How to Care for Your Diamonds
Once you have bought or been given a piece of jewellery, the last thing you want is for it to lose its beauty. Given below are a number of simple tips to help you ensure that your diamonds and gems sparkle forever!
Preventing Damage
- Store jewellery items in individual fabric-lined cases or pouches when you're not wearing them. Alternatively, store them in a box with dividers or separate compartments. This is important because diamonds can scratch other jewellery as well as each other. Secure storage for your diamond jewellery is particularly important when you are travelling. You can buy jewellery carrying cases that are specifically designed for travel.
- If you notice a loose gemstone or any other damage to your jewellery, do not wear the jewellery until you have taken it to a professional jeweller. This will prevent you from losing your gemstones! In the case of expensive or sentimental jewellery that is worn on a regular basis, it is recommended that you have a jeweller check the setting of any gems every year.
- Allowing diamonds to rub against one another can result in them becoming severely damaged. Due to their hardness, diamonds can also easily damage other types of gemstones. Therefore, avoid wearing rings next to each other, either on the same finger or on adjacent fingers. This will prevent gemstone-to-gemstone damage. If you must wear several rings near to each other, it is better if there is only metal-to-metal contact between them. Although this will cause the metal to become worn, in most cases it is cheaper to replace the metal than the gemstone.
- Avoid wearing your jewellery (especially rings) while doing housework, gardening, or any other kind of manual work. Even though diamonds are extremely hard, even moderate blows from certain angles might chip or cleave them. In addition, a knock may damage the metal setting that holds the stone in place. Both of these types of damage particularly occur with claw or prong settings. If your rings fit too tightly to be removed, wear suitable gloves to help protect them.
- When doing household cleaning, never allow your jewellery to come into contact with chlorine bleach or any other corrosive liquids. Although such liquids don't damage diamonds, they can corrode the metalwork. In the case of rings, either remove them or wear suitable gloves for protection.
A typical example of a diamond solitaire engagement ring. The brilliant cut diamond shown here is held in place by six prongs/claws. This arrangement is often referred to as a Tiffany mount or Tiffany setting.
Preventing Loss/Theft
- Do not wear a ring that is too loose. It may slip off and fall to a place that is out of your reach (e.g., into a street drain). Remember that your fingers will contract in cold weather, thereby making any rings that you wear looser.
- Never leave rings on the side of a sink when washing your hands. They could very easily slip down the drain.
- Check that the clasps of your necklaces, bracelets, and brooches are in good working order before putting them on. This will make them less likely to fall off.
- Don't take off and place your jewellery in a public place, even if you are going to be right next to it. It may be stolen in a second or you may just forget to put it back on before leaving. Either way, it is probably going to be lost forever.
- This may sound obvious, but try to avoid wearing expensive, or at least expensive-looking, jewellery in areas with high crime rates. This will minimise your chances of being robbed.
Cleaning Methods
Jewellery that is worn on a regular basis (e.g., engagement rings) will inevitably become dirty. Lotions, powders, soaps, cooking grease, and even the natural oils from your skin will create a film on the surface of your jewellery. This will cause any gems to lose their sparkle. Such films form especially readily on diamond due to its chemical structure.
DIY methods
When choosing a cleaning method, remember that the method you pick should always be safe for every component of your jewellery item. The DIY methods listed here are included as a general guide only; consult a professional jeweller if you are in any way uncertain about the cleaning of your jewellery.
- Soapy water — suitable for most gold and platinum jewellery.
- Soak suitable jewellery items for several minutes in warm water containing a small amount of mild soap or mild dishwashing detergent (be sure that you do not add anything containing chlorine). If necessary, use a very soft brush to remove any stubborn debris. Rinse the pieces with water and pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
- Avoid cleaning stone-containing jewellery in a sink or hand basin. If stones become loose during cleaning, they can easily be lost down the drain. Also, never use toothpaste to clean jewellery. Most contain abrasive particles that can damage softer gems and metals.
- Branded jewellery cleaning products
- There are many jewellery cleaning products available. Make sure that the type you buy is suitable for the gems and metals of the jewellery you wish to clean. Carefully read and follow the instructions supplied. Think twice before buying what is known as a “chemical dip”. There have been reports of such products causing significant damage, especially to porous gems and shell materials.
- Ultrasonic cleaning
- There are several types of small ultrasonic cleaning machines available. Many jewellery stores sell them. Be sure to carefully read the manufacturer's instructions and warnings before using these machines for any of your jewellery items.
Professional cleaning
If you are not confident to clean your jewellery yourself or if you are unhappy with your own cleaning results, consider having your jewellery professionally cleaned by a jeweller (preferably the jeweller from who the item was originally bought, as they will most likely provide this service free of charge). A professional jeweller will also spot any damage to your jewellery.