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ajediam diamond jewelry maintenance

How to maintain your diamond jewelry so it stays in your family forever? 

The beauty of diamonds captivates us. The brilliant shine of the dancing light inside them ensnares us. As if nature had engineered eternal perfection to remind us of our own momentary existence. Once a diamond jewel becomes a family possession it quickly becomes more than a mesmerizing mineral. It transforms into an embodiment of our purest feelings of love. Just as love is not meant to be held by a single person, so are diamonds meant to be passed down to the people we care for. Through their eyes we see the diamond’s beauty renewed and the love in our families rekindled. Yet, beauty, love, and diamonds all must be cared for and maintained, so that their light never dims… 

In this article:

  • Why is the care and maintenance of diamond jewelry important?
  • Preventing damage to diamond jewelry
  • Cleaning diamond jewelry
  • Professional services for diamond jewelry

Why is the care and maintenance of diamond jewelry important?

It often happens that we don’t find the first diamond jewels that come into our life, rather they find us. Usually, they enter our lives as a gift from someone that loves us. They may be a small pendant, a pair of diamond ear studs, or perhaps even a family jewel. Usually, they are passed down to us by parents, grandparents, or other important family members. As we accept the responsibility to safeguard them, we begin learning how to take care of them and cherish them. We begin contemplating how wonderful it would be to one day pass the jewels down to someone we love…

Keep the diamond’s brilliant shine

As you keep holding or touching your diamond you may notice it will start to lose its shine. The surface of a diamond naturally attracts grease. Even the oils in your fingers will get attached to its surface. This makes periodical cleaning a necessity if you wish to enjoy your diamond at its brightest.

Protect the diamond from damage

Even though diamonds are extremely hard, they are not invulnerable. It is rare but they can potentially get scratched or even chipped if hit from a specific angle. Nothing feels worse than damage to your diamond that could have been easily prevented. Moreover, repair and replacements can be costly. 

Keep your diamond safe and hidden

When and where you take off your diamonds makes a big difference in how much cleaning and maintenance they will need. Moreover, diamonds attract a lot of attention. From house pets to children and potential thieves, it pays a long way to store your diamonds in a safe and secure place. 

Maintain the diamond’s value

Your diamond jewelry holds an intrinsic value that depends on a variety of factors. If you plan to pass down or sell your diamond jewelry in the future, you should take good care to update its documentation. Most certificates require to be updated every ten years.

Preventing damage to diamond jewelry

As time marches on, life gets busier and new members join the family. Our attention becomes preoccupied with the little ones and we have less time to sit and ponder the beauty of our jewels. In fact, we have to take extra steps to ensure their safety and prevent easily avoidable accidents. That includes keeping our diamonds away from our precious children, so that we may pass them down to them when they are ready. One day they will gaze upon the diamond jewels in awe and remind us of the first time we ever laid eyes upon our diamond. 

Know when to take off your jewelry!

Most damage to your jewels can be completely avoided if you take them off. Do not unnecessarily expose them to chemicals, liquids, or dirt. There are countless stories of people who lost their diamond rings while swimming or gardening. Stories about rings getting damaged while doing sports, washing the dishes, or even falling down the drain are also extremely common. Cosmetics are another common culprit for a diamond’s dimmed shine. 

How to store diamond jewelry?

Generally, you want to store your pieces in a dry container that protects them from moisture, dirt, and sunlight. The best place to store jewelry is in a box that is specialized for that purpose. It can be the original box or a larger one with separate compartments. Do not let your jewels get bundled up or you risk them scratching each other. 

How to keep diamond jewelry safe at home?

It is important to keep your diamonds safe and out of sight. Especially if you have pets or children. The diamond’s shine attracts all. For some it is a toy, for others it is something to chew or swallow. That is why you should keep your diamond jewelry either locked or hidden. Consider buying a safe and a security system for your home as well. Especially if you fear thieves. 

How to keep diamond jewelry safe at the bank?

If security is a big concern, you can store your jewelry in a safety deposit box in a bank. They are designed to withstand natural disasters such as fires and floods. Banks also offer insurance against theft for all the contents of your box. Due to security concerns, they do not know what you put inside. Hence, you will need to provide evidence for the contents of your deposit box. Banks are the best option to keep your jewels secure.

