it near the cleansing stones and doing meditation for its cleaning.
It is worse to put the stone in water to cleanse it as the water will damage the stone. Moonlight is another way to cleanse the crystals when you do not want to use the water.
We are against saline water for the cleaning because it does more damage than water without salts.
How to Clean Rose Quartz Without Soaking the Quartz in Water?
You can clean the rose quartz without soaking it by using a cloth with some moisture. You can buff the stone with a cloth to remove the dirt.
You can also dip it in water and quickly remove it. You can dry it with a cloth while rotating it many times to avoid water entering the cracks.
You need to place the crystal in the air for some time to dry the moisture on it. When people ask can rose quartz go in water for cleaning, you should tell them this method to avoid crystal damage.