Crystals That Can't Get Wet
A list of the stones that cannot go in water, which are water safe, and what happens when the wrong one gets wet.
The crystals that can't get wet include selenite, angelite, pyrite and celestite, which dissolve, break down or corrode in water, and a longer group that should only ever be wiped, such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite and opal. Hard, dense stones like quartz, garnet and tourmaline are generally water safe.
Which category a stone falls into depends on its chemistry, its hardness and how porous it is. This guide gives you the list, a stone-by-stone table for the stones people ask about most, and answers on salt water, moon water, baths and showers, how long a stone can stay in water, and whether your jewellery can get wet.
Which Crystals Can't Go in Water: The Quick List
Crystals that cannot get wet at all:
- Selenite
- Angelite
- Celestite
- Pyrite
- Halite (rock salt) and desert rose
Crystals for a quick wipe or brief rinse only, never a soak:
- Lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite and opal
- Calcite, fluorite and lepidolite
- Amber
Water safe crystals: clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, smoky quartz, citrine, agate, jasper, garnet, tourmaline and most other hard, dense stones, with the caveats below.
Can It Get Wet? Fourteen Stones Checked
These are the stones people most often ask about, and what water does to each one.
| Stone | Can it get wet? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Selenite | No | A form of gypsum, about 2 on the Mohs scale and slightly soluble. The surface dissolves and turns chalky. |
| Pyrite | No | Iron sulfide, which oxidises when damp and leaves a dull, rusty or powdery surface. |
| Lepidolite | Brief rinse only | A soft, flaky mica. It will not dissolve, but soaking can dull it and loosen the flakes. |
| Angelite | No | A form of anhydrite, which absorbs water and slowly turns into gypsum. It can swell, dull or crumble. |
| Malachite | Brief wipe only | A soft copper carbonate that reacts with acids. Copper compounds are harmful, so never use it in drinking water. |
| Celestite | No | A soft, fragile strontium sulfate that is very slightly soluble. Clusters can crumble. |
| Fluorite | Brief rinse only | Not soluble, but soft and prone to splitting along flat planes. Sensitive to sudden temperature change, so never use hot water. |
| Labradorite | Yes | A quick 15 to 30 second rinse under cool or lukewarm water is fine, but do not leave it soaking. It has cleavage, so avoid hot water and knocks. |
| Amazonite | Brief rinse only | A feldspar with cleavage. It contains trace amounts of lead, so keep it out of drinking water and elixirs. |
| Kyanite | Yes | Water does not harm it, but the blades split easily, so handle it gently. |
| Calcite | Brief rinse only | A soft carbonate that reacts with acids such as vinegar and lemon. Soaking dulls the polish. |
| Turquoise | Brief contact only | Porous, so it absorbs water, soap and skin oils, which can darken or shift its colour. |
| Opal | Brief wipe only | Holds water within its structure and can craze, developing fine cracks, if dried quickly or heated. |
| Lapis Lazuli | Brief wipe only | Slightly porous, with calcite and pyrite in it, and often treated with wax. Soaking dulls the polish and can disturb the treatment. |
If you want to see how mineral groups behave in general, our guide to mineral classes explains why sulfates, carbonates and sulfides tend to be the most sensitive.
Why Some Crystals Can't Get Wet
Water harms a stone in one of three ways.
It dissolves. Soft minerals such as selenite and halite are soluble, so water slowly wears them away.
It reacts. Pyrite oxidises, and calcite and malachite react with acids.
It absorbs. Porous stones such as turquoise, opal and lapis take in water along with soap, oils or dye, and can darken, stain or lose their polish.
Dyed and coated stones add a fourth risk, because the colour or surface treatment can wash out. That applies even to otherwise tough stones such as dyed agate and coated aura quartz.
Which Crystals Cannot Go in Salt Water
Salt water is harsher than plain water. Salt works into pores and cracks and can stay behind as crystals when the water dries, scratching or splitting a stone from the inside, and it also corrodes metal settings.
Everything in the table that is marked "No" or "Brief" should stay out of salt water entirely, along with softer stones such as amber. Only hard, dense, untreated stones, such as clear quartz and amethyst, cope well, and even then they should be rinsed in fresh water afterwards and dried.
There is no need to use salt at all, since there are many ways to cleanse a stone without it. We cover them in How to Cleanse Crystals.
Water Safe Crystals for Moon Water
Moon water is water left out under the moon, and crystals are often added to it. The stone most commonly suggested for this is selenite, which is the one stone on this page that dissolves.
The safest approach is to keep stones out of the water altogether, placing them beside the bowl or sealing them in a clean glass jar that sits inside it. If you do put a stone in the water, choose a hard, water safe one such as clear quartz, rose quartz or amethyst. If the water is for drinking, follow the indirect method in Crystal Elixirs.
Water Safe Crystals for the Bath and Shower
Hard stones such as the quartz family are the ones to choose, and we cover them in Types of Quartz, while agate and jasper are also robust, as described in Types of Agate and Types of Jasper.