How and why to inventory your diamond jewelry?

The easiest way to inventory your jewelry is to keep a photo album with all of your pieces. You should also include all-encompassing documentation. You can also do this on an excel spreadsheet. Doing so helps you organize your collection and keep track of all the information about it. An inventory is an indispensable asset if you need to deal with insurers or prove the value of a missing jewel. You can find a useful inventory template in our digital diamond jewelry kit!

Appraising and insuring your diamond jewelry

To determine the value of a diamond jewel you need to get it appraised by a certified professional. He will write down the exact material contents of your jewel and determine its intrinsic value. With the appraiser’s certificate, you can go to an insurer and have your jewels insured against theft and damage. The higher the value of your jewel, the higher the cost of insurance will be. If you are looking for professional appraisal services, Ajediam will appraise your jewelry for free

Hold on to all certificates and receipts because you might need them later. In the event of damage or theft, you will use them to prove the value of your jewel to the insurance company. Hopefully, you will never need insurance, but if you do, you will be glad you have it. 

Have an expert check your diamond jewelry annually 

Even if everything seems fine, it is a great idea to have an expert routinely inspect your jewels. Sometimes damages are not visible with a naked eye. An expert jeweler will use a loupe and can potentially spot a disaster waiting to happen. If there is a problem, you will be glad you found it, and if there is not then you secure your peace of mind.  

Cleaning diamond jewelry

Your diamond is a magnet for the oils in your skin. No matter how careful you are, it will accumulate grime over time that will dim its shine. However, you can restore your diamond’s brilliance with a few simple cleaning techniques. You do not need any specialist equipment or expert knowledge. Just to be on the safe side, our team has prepared a digital diamond jewelry kit with instructions on how to clean your diamonds at home.

The GIA-approved method for cleaning diamond jewels

The officially recommended method by the Gemological Institute of America for cleaning gemstone jewelry is to use warm water, dish soap, and a soft brush. This is the safest method to use for most of your jewels. 

Just fill a bowl with warm to hot water and add a few drops of dishwashing soap. Then put your jewels inside and let them soak for about 20 minutes. Use tweezers to take them out and use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub off any visible dirt. Then use a lint-free cloth to pad dry your jewelry. If necessary, repeat the process. 

What cleaning methods to avoid

From time to time, we have to tend to our diamonds and restore their shine. However, some cleaning methods can do more bad than good. Learning how to identify and apply the safest method for our specific type of jewelry is essential. After all, when the time comes to pass down our jewels we would want them to be as beautiful as the day it was passed down to us. 

To ensure your diamond’s safety, always keep your diamond away from harsh chemical cleaners. Never try to clean it with bleach, chlorine, acetone, turpentine, and ammonia. They will damage the chemical composition of your diamond. This can lead to discoloration or even cracks. 

You should also avoid abrasive products such as toothpaste, baking soda, or similar products. Even though diamonds are hard enough to resist scratches, the metals in their setting are not. Avoid using any old toothbrush as it contains traces of toothpaste which can scratch the metals in your jewel. Plated jewels are particularly vulnerable. 

Steam cleaning diamond jewelry – use with caution!

Steam cleaners are the favorite diamond cleaning instruments of jewelry professionals. You can also buy one and use it at home for dazzling results. Steam cleaners are great for cleaning diamonds. However, steam cleaners should be used with caution as they can damage certain types of jewelry. They should not be used to clean heat-sensitive or soft gems or enamel jewelry. 

Avoid using steam cleaners when cleaning settings that are closed in the back, such as the bezel. Otherwise, the steam pressure can push the dirt behind the gemstone. From there, dirt and droplet marks are impossible to remove and they will make your gemstone look dirty. You would need a professional to cut it open to remove the dirt. For the complete list of metals and settings that should not be steam cleaned, check out our digital diamond jewelry kit!

Ultrasonic cleaners – when to use and avoid!

