Safe and Effective Ways to Clean Diamond Rings?
Hand lotions, hair styling products and everyday grime, leave enough of a film on your diamond ring to keep it from looking its best. And if you wait too long between cleanings, these materials accumulate into a thick layer of gunk on the back of your diamond, blocking light and making the diamond appear dull and lifeless.
Diamonds are the hardest substance known, but that doesn't mean we can bring them back to life with any old cleanser. Coatings and other materials used to enhance diamonds can sometimes be removed by harsh chemicals or vigorous scrubbing, so take care when it's time to make your diamond ring sparkle. Back to top
Gentle & Effective Ways to Clean Diamond Rings
- Soak your diamond ring in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water. Ivory dishwashing liquid is a good choice, but any other mild detergent is fine.
- Use a soft brush if necessary to remove dirt. Soft is the key -- don't use a brush with bristles that are stiff enough to scratch the ring's metal setting.
- Swish the ring around in the solution, and then rinse it thoroughly in warm water. Close the drain first, or put the ring in a strainer to protect it from getting washed away!
- Dry the diamond ring with a lint-free cloth.
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If the diamond and setting needs extra help, use dental Water Pick to flush away small bits of grime. You can also use a wooden toothpick to very carefully push dirt away from the diamond and setting. |
Diamonds that have not been fracture filled can be cleaned with a solution of ammonia and water. Use the gentler liquid detergent solution for fracture filled diamonds, because ammonia might eventually either cloud or remove the coating that's been placed on the gemstone. Back to top
Cleaning Rings with Multiple Types of Gemstones
The method you use to clean jewelry should protect its weakest element. If your ring includes other gems, use a cleaning method that is suitable for the less durable stones. Back to top
Protect Diamond Rings from Chlorine
You might already protect your hands from harsh chemicals, but if you don't, think about how chemicals such as chlorine can affect your fine jewelry. Remove your rings or wear gloves to keep chlorine away from your rings. Back to top
Regularly inspect your diamond jewelry to spot a loose stone or bent prong before it's "too late." It's a good idea to have your diamond jewellery examined and cleaned at least once a year by a professional jeweller.
Everyday exposure to creams, skin oils, hairspray, household chemicals and other substances can cause buildup that will dull your diamond's brilliance and sparkle.
Diamonds are the hardest substance known, but coatings and other materials used to enhance them can sometimes be removed by harsh cleansers and vigorous scrubbing, making it even more important to clean the gems with care.
- Soak your diamond ring in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water.
- Use a soft brush if necessary to remove dirt. Soft is the word—don't use a brush with bristles that are stiff enough to scratch the ring's metal setting.
- Swish the ring around in the solution, then rinse it thoroughly in warm water. Block the drain or put the ring in a strainer to keep it from slipping away!
- Dry the ring with a lint-free cloth.
- If the ring needs extra help, you may use a wooden toothpick to carefully push dirt away from the stone and setting.
- Fragile settings and estate jewelry won't take kindly to being scrubbed with a toothbrush, so use a soft touch. Then, just rinse the diamond with water and wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth.
- If your jewellery has other gemstones, use a cleaning method that takes care of the less durable stones.
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- Put your diamonds away with other jewellery pieces; they could scratch one another. Use a fabric lined case with a pouch for each piece, or wrap them in tissue paper
- Bring your diamonds in contact with household chemicals
- Expose your diamond ring to products containing chlorine. Wear gloves if you need to use such products
- Expose diamonds to dripping bleaches or hair dyes
- Don't use harmful solutions. Chlorine or abrasives should never be used when cleaning diamonds, especially those set in jewelry. These erode some of the metals often used in diamond settings, and may loosen prongs, or even dissolve the metal completely. Back to top
CLEANING PRECIOUS METALS
- To maintain your gold jewelry’s sparkle, clean it regularly.
- Soak your gold or platinum jewelry in warm water mixed with a few drops of ammonia.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush gently for more extensive cleaning.
- After cleaning and rinsing, dry and polish with a soft cloth.
- Close your drain if you are cleaning near a sink.
- Store it in a fabric-lined case with separate pouches for each piece
- compartments, or wrap pieces individually in soft tissue paper. Back to top
When white gold is sold, it is always rhodium plated. Rhodium is a hard, durable, silvery-white metal that gives white gold (which is actually a very pale yellow) a very white look in the showcase and on your finger. This white look will soon wear out when there is friction. This usually starts by the shank (the part of the ring that goes around the finger) starting to “turn yellow”. Later, all the exposed edges and corners will start “yellowing” as well.
The easiest and least expensive solution is to take it to your local jeweller to have the ring re-rhodiumed. The cost of this temporary solution is minimal, and it needs to be repeated as this new layer wears off. A more permanent solution would be to consider remounting your stones in a platinum or palladium alloy ring.
While lasting and durable, gold can become scratched or dented, particularly if handled roughly. Regularly check your gold jewelry for loose prongs or any damage, promptly bringing it to a professional jeweler for repair if needed.
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A gemstone is a mineral, rock (such
in the case of lapis lazuli), or petrified material that when cut or
faceted and polished is collectible or can be used in jewelry. Others
are organic (such as amber, which is fossilised tree resin, and jet, a
form of coal). Some gemstones which may be generally considered precious
or beautiful are too soft or too fragile to be used in jewelry (for
example, single-crystal rhodochrosite) but are exhibited in museums and
are sought by collectors. Keep your jewelry clean! Rings in particular tend to collect dirt behind the stone, especially if you wear them on a regular basis. You can clean transparent gemstones by simply soaking them in water with a touch of soap. Use a soft toothbrush to scrub the stone. Even the hardest gemstone variety can be vulnerable to breakage if it has inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Exercise common sense: if you have a ring set with a softer gem variety or an included stone, take it off before strenuous activity. Even the hardest gemstones like Diamonds, Rubies and Sapphires can shatter with a single well-placed blow especially if they have inclusions, which weaken the crystal structure. Think twice before putting gems in an ultrasonic cleaner. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires will be fine but many other gems may not be: when in doubt, leave it out. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires, and other single-crystal gems can be cleaned with a touch of ammonia in water to remove all films and add extra sparkle. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner or ammonia for cleaning such opaque gemstones like lapis, turquoise, malachite or onyx. They should be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb chemicals, even soap, which may build up inside the stone and discolor it. The reason why these materials need more care than transparent gemstones is that these materials are essentially rocks, not crystals of a single mineral. Think about it: when you put a rock in water, it absorbs the water and is moist all the way through. A single crystal gem like sapphire will not absorb water: all the molecules are lined up so tightly in the crystal that there is no room for water to enter. Opals also require special care. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner or ammonia, and avoid heat and strong light which can dry out the water in opals. Organic gems like pearls, coral, and amber should only be wiped clean with a moist cloth. Due to their organic nature, these gems are both soft and porous. Be careful about chemicals in hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume: they can, over time, damage pearls in particular. Store each piece of gemstone jewelry
separately so that harder stones don't scratch softer ones. Almost every
gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch
the finish on your gold, silver or platinum if you throw your jewelry in
a heap in a drawer or jewelry box. Gemstones Treatments/Benefits Care Instructions
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