How To Take Care Of Your Diamond Jewellery
Diamonds are precious and expensive and are probably the most treasured of all your jewellery, so caring for them is paramount to keep them in tip-top order. They've been portrayed throughout history to denote love, power, strength and wealth, and remain a thing of beauty and value to this day.
Why caring for your diamond jewellery is important
Most people believe that when you buy a piece of diamond jewellery, the sparkle and shine will be long-lasting. You admire and adore it and believe it will always look the same, but the truth is that you have to maintain diamonds to keep the shine and brilliance.
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To keep its shine and brilliance
Even though diamonds are the toughest natural substance on earth, they do gather dirt and dust or any oils that may be deposited on them. Any contact with chemicals can make them appear dull and cloudy. Therefore, general care is important.
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To maintaining its value
Diamonds hold great value, and this is an essential reason that they should be looked after in order to keep their value should you decide to sell them at a future date.
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To avoid expensive repairs and maintenance
With general wear, your diamonds may be subject to scratches or chips, and for that reason, by maintaining a regular cleaning schedule, you'll avoid all expensive repairs and maintenance.
How to clean a diamond ring
As with all daily living, your diamonds are subject to contact with scratches, knocks and general build-up of dirt deposits. We all lead busy lives and press ahead with many chores and often don't give thought to protecting any precious jewellery that we're wearing.
Here are some tips to help in daily maintenance.
- Do a daily rub of the diamonds in order to keep them free of any dirt and oils as that way they won't look cloudy. Keep them sparkly by using a piece of cloth, or preferably chamois, to free up any build-up of dust and grease deposits.
- At least once a month, soak your diamond jewellery in a washing-up liquid mixture and use a soft toothbrush to gently clean it.
Day to day caring for diamond jewellery
Besides the actual cleaning of diamonds, there are other practices to help keep your diamonds at their very best.
- It's essential to keep diamond jewellery well away from other pieces, so keep them in original boxes, or a fabric-lined box or wrapped in tissue paper in a separate box.
- Check diamonds regularly to see if any chips or scratches have appeared. If so, it's best to take them to a professional jeweller for inspection.
- Keep diamonds well away from contact with chemicals, including all perfumes, air fresheners, and any other substances that can create a build-up that can enable the diamonds to become dull. They need to be kept sparkling forever.
- Gentle brushing with a small and soft toothbrush is an excellent cleaning tool. Starting at the back of the diamond, gently sweep over to loosen any dirt deposits.
- Always handle precious diamonds carefully, and after gentle brushing, carefully rinse the diamonds with a lint-free cloth.
- Avoid any harsh contact in the form of chlorine or abrasives, which can cause damage. Some cleaners can easily erode metals and loosen the stone's settings and even discolour jewellery.
Protect diamonds carefully
Before engaging in household tasks, think ahead about your diamond jewellery, as it's best to remove it before doing such things as gardening or cleaning chores by using anything harsh that may result in damage to diamonds. Always be on guard when at the kitchen sink as diamonds may easily slip down the drain, and then they're lost forever.
Most people tend to wear their engagement rings along with other rings continually; however, you should never shower or bathe wearing diamonds. All cosmetic build-up will eventually make diamonds dull and cloudy.
Many like to keep diamond rings on a chain around their neck when doing household chores, as that way, the precious ring is protected from damage and contact with any chemicals. It's also a good idea to let the diamond rest as continual water contact will cause damage, and the ring may slide off your finger if the fitting isn't exact.
Try to examine and clean diamonds daily so that they sparkle when you come to wear them the next day.
Professional cleaning and resizing of diamond rings
As diamonds are an expensive commodity and very special to you, it goes without saying that professional cleaning and maintenance is the best option.
Treat it rather like your car and have an MOT, as that way you'll be assured your diamonds are in good order.
They will then be cleaned using ultrasonic steam cleaners, and this is something that cannot be undertaken at home.
With resizing a ring, this is always debatable as finger sizes vary due to many factors. There may be weight loss or gain, pregnancy, and even changing seasons. Fingers swell accordingly, and it's advisable to have a perfect fitting ring.
It should feel tight enough for it to sit well and that it stays in place on your finger, but leaving a bit of leeway for any swelling. It isn't advisable to get a diamond ring resized at regular intervals, and this can cause ongoing damage and devalue it.
Final Thoughts
Diamonds are forever, so the famous quote says and means they are a sign of everlasting love. And so, they need to be cherished, and taking proper care of your engagement ring will increase its lifespan and preserve its timeless beauty. It's recommended to have professional cleaning of your ring around three to four times a year and have the setting checked for stability twice a year. That way, you'll rest assured your diamonds are in tip-top condition. We all love the idea of owning diamonds and flashing them on any given occasion, but great care is essential to keep them treasured.