Diamonds do need care to keep them at their brilliant best. A clean diamond not only reflects light better, but actually looks bigger than one that's been "dulled" by skin oils, soap, cosmetics and cooking grease. Diamonds have an affinity for grease and should be cleaned once every month to keep on glowing their brightest.
There are four simple ways to wash away the "film" that accumulates on diamonds.
The Detergent Bath.
Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with any mild liquid detergent. Brush pieces gently with a tooth brush while they are in the suds. Transfer to a wire strainer and rinse under warm running water. Pat dry with a soft, lintless cloth.
The Cold Water Soak.
Make a half
and half solution of cold water and household ammonia in a cup. Soak the diamond 30 minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back and front of the mounting with a small brush. Swish in the solution once more, and drain on paper. No rinse is needed.
The Quick-Dip Method.
Buy
one of the brand-name liquid jewelry cleaners with its kit, and follow the instructions.
The Ultrasonic Cleaner.
A small
machine with a metal cup which you can fill with water and detergent. It creates a high-frequency turbulence which can clean all your jewelry.
Don't let your diamond come in contact with chlorine bleach when you're doing housework. It won't hurt the diamond, but it can pit or discolor the mounting.
Don't wear your diamond when you're playing sports, doing rough work or the dishes. Even though a diamond is durable, it can be chipped by a hard blow along its grain,
Don't jumble your diamond pieces in a drawer or jewelry case, because diamonds can scratch each other and also scratch other jewelry.
Take your diamonds to your jeweler for a "check-up" at least once a year. He will check your ring for loose prongs and signs of wear. He'll usually give them a professional "shine-up" too.
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