Dec 02, 2019

Everything You Need to Know About Caring for Your Diamond: Part I

LISA

Diamonds are the superheroes of gems: they’re all flash and fire and seemingly bulletproof. And yes, while it’s true they’re the hardest stones around, they can also show signs of everyday wear and tear. Their kryptonite? Dirt. Oil, skin cells, muck and grime not only dim your stone’s natural sparkle, they can also build up under prongs, causing the stone to loosen and possibly even fall out. Luckily, taking care of your rock is fairly simple. Today, we’ll cover how to clean and care for it.

Every Month: Clean the Diamond

This step is crucial and—luckily—requires just a tiny bit of elbow grease and a few items you already have around the house. The simplest and best route is to soak the diamond in a small bowl of soapy water (dish soap is best). Using a clean toothbrush, scrub the stone and setting, taking extra care to clean around the part that touches your skin. Rinse. Then put the jewelry on a dry washcloth and blow it dry with a hairdryer.

Or, if you prefer, swap out the soapy solution with some window cleaner and soak the jewelry in it for about 20 minutes. The ammonia will loosen any tough dirt behind the stone. Follow up by scrubbing the piece with a toothbrush, rinsing it with water, and drying it thoroughly. Caveat: Never use ammonia on pearls, emeralds, opals or inlays.

You can also purchase an ultrasonic cleaner (they’re around $40), which does a nice job with diamonds. My advice? For maximum sparkle, use warm water and Simple Green. The biodegradable cleaner breaks up oil pretty quickly.

Cleaning a ring with a Keurig coffee maker

Need to remove stubborn dirt? Fill up a cappuccino maker or Keurig coffee maker with plain water. Hold the jewelry with a pair of tweezers, and place it under the stream of hot water coming out. Then place it in a bowl soapy water and scrub clean with a toothbrush. Caveat: Do not do this on any jewelry with pearls, emeralds, opals or inlays.

If DIY isn’t your style, just take the diamond to your local jeweler for a complimentary professional steam cleaning. It’s okay if you bought it somewhere else. Jewelers truly enjoy providing this service.

Every Year: Have It Inspected

You have an annual physical, right? Show your diamonds the same kind of love and have a professional jeweler give them a once-over every year, especially if you have a four-prong ring. A standard check-up is complimentary and includes inspecting every stone for tightness, checking prong height for the stone, assessing the general integrity, and cleaning the piece.

Note: If you have white gold pieces, consider having them dipped in rhodium every year. The service is affordable—expect to pay under $100—and it’ll keep them looking good as new.

For more care advice and to order cleaning products, visit www.krikawa.com.
Krikawa. Where your dream ring comes true.

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