In taking care of jewelry, it would certainly be a big help if you have knowledge of the element’s natural characteristics. For example, unalloyed or poorly alloyed metals, especially the soft varieties such as silver and gold, are also easily bended or scratched. Besides a gemstone’s hardness, brittleness is also major factor that may come into play. Softer stones are easily scratched and porous gems are prone to staining. Stones may even react to environmental factors like temperature change and sunlight. Pollutants and cosmetic chemicals can also cause damage. Organic gems like pearls are especially fragile.