Did you know, it is essential to keep your diamonds clean to sustain their sparkle? If you had worn your diamond jewellery for a while and wondered why it had suddenly become dull and lifeless? An untidy or dirty stone is likely the root of this problem.
Quite often, the main suspect of an untidy diamond is grime and oil deposits dawning from skin contact. As the muck and residue continue to build upon the surface, it results in severely hampering the diamond’s ability to transmit light properly.
It is a common fact that Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. Its atomic makeup makes it so strong that it can cut any stone or metal, however only a diamond can cut another diamond. In fact, many studies reveal that burning a diamond, requires it to be heated between 1290-1650 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the oil deposited from the touch of a human finger can result in the accumulation of dirt on its surface and can make this nearly indestructible gemstone loose its shimmering appeal.
So you might be wondering; how can you keep your diamond looking at it’s very best? Experts at Aida Design US point out some tips on keeping your diamond’ sparkling:
- Handle your diamonds’ sporadically:
Diamonds are transparent gemstones and thus are natural magnets for grease, oil and stains, which means they’re not easy to keep clean. Remember, when a diamond is treated on a regular basis, the oils from your fingers adhere to diamond’s surface and can affect its brilliance.
- Cleanliness is the best approach:
A simple method to have your diamond jewellery looking beautiful is to immerse it in a mild degreasing solution; a common occurrence of this solution can be a mixture of water with a few drops of dish soap. Immerse your gemstone jewellery in it, once dipped remove the diamond from the cleaning solution and use a soft toothbrush to remove any residual dirt or grime.
It went without saying that the toothbrush you’ll be using for this job should be brand new and bought -reserved- exclusively for this occasional jewellery cleaning. You might be wondering how to use this brush? Simply, use it to clean hard-to-reach places like the back of the diamond, which tends to collect the most oil and dirt.
- Easy approach with the cloth does the magic:
The majority of people overlook the fact that antique jewellery or a tension setting where the diamond or a gemstone is secured in place by asserting a certain amount of pressure from the prongs or shanks, which means that any such jewellery or ring shouldn’t be vigorously scrubbed. The key in these situations is gentleness. Many experts remark on being gentle in the scrubbing with the toothbrush, followed by a wash with water and lastly the use of a lint-free cloth to thoroughly dry the stone.
- Avoid strong cleaning solutions:
Chlorine bleach, household cleaners or toothpaste shouldn’t be used when cleaning diamond jewellery. You might be wondering why exactly? Well, studies suggest that chemicals like chlorine can damage some of the metals used to combine gold for diamond settings.
- Cautious Approach to Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment:
Alright, first thing’s first, we’ve established that diamonds are one of the hardest naturally occurring materials in the world, so the use of ultrasonic cleaners is not going to disintegrate your diamond. However, there are certain conditions which if not considered then your diamond jewellery could certainly be damaged irreparably. So what are those things that you need to be aware of:
- As evident by the name ultrasonic waves are employed to remove dirt and grime from the diamond by sending low-frequency waves in a fluid, which then vibrates the dust off the surface of the diamond.
- This procedure sometimes results in the loosening of mountings or settings that hold the diamond in place.
- If your diamond’s been treated by fracture filling then it is advised to proceed with caution.
The reasons mentioned above dictate to refer to your diamond’s grading report, or you can always consult a professional jeweller who can determine the condition of your diamond, the professional would also inform you about any repair or a component that needs to be addressed.
The key to a diamond’s sparkle lies in its planes – which work like a series of tiny mirrors reflecting light in and out of the stone. Regular and gentle cleaning of these facets will contribute a long way in keeping your diamond gleaming.