What are the dangers of diamond jewelry?

The lucky owner of a diamond ring or diamond earrings probably wants her wonderful jewelry to always remain as new and her diamonds as sparkling as the day she purchased them. How to properly care for diamond or diamond jewelry? Firstly, you need to follow a few simple rules when wearing them, so that within a week after purchase you don’t have to go to the jeweler. If possible, try to remove jewelry when you get home. Judge for yourself, peeling potatoes in a diamond ring (even if it is an engagement ring) is not entirely reasonable. It’s better to take it off for a while, putting it aside, and put it back on after cooking. The same goes for diamond earrings. You should not take a bath in them, much less go to the sauna. High humidity and temperature do not benefit the shine of the product; moreover, in such situations you can simply lose the decoration. Do not forget that it is better to store jewelry not on an open shelf, but in some small jewelry box. This way you will protect your jewelry from dust. It is better if different jewelry has its own box, so that the rings inside it do not rub against each other, but are placed freely on a soft surface. Be prepared for the fact that after some time a small amount of dirt will accumulate on the jewelry, which is usually located in small hollows of the pattern or simply in the most inaccessible places of the product. In most cases, such “dirt” is even beneficial: it creates an additional effect of depth in the design of a ring or earrings. If this is categorically unacceptable for you, then you can clean your jewelry yourself at home. Sometimes it is enough to wash the product with soap and water. You can use a soft sponge to do this. This method is especially convenient for cleaning chains and items with large parts (pendants). It is very good to clean rings and earrings with diamonds using vodka or a weak alcohol solution. In this case, you can pour alcohol into a cup and dip the jewelry there for a few seconds, and for more severe contamination, use a cotton swab dipped in this liquid. There is no need to rub the product with force, just walk over it with moistened cotton wool. This will be quite enough to return the shine to the gold, and to the diamond its unique sparkle. Remember: never try to clean products with strong abrasives (such as soda), as it can scratch the gold and ruin the appearance of the product. Do not use various household solutions (vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate) for cleaning. For example, iodine will permanently change the color of gold by entering into an oxidation reaction with it. Such a defect can only be eliminated by re-polishing. Some people are still convinced that a diamond is the hardest stone, that it does not sink in water and does not burn in fire. It’s not like that at all. This statement is true for a diamond: the raw material from which craftsmen subsequently cut a diamond. Indeed, a diamond is very strong, nature created it with a cloudy, as if melted coating, professionals call it a “shirt.” The “jacket” of a diamond is a consequence of the high temperature inside the earth where the stone was formed. The cutter, removing this layer, gives the diamond the shape of a diamond, and at the same time, to the many positive properties acquired by the stone (brilliance, transparency, sparkle), the fragility of the stone and sensitivity to temperatures above 700 C are added. That is why, never try to check the authenticity of your diamond by blows or fire. In the first case, there is a high probability of a complete split of the stone, in the second, your irresistible diamond will be covered with a thin cloudy layer, which can only be removed by repeated polishing at a cutting factory, but at the same time, your diamond will lose its original size, weight, and, perhaps, the quality of the cut. Treasure your diamonds, especially if they were given to you with love, take care of them as much as possible. Remember that once every six months it is advisable to take your jewelry to a jeweler to clean it in an ultrasonic bath, and if necessary, polish it to a new condition. And then your irresistible rings, earrings or pendants with diamonds will bring you joy every day! In order for diamond jewelry to retain its attractive appearance and please the eye for a long time, it is important to properly care for it. Let’s figure out how to store and clean diamond jewelry at home.

Why you need to clean your jewelry

Gold rings, earrings, chains, pendants, bracelets are constantly in contact with the skin and are exposed to various external influences. Particles of dust, grease, residues of care or decorative cosmetics and other contaminants get on jewelry. This causes the gold to fade, and the stones gradually darken and lose their shine. Contaminated diamonds appear smaller and less attractive. In addition, dirty deposits on earrings or a chain can cause skin itching, irritation and cause skin inflammation. Therefore, it is necessary to process jewelry as often as possible. Cleaning your diamond jewelry yourself is easy. Diamonds are resistant to most alkalis and acids. The stones can withstand temperature changes and are resistant to high humidity. But despite this, you need to care for the stones carefully.

How to properly clean diamonds

Simple rules will help you maintain the attractive appearance of precious stones: · Clean your diamond jewelry every 2-3 months. Give them to a jeweler for processing twice a year. · A thick, lint-free cloth is suitable for cleaning stones. Do not choose cotton pads or fluffy napkins for these purposes, as they will leave fibers on the stone. · Do not clean stones with a hard toothbrush or products with a high alkaline content. Use small synthetic brushes and mild baby cream soap or handmade soap. · Do not clean diamonds with abrasive compounds. Abrasives can damage the surface of the stones and make them cloudy. · Do not wash diamond jewelry in hot water, as this will cause the precious inserts to stop shining. Don’t forget about the frame, especially if it is made of gold or platinum – these precious metals require delicate care. They also cannot be cleaned with aggressive compounds. In addition, in jewelry, diamonds are often combined with other stones, such as emeralds or pearls, which must be handled with care. In some cases, cleaning precious inserts should be left to a professional.

Method 1: liquid soap

At home, diamonds can be cleaned using a soap solution. As a rule, liquid products or crushed soap are used, previously dissolved in warm water. To make diamond jewelry sparkle, soak it in soapy water for a few minutes. First mix the soap with water until foam forms. Remove heavy dirt using a soft cloth or sponge. After cleaning the jewelry, rinse with running water and blot with a dry cloth.

