Drusy quartz discoloration

My girlfriend had some drusy quartz set in sterling rings recently.
When she picked them up from the setter they had some dark pink spots
on the quartz that had appeared. The drusy she was using was
originally a white color- with a slight iridescent shimmer. Not the
silver or platinum coating.

Does anyone have any idea what could have caused this discoloration?

The setter was not familiar with the material (a very traditional
metal-smith in downtown Los Angeles). He set the stones, polished
it, steamed and used the ultrasonic on it. could any one of these
have effected it?

Any suggestions about working with drusy in the future? Things to
avoid or know?

I too, just purchased some drusy that I will be setting in sterling
and I want to make sure I don’t have the same issues.

Thanks!
Amery

Amery Carriere Designs
Romantic Jewelry with an Edge
www.amerycarriere.com

if you mean a coating of quartz crystals (small) on some matrix by
drusy, then you probably should avoid the steaming and ultrasound
for cleaning. the crystals would best be cleaned with some mild
detergent or soap in warm water with a very soft toothbrush. The
steam and / or the chemicals in the ultrasound may have reacted with
something in the drusy to change color. Consider the drusy to be just
like a very included/fractured gem when cleaning.

John
www.rasmussengems.com
Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry

Amery- What a great puzzle to solve. My sweetie Tim and I have some
bets going with each other about this. Without seeing the piece
we’re guessing it’s polishing compound, setting shellac, or a rubber
wheel skid mark. A good cleaning and steam should take it out if it
is what we think it is. If it’s shellac, soak it in denatured alcohol
and then sonic and steam. Did you return it to the setter to ask him
yet? What did he say? Neither one of us has had any druzy discolor,
ever.

Let us know what the solution is.

Jo
www.timothywgreen.com

Amery: Sounds like the drusy was coated with Titanium. That would
account for the iridescent shimmer.

I don’t recommend that Titanium coated drusy be steamed or cleaned
in the ultrasonic. Your piece should be completely polished and
ready for setting so that only a touch up with the flex shaft is
done if necessary, Be very careful to avoid getting polishing
compound on the drusy. I also don’t recommend these be used in
rings (my personal opinion). The less exposure to wear and tear the
better.

Diane
Dikra Gem Inc.

Amery; Often drusy is treated either by dying or metal coating as you
stated. My guess is that since you said it had a shimmer it had some
sort of plating that attracted copper out of the pickle. Just a guess
however. You have to be careful buffing as you can buff the coating
off also for future reference.

Dave Owen