How To Take Care Of Your Diamond

A piece of diamond jewellery is precious not just in terms of emotional value if received from a loved one, but it is precious due to its financial value. Here we take a look at how to take care of your diamond, particularly if it is your engagement ring and therefore a piece you will be wearing daily for the rest of your life. With a little care, diamonds will retain their shine and sparkle for many years. Here’s how:

Don’t remove a diamond in public

When out in public, don’t remove your diamond jewellery as the risk of leaving it behind or, if you’re washing your hands, dropping it down the drain whilst putting it on a sink ledge, are too high risk.

Buy insurance

Protect your financial investment in your diamond jewellery with insurance in case it gets lost, stolen or damaged. It is a good idea to have jewellery re-appraised every five years as the value of your jewellery may have increased, but unless your insurance company are made aware of this, you may be insured for far less than the actual replacement value. Make sure your insurance offers a replacement with same kind and quality of the diamond, particularly if you have a designer piece.

Touch the diamond sparingly

Handle your diamond sparingly, as your fingers provide enough oil from your skin to alter the way your diamond looks as dust, dirt and body oil can gather under the stone. For example, when removing a diamond ring, grab the band on either side of the diamond rather than the diamond itself. You will know if there is dirt under the stone as the top will look cloudy.

Then choose the setting

A quality setting, being the metal framework in which your stone is mounted will complement and celebrate the diamond of your choice. A classic round engagement ring stone looks modern in a bezel setting and a modern oval can look more conventional in a four-prong setting

Keep your diamond clean

Keep your ring clean, but be careful of the solutions that are available on the market as some may work well for diamonds, but may not be safe for precious metals in which the diamonds are set. Many jewellers recommend cleaning with warm water with a few drops of dish detergent added. Let the ring soak for a few minutes and then very gently scrub with a soft toothbrush that you use just for this purpose. Rinse in a bowl of warm water and not under the tap as you risk dropping it. Then dry with a lint free cloth, being careful not to snag the prongs.

Have a professional clean

If you have a 14K white gold setting for your diamond, over time the setting can get worn and have a yellow tone. If it is scratched, the white gold is removed. Your jeweller can easily get the metal looking like new again with a re-coating of rhodium and will professionally clean the diamond too.

Don’t treat your diamond with harsh chemicals

Remove your diamond ring when using abrasive materials or touching harsh chemicals. Place it in a safe place whilst you do your cleaning, disinfecting or painting. A small ring dish next to your sink in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen makes removing your diamond ring at home safer when you need to remove your ring.

Be mindful of wear and tear

A diamond is one of the world’s hardest natural materials, but a cut and polished diamond can chip. Sometimes the table of a cut diamond can be susceptible to wear and tear. Be sure not to knock it against other hard materials. Working out at the gym, gardening, moving furniture, carrying heavy luggage will all put stress on your diamond ring, from stretching the band to bending or breaking the prongs in which the diamond is set.

Store individual jewellery pieces separately

Find a safe place to store your diamond jewellery when you’re not wearing it. Don’t store your diamond jewellery next to other jewellery pieces as this can cause scratches. A fabric-lined jewellery case with separate compartments is ideal. You can also use jewellery pouches for each piece.

And Finally…

Make an annual maintenance appointment with your jeweller

Regularly check your diamond jewellery to make sure the setting is secure. At least once a year arrange an annual maintenance appointment with your jeweller to make sure the settings are tight and that the diamond isn’t loose. This is particularly important for diamond jewellery you wear a lot as daily wear and tear can take its toll, even on fine jewellery.