Diamonds sparkle because of its facets – tiny mirrors that reflect light in and out of the stone. Light enters the top of the diamond, then travels to the bottom, where it reflects and refracts light that reflects brilliantly back to the viewer. If these facets attract grime, your diamond will lose its shine. To keep your diamond jewellery in gleaming condition, they have to be handled sparingly, and cleaned regularly.
Hold your diamond jewellery by its metal frame
Diamonds are natural magnets for oil. Hard as they are, diamonds easily attract dirt when sebum (oil that human skin secretes) collects at the facets, as it does when it comes into contact with skin. To keep your diamond’s luster, touch it with bare hands sparingly. You should also take off any jewellery when putting on thick lotion or heavy creams.
Never wear your diamond jewellery when doing exercise or chores
Diamonds last forever, but their sparkle won’t if you subject them to daily use that encourages dirt buildup, such as exercising (where oil from your sweat coats the diamond facet with a layer of grime). You will also be risking injury if you lift weights or punch bags with your ring in your finger. Obviously, if you wear diamond earrings or necklace during heavy workout, you risk losing your shiny bauble in the thick of vigorous activity.
Use gentle cleaners
We normally believe that because diamonds are the hardest minerals on earth, they can take whatever beating thrown their way. It’s true that only a diamond can cut another diamond, but harsh abrasives or chemical cleaners can corrode the metal your diamond is mounted on, shaking loose the stone from its setting.
Use mild dish soap instead. Dilute with water, and soak your diamond in that gentle solution once or twice a week. Carefully clean hard-to-reach places with a soft toothbrush exclusively used for cleaning your jewelry. Scrub the pavilion (the underside of the stone) where gunk is frequently trapped until the dirt comes loose.
This is because the pavilion needs to be clean for that surface to bounce the light upward. When you leave a hand imprint in a glass window, light doesn’t pass through as clearly as when it is smudge-free.
Be cautious with using ultrasonic cleaners
Collected dirt can become encrusted over time, which simple degreasing solution may not totally remove. Using ultrasonic cleaners can be very tempting, but beware: Ultrasonic cleaners create vibrating motion to shake encrusted dirt loose from the stones. This rough handling could cause the stones to loosen from their mountings, putting your diamond at risk of getting knocked off with even the slightest impact.
To be sure your precious stone gets the tender care it deserves, bring it to a professional jeweler who can clean it for you using special equipment and tighten the stone in its mounting.