Even then, a bath is not ideal. Soap and oils dull a polish, and sudden changes between hot and cold can crack stones with cleavage or inclusions. Many people simply keep a stone beside the bath or on the shower shelf, out of the water.
How Long Can a Crystal Stay in Water?
There is no single answer, because it depends on the stone. A hard, stable stone such as clear quartz can sit in water for hours, and overnight is common practice. A stone such as labradorite is not soluble, but a quick 15 to 30 second rinse under cool or lukewarm water is all it needs, and it should not be left to soak. For anything soft, porous or soluble, the answer is as little time as possible, which usually means none.
Water Safe Crystals for Protection
If you want a protective stone that can tolerate a rinse, several of the best-known ones are hard enough to do so.
Around 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, and generally water safe. It is the stone most widely associated with protection. Shop black tourmaline →
A hard quartz that tolerates water well, traditionally associated with grounding and letting go. Shop smoky quartz →
Hard and durable, and traditionally carried as a protective stone for travellers. Shop garnet →
A volcanic glass that is water safe for a brief rinse, though it is brittle, so avoid knocks and sudden temperature changes. Shop black obsidian →
A form of agate and generally robust in water, although if a piece has been dyed or treated, prolonged soaking can affect it. Shop black onyx →
If you are choosing a protective stone as a present, our protection gifts guide covers who suits which.
Can Crystal Jewellery Get Wet?
Whether a crystal bracelet, necklace or ring can get wet depends on both the stone and the metal. Our pieces are sterling silver set with natural gemstones, and none of them is waterproof. Water, soap, chlorine and sea salt all speed up tarnish on silver, and moisture can work under a stone and loosen its setting over time.
We recommend taking jewellery off before showering, swimming, washing up and exercising, and drying it with a soft cloth if it does get wet. That applies to stones that are water safe, and more so to turquoise, opal, moonstone and malachite, which are the stones people most often ask about in rings and bracelets.
You can browse our full jewellery collection, and our guide to turquoise explains why that stone is so sensitive.
How to Cleanse Crystals That Can't Get Wet
Water is only one way to cleanse a stone, and the dry methods are all safe for every crystal on this page. Pass a stone through smoke, leave it in moonlight, set it on a windowsill, use sound, or simply wipe it with a dry soft cloth. You will find cleansing tools in our Cleanse collection, and every method is explained step by step in How to Cleanse Crystals.
Not sure whether a stone is safe? Ask us, and we will tell you what we know about the piece in front of you.
Ask Symbolia Shop CrystalsCrystals That Can't Get Wet, Answered
Which crystals can't get wet?
Selenite, angelite, celestite, pyrite, halite and desert rose cannot get wet at all. Lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite, opal, calcite, fluorite, lepidolite and amber should only be wiped or briefly rinsed, never soaked.
Why can't selenite get wet?
Selenite is gypsum, a soft mineral about 2 on the Mohs scale that is slightly soluble in water. If you put selenite in water, its surface slowly dissolves and turns rough and chalky.
Why can't pyrite get wet?
Pyrite is iron sulfide, and moisture makes it oxidise over time. If pyrite gets wet, it can turn dull, rusty or powdery on the surface.
Does malachite get toxic in water?
Malachite does not dissolve readily in plain water, but it is a copper mineral that reacts with acids, and copper compounds can be harmful if swallowed. It should never be used in drinking water or an elixir, even briefly.
Why can't lapis lazuli go in water?
Lapis is slightly porous and contains calcite and pyrite, and it is often treated with wax. Soaking can dull the polish and disturb the treatment, so wipe it instead.
Why can't turquoise get wet?
Turquoise is porous and absorbs water, soap and skin oils, which can darken it or change its colour over time. Remove turquoise jewellery before showering or swimming.
Will lepidolite dissolve in water?
No, lepidolite does not dissolve, but it is a soft, flaky mica. A brief rinse is fine, while soaking can dull it and loosen its flakes.
What happens if fluorite gets wet?
Fluorite is not soluble, so a quick rinse will not harm it. It is soft and splits easily along flat planes, and sudden temperature changes can crack it, so avoid hot water and soaking.
Can labradorite go in water, and for how long?
Yes, you can give labradorite a quick 15 to 30 second rinse under cool or lukewarm water, but it should not be left soaking. Avoid hot water and knocks, because it has cleavage.
Which crystals cannot go in salt water?
Any stone that is soluble, soft, porous or metallic, including selenite, angelite, celestite, calcite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite, opal, pyrite and fluorite. Salt also corrodes silver settings.
Can you wear crystals in the shower?
We recommend taking crystal jewellery off before showering. Water and soap can tarnish sterling silver, loosen settings and harm porous or soft stones, even ones that are safe in water on their own.
Which crystals are water safe?
Hard, dense stones such as clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, smoky quartz, citrine, agate, jasper, garnet and tourmaline are generally water safe. Dyed or coated stones can still lose colour or surface treatments.