Method 2: ammonia and ammonia

Dissolve nine drops of ammonia in a glass of water and stir well. Place a ring, earrings, pendant or chain into the resulting liquid and leave for 20–30 minutes. After cleaning with ammonia, place the jewelry in a soapy solution and clean off any remaining dirt with a brush or brush. After this, all that remains is to wash the product with clean water. Wear protective gloves when cleaning jewelry. Treatment with ammonia restores the shine of gold jewelry with stones. To prepare a cleaning solution, take a glass of water, add two tablespoons of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide (3%) to it. Place into the mixture. After half an hour, remove them and then wash them well with water.

Method 3: vodka or alcohol

Pharmaceutical alcohol or vodka are also good for cleaning diamond jewelry made of white, red, and yellow gold. As in the previously described methods, you need to place the decoration in a container with vodka/alcohol and leave it for a while. Usually a few minutes is enough to clean gold jewelry. After alcohol treatment, rinse the product with water.

Method 4: soda solution

Ordinary baking soda will not only cleanse the gemstone of impurities, but also give it shine. A solution of 100 grams of warm water and the same amount of soda is suitable for cleaning. The disadvantage of this method is that it is not recommended to clean gold jewelry with soda. Due to exposure to alkali, gold becomes cloudy.

Method 5: special means

Professional jewelry cleaning products have a safe composition and high-tech formula. Thanks to particles of different dispersion, they remove dust, dirt, and grease well. As a result of the use of industrial compounds, the metals from which jewelry is made acquire a bright shine. Some compositions are capable of filling microcracks and returning natural radiance to precious stones. Cleaning products in the form of solutions, pastes, foams, and sprays can be purchased at jewelry stores. There are also specialized cleansing shampoos, but they are more intended for use in professional cleaning installations, for example, ultrasonic washers or chambers.

Method 6: bow

Cut the onion into several pieces, grate on a fine grater or grind in a blender. Place the resulting mass in cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice. Strain the liquid and place the decoration in it for an hour. Onion juice dissolves contaminants that appear on the surface of stones and precious metals. The disadvantage of this method is the unpleasant odor that remains on the jewelry. Plain water will help get rid of the onion aroma: just rinse the jewelry and wipe dry with a cloth.

Method 7: Coca-Cola

The carbonated soft drink is renowned for its anti-corrosion and cleaning properties. This soda is often used to remove rust and limescale. How it works? It’s all about phosphoric and citric acids included in the product. The active substances in the drink are good at removing dirt from jewelry. Pour 0,5 liters of cola into a deep container and place a diamond ring there. After 30–40 minutes, remove the jewelry, rinse with cool water and wipe with a dry cloth. It is important to understand that you should use soda carefully. Not all diamond jewelry can withstand such an original cleaning.

How to clean a diamond ring

To clean a complex ring shape, use small brushes or brushes. · Prepare a warm soapy solution, place the diamond ring in it and leave it for a while. · Gently brush the jewelry. · Rinse the ring with water and wipe with a soft cloth. Pay attention to fasteners, as well as decorative inserts and elements of complex shape. They tend to accumulate the most dust and dirt. To better clean dirt, take a cotton swab dipped in glycerin or alcohol.

How to clean diamond earrings

It is advisable to clean earrings made of white or yellow gold using a soap solution or water with sugar. Medical alcohol will help remove grease and dust: moisten a cotton swab with it and gently wipe the jewelry. Additionally, you can go over the decoration with a soft-bristled toothbrush. After cleaning, rinse the earrings with water and wipe with a suede cloth.

How to clean gold with diamonds: nuances

Jewelry made from yellow or white gold is chemical resistant. All of the above cleaning methods will not damage the precious metal and stones. But in some cases, gold jewelry may lose its original shine. For example, when trying to clean them with baking soda. To clean gold, you cannot use compositions containing abrasive particles. At home, you can clean gold jewelry with stones using onion juice, shampoo, alcohol or ammonia. Special pastes are also suitable for this purpose. Rhodium gold can be washed with a sugar solution: dissolve 3 tsp in a glass of water. sugar and place the decoration in it for 10–12 hours. Rinse off the remaining sweet solution with running water. When cleaning diamond jewelry, it is recommended to use soft brushes, brushes, sponges and cotton swabs, as well as lint-free wipes.

How not to clean diamonds

Due to improper cleaning using aggressive substances, a diamond can lose its beauty and shine. Do not use chlorine or iodine to clean gemstones as they may leave stains. What can ruin the appearance of diamonds: · Chlorinated water. Contact with bleach causes diamonds to lose their shine, so it is better to use filtered or bottled water to rinse stones. · Ultraviolet. When exposed to direct sunlight, diamonds begin to attract oil and dust particles. · Remains of cosmetics. Fatty components in cosmetics contaminate and spoil precious stones. Therefore, it is advisable to minimize the contact of diamonds with creams, lotions and other cosmetics. Also, do not use gasoline, potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and household cleaners. Abrasive products can scratch stones and dull them. It is forbidden to boil diamonds, as this will cause them to become dull. Neither chalk nor tooth powder is suitable for cleaning diamonds. Take your jewelry to a jeweler once a year. The master will not only clean it using professional products, but also check the strength of the frame and fastenings, and, if necessary, polish and strengthen the product.