Caring for Your Diamonds

One of the best things about caring for diamonds is that it’s so easy . . . as one of the hardest substances on earth, they’re hard to scratch or break. Not impossible! But certainly difficult. Most of the serious problems we see with diamonds come from rough use — ask any jeweler for a diamond horror story, and you’ll hear about diamonds being run through garbage disposals, run over by cars, and dropped in industrial mixers! So when you head to the commercial kitchen for that fun let’s-make-all-our-meals-for-the-next-month outing, you might want to leave your rings at home . . . 

Of course, there’s  one other kind of horror story jewelers can tell you about, and that’s the diamond-encrusted-with-22-years-of-body-oil-and-garden-dirt horror story. Of course, we understand how that happens. Your diamond ring should be part of your life, and it goes wherever your hands go! And if you see it every day, you may not even realize that it’s gradually losing its sparkle under a sheen of subway fumes and family-dinner preparations. If you’re suddenly looking at your ring in horror, and seeing it for the first time, don’t worry! Just bring it in to us (or, if you’re not in the Atlanta area, your family jeweler), and we’ll get it all cleaned up for you. No judgment! It happens to everyone!

And now, here’s how to prevent that build-up from happening: buy your diamond ring a soft toothbrush. Soft! Just like you should be buying for your teeth! And once or  twice a week, take a little bit of dish soap and water, give your ring a gentle all-over scrub. Never use chlorine bleach, toothpaste, or other abrasives or strong chemicals to clean your diamonds. These chemicals and abrasives can damage metals, which will weaken your diamond’s setting.

Also, Do Not do this over the sink with an open drain! Just in case your diamond is loose, you don’t want to have to call the plumber to retrieve it! Instead, put a bit of water in a small bowl, clean your ring, then put fresh water in the bowl and give your ring a swish. Gently dry with a microfiber cloth.

There’s been a trend the past decade for people to buy ultrasonic cleaners for home use. Ultrasonic cleaners are a  gentle way of cleaning, becasue they use low-frequency sound waves to vibrate away dirt and oils. But they can also jiggle stones loose from their settings and even chip the thin edges of your diamond by bumping it up against other items. Seriously – we’re happy to clean your diamond jewelry for you if you bring it in! Unless you know everything about your diamond – like if it is fracture filled, or has feathering or inclusions – an ultrasonic can be a risky choice.

Finally, let us inspect your diamonds once each year. Just pop in the store, and we’ll put it under magnification to check for any micro-damage, check the strength of your setting, and give it a cleaning.

Make sure your diamonds are sparkly, beautiful, and safe for the long-term! Buy it a toothbrush, gently clean it once or twice a week, and let us give it a professional inspection once each year to ensure that it remains in as good a condition as the day you bought it.