Ultrasonic cleaners are a very popular method for cleaning jewelry at home. Many blogs will advise you to avoid them completely but they can bring amazing results if used for the right jewel. They produce ultrasonic waves that vibrate and dislodge the dirt from your jewels in minutes. Ultrasonic cleaners are completely safe to use in most cases.

Avoid ultrasonic cleaners when cleaning plated and enamel jewels, soft gemstones, and pavé gem-set jewelry. Otherwise, you risk color discoloration or cracks. Pavé jewelry is a special case because there are many tiny prongs that hold your jewels in place. The ultrasonic waves can loosen the prongs and may cause small gems to fall out during cleaning. For the complete list of when to avoid ultrasonic cleaners, you can check out our digital diamond jewelry kit!

How often should you clean your diamond jewelry at home? 

The short answer is as often as you need to. As long as you are doing it in a safe way, you can clean your jewels as often as you like. The more you wear your jewels the more often you will have to clean them. For regular wear, consider cleaning diamonds once per week for optimal results. 

Professional services for diamond jewelry

The jewelry craft is ancient and tightly related to beauty and love. For centuries goldsmiths have produced, repaired, and upgraded fascinating precious works of art that stand as embodiments of love. When our jewels need to be restored to perfect conditions, no one does it better than the professionals. Goldsmiths can not only repair but also improve and upgrade our precious jewels. They can restore and even further the glory of our jewelry and make them ready to be finally passed down to the person we care about. 

When to visit a professional jeweler?

Visit a jeweler immediately, if you suspect damage to your jewel. If your jewel suffered a hard blow, it is good to have it examined. Often you may find that a prong or a gemstone got loose. In this case, you should stop wearing your diamond jewelry immediately and have it inspected by an expert. Sometimes damages are not visible to the naked eye, so it is best to be safe than sorry. In general, it is a good idea to visit a jeweler routinely every year. You can contact Ajediam if you need professional goldsmithing services.

Professional cleaning and polishing

Visit a jeweler once every few years for professional cleaning and polishing services. Mind that you should not polish a jewel more than a few times in its lifetime because every time a thin layer of the metal is removed. If you polish a jewel too often you risk it becoming brittle and bending or breaking. 

However, nothing will make your diamond jewel shine as good as a professional mirror-like finish. It is one of the most common services that ateliers offer but requires exceptional skill and patience to polish a jewel to perfection. Mirror-like polish is one of the most difficult tasks even for skilled and experienced goldsmiths. When done properly it will restore your jewel to its glory. 

Professional repairs 

Loose stones, settings, prongs, and a plethora of other problems are a natural part of a jewel’s lifecycle. Most ateliers should be able to handle reshaping, replicating, and refinishing your jewels. However, if your jewel is unique with regard to the materials and techniques used to create it, you should seek out a jeweler that specializes in those techniques. An example would be looking for a specialist in filigree, enamel, or titanium jewelry. The same goes for vintage jewelry that comes from a specific period.  

Professional upgrades

When you buy diamond jewelry it is usually to celebrate a special occasion. Be it for an engagement, a birthday, or another important day. Thus, diamond jewels have sentimental value. However, this does not mean that you can never change anything about them. As time passes you might wish to upgrade your jewel. 

Whatever the reason, there are many options to make changes. You can replace the centre diamond with a bigger one or add more colorful stones around it. You can upgrade the setting style or change the base metal. You can add a detachable or transformable part. If you wish to not change the original ring, you can match it with a pair of ear studs or a pendant. To learn about all the options for upgrades you should contact a professional jeweler. Stay up to date on all of our goldsmithing atelier upgrade offers

 

Final thoughts

Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, yet possess the most delicate shine. It is captivating to look at something so beautiful and know that its beauty can outlive you. Yet, this beauty comes with an eternal responsibility for good care and maintenance, otherwise, it will be easily lost. Remember that your diamond is not invulnerable and can get damaged or dirty. Even worse, it can get lost or stolen. It is up to you to protect the beauty and pass it down to the next generation. 

If you have any specific questions about diamond jewelry we encourage you to check out our digital diamond jewelry kit. It contains a lot of detailed technical data that our team made extra user-friendly. Otherwise, you can contact the Ajediam support team. We are happy to answer inquiries.