Can You Get Your Amethyst Wet?

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Many of you have great specimens of amethyst or even  jewelry containing amethyst.  There is that thought of what would happen if you got your amethyst wet.  Would it cause any damage, would there be any consequences of doing so?

Let me see if I can help you with any questions you might have in regards to getting your amethyst wet.  Maybe even answer a question or two in other ways you might be thinking amethyst could be damaged.

You can get amethyst wet.  Amethyst is a very resilient, durable, and hard mineral that water does not have much of an affect on it.  If you do get your amethyst wet, simply dry it off and rub out any potential water spots that may be left behind. 

Cleaning Amethyst With Water

Amethyst can be cleaned and washed in water.  After getting any water on your amethyst, dry it off.  The only potential consequence of not drying off your amethyst might be some visible water spots on the surfaces.

If you want to wash and clean your amethyst you can following these steps: 

  • Use some water and get it wet.
  • You can use some soap along with a soft bristle tooth brush.
  • Get the tooth brush wet and put some of the soap on it.
  • Scrub “gently” to remove dirt.
  • Rinse off the amethyst.
  • Completely dry off the amethyst.

Amethyst and Fish Tanks

It is okay to put amethyst in a fish tank.  Amethyst being completely submerged in water in a fish tank will not damage it, or hurt your fish and other animals.  With amethyst being such a solid mineral, nothing will be leached into the water from it.

Keep in mind though, if you do put your amethyst in water for display with your fish or other pets, you will eventually have to clean it.  Like most other objects that get put into a fish tank, there is that build up of gunk that will eventually need to be cleaned off your amethyst.

Amethyst in Water – This specimen is perfect for placing in a fish tank. Not only will it add some color to the tank, but you can rest assured the crystals will take no serious damage. However keep in mind, the small amount of host rock the amethyst crystals are sitting on could change color and take some slight damage.

Amethyst in the Shower or Bath

It is completely okay to wear your amethyst as you shower or take a bath.  The water from your shower or bath will not damage your amethyst.  The only worry you will need to consider is the metal that contains your amethyst, as it could rust or tarnish.   

If you intend to take amethyst jewelry into the shower or bath with you, expect to do some maintenance.  Not so much for maintaining the amethyst itself, but keeping the metal clean and dry and preventing damage to the metal.

Some metals such as copper or silver do not do so well with water, and drying of your jewelry will be a necessary step.  Some additional steps may include putting some cleaning agents on your jewelry to get its shine back.   

So Is Amethyst Dangerous?

Amethyst is not dangerous.  It is not dangerous to put in water, to touch, or to wear.  Amethyst is a type of quartz which is a very hard and durable mineral.  This means the mineral cannot leach any toxins that would be harmful for human use.

The only way I can think of that amethyst would be dangerous, is if you were to throw it at someone.  Please, don’t do that!

Amethyst and the Sun

Amethyst can be put in the sun.  Leaving it in the sun for shorter periods of time will not damage amethyst.  However, if you were to leave amethyst in the sun for days, months, or even years, you might start to see some fading in color.

Like many minerals, if they have any sort of color, leaving them in the sun can ultimately start to fade the color out.  Some minerals will fade their color out quicker than others.  Amethyst can be a little slower in losing its color over longer periods of time in the sun.

Amethyst Fading – Here is a small piece of amethyst to the left, not put in the sun, and a larger specimen of amethyst that was put in the sun for 2 years, on the right.  Both were acquired at the same location.  Both specimens were already a very light purple to begin with, but the larger specimen shows some slight fading after two years in the sun.

Final Thoughts on Getting Amethyst Wet

Getting amethyst wet is not a problem at all.  Many other minerals will have an issue if you get them wet, but amethyst being a hard and resilient mineral does not have this problem.

Remember though, if you do get your amethyst wet, you may want to make sure you dry it off and clean it.  Just because you can’t really damage the mineral by water, does not mean it cannot get dirty.

Additionally, if you have amethyst jewelry, your main concern will not be so much the amethyst itself, but the metal used to hold it.

If you would like more information on the mineral Amethyst visit my article here; “All about Amethyst“

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