Dirty rings are a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause skin irritation, discoloration of the metals, and scratching of the stones, so knowing how to clean your engagement ring at home is important to keep it looking its best and free of germs.
Clean your diamond regularly
A simple plan to keep your diamond jewelry looking beautiful is to soak it in a gentle degreasing solution, such as water with a few drops of mild dish soap, once or twice a week.
The chemicals that you use while doing washing and cleaning work can also be harmful to your jewellery. The oils, lotions and soaps you use everyday can leave traces that accumulate over time and create a filmy layer over the stones, making them lose their sparkle.
A dirty stone doesn't sparkle because light simply can't enter the diamond and causes it to appear dull. So, if you notice your diamond jewelry getting cloudier overtime, it's likely due to a dirty surface and there's an easy fix to restore their luster.
Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.
Any activity that involves any impact on your hands (from contact sports like volleyball to weightlifting) can bend or break the ring's shank or the prongs that hold your stone in place, causing it to fall out of its setting. Bands with pavé diamonds are also at risk during these activities.
Toughness relates to the ability to resist breakage from falls or impacts. Because of diamond's perfect and easy cleavage, it is vulnerable to breakage. A diamond will shatter if hit with an ordinary hammer.
Fair/Poor Grade Diamond Examples
Fair and Poor cut diamonds usually have steep crowns and steep pavilion angles which gives them a really dark looking appearance. This makes them look extremely small for their carat weight. Because of their abysmal proportions, their brilliance and sparkle are horribly affected.
A diamond that has not been cleaned for a while can look milky due to a buildup of film and dirt on its facets. Cloudy diamonds can also have diminished transparency from inclusions or other characteristics intrinsic to the crystal from which they are cut.
Things like our skin's oil, lotion, conditioner, dirt, and dust can all cling to a diamond, making it look dull and dimming its brilliance. Luckily, this build up can be reduced with regular at home cleanings. To clean your diamond at home, you can use jewelry cleaner or just some mild dish soap and warm water.
In general it's perfectly safe to wear your engagement ring every day. However, if you are doing any kind of rough work such as cleaning or gardening, sports or the gym. It's not advised to wear your rings in bed as the diamonds may loosen or catch on bedclothes and remove before showering.
Even a moderate amount of dirt, grime or otherwise unpleasant sediment and “film” can have a severe effect on the sheen and shine of that precious stone in your precious ring. And over time, things like hand lotions, powders, soap, hairspray and more can really build up on and dull your diamond's glitter and glimmer.
Though diamonds can be worn even on a daily basis, they are not ideally suited to all occasions. For example, if you are heading for a beach holiday, they your diamond bracelets and earrings are better left at home. This is especially true in the case of diamond rings.
No, you can't clean your engagement ring too much when it's being done the right way. But, if you're using all kinds of harsh chemicals regularly that's when you're doing too much. Those chemicals will end up damaging the metal and stones, affecting the overall look of the ring.
With most jewelers, visits to have your ring professionally cleaned is free! While this is often considered a complimentary service, other jewelers or ones you didn't purchase from, may charge you anywhere from $25 to $50.
A real diamond has no limits on its shelf life. A lab grown diamond made in the Diamond Foundry may look the same as a real one, but has zero resale value. The brilliance of the relationship may be gone, but the stone will shine forever. It won't lose its luster and it doesn't get worn out with time.
Hand sanitizer is also known to leave a cloudy film over your diamonds so definitely wash your ring frequently! Luckily, you don't have to take off your ring while you're washing your hands-which is a big plus right now as we are all washing our hands extra often these days.
The average price of a 1 carat diamond is currently $4,719 (see price chart below). 1 carat diamonds can cost anywhere from $1,470 - $11,217 depending on the diamond's shape, color, clarity, and other factors.
If the cloudiness of your diamond is caused by external factors, such as a greasy film or dirt, it's possible to fix it and regain its original sparkle. The way to do so is by simply cleaning the ring using warm water, soap, and ammonia-based cleaners. If you can't do it yourself, take it to a professional cleaner.
Diamond testers are always accurate. However, the thermal diamond testers can be faulty when testing moissanite because it has a similar heat conductivity rate to natural diamonds. The other testers will work because moissanite has different electrical conductivity rates than natural diamonds.
Diamonds typically lose between 25 and 50 per cent of their actual worth upon resale due to market fluctuations, the markup on your ring, and the decline in diamond prices. A portion is also taken out for insurance.
Blemishes, being surface issues, are usually easier to see than inclusions, and occasionally may be located using the naked eye. Inclusions, on the other hand, can't. If a very large inclusion can be seen without a loupe, the diamond is of poor quality.