By Bayardo Hannon Jiron,
Graduate Gemologist - GIA,
Certified Gemologist Appraiser- AGS,
Hannon Jewelers/
www.hannonjewelers.com
Diamonds do need care to keep them at their brilliant best. A clean diamond reflects light better. Brilliancy in a diamond is a delicate balance between the natural chemical structure of the diamond crystal, the speed of light and the quality, position, angles, and number of facets that the gemstone cutter carved into the stone. To better understand what to do to keep your diamond beautiful, it may help to know the physical properties of your precious stone.
For thousands of years, people have coveted these crystals for a plethora of reasons, but I believe that two of a natural diamond’s properties are at the top of the list. One is hardness. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth. It can cut any kind of rock or metal, but only another diamond can cut a diamond. In fact, diamonds can be burned. It takes temperatures of 1290-1650 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can burn.
The other natural property is light performance. This is the relationship between the speed of light in the air and the angle that light refracts as it enters the diamond crystal. Finally, the final component for a stunning diamond brilliancy is the human factor. In a diamond the ultimate beauty lies in the balance of proportions and symmetry of facets. If this delicate balance is present, facets work like a series of many tiny mirrors reflecting light in and out of the stone. Only 5 to 6 percent of diamonds are cut to ideal proportions.
Therefore, if a skilled diamond cutter takes all variables into consideration and positions the top and bottom facets of a gem in a precise known angle, the ray of light will enter the diamond, refract, and reflect internally – like a mirror- back to the observer point of view.
Therefore, in the ideal conditions, the ray of light will travel from air to the diamond crystal. But if any other element is on the surface of the diamond – like lotions, hand creams, soap, cosmetics, cooking grease, sunscreen, hairspray or just the fingertip oil deposited from the mere touch of a human finger this can cause dirt to collect and make the refracted angle of light change before it enters the diamond crystal. So, in this case, all calculations to position the fifty-eight diamond facets in the diamond will be off and the ray of light may no longer reflect to the human eye as intended, losing its shiny (its brilliance and fire) appeal.
Please know that diamonds have an affinity for grease; they are not easy to keep clean. A dirty diamond is not a reflection on you. Even a jewelry store struggles to keep those unique gems beautiful free of an oily film.
KEEPING YOUR DIAMOND SPARKLING
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, let it soak for 20-40 minutes once or twice a week. Another degreasing solution, if you have it already, is to use a teaspoon of Mr. Clean or Ammonia in 8 oz of water.
After you remove the diamond from the cleaning solution, use a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt. The toothbrush should be new and reserved exclusively for cleaning your jewelry. Use it to clean hard-to-reach places like the back of the diamond, which tends to collect the most oil and dirt.
USE A GENTLE TOUCH
Please be gentle with the toothbrush if you have fragile settings, like older prongs in antique or worn jewelry or a tension setting. So. Then, place your items in a wire strainer and rinse under warm running water. Pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. If you are working over a sink, make sure to close the drain. There are some other types of chemically treated cloths that are especially useful to polish the metal portion of your jewelry.
DON’T USE HARMFUL SOLUTIONS
When cleaning diamond jewelry, please never use chlorine bleach or abrasives such as household cleansers or toothpaste. Although the diamond crystal would be safe, the precious gold metal, used to make jewelry items, may not. Chemicals like chlorine can damage some of the metals used to alloy gold for diamond settings and abrasives can scratch gold and other metals.
USE ULTRASONIC CLEANERS WITH CAUTION
Sometimes an ultrasonic cleaner is necessary to remove encrusted dirt on diamonds. By sending low frequency sound waves through a mix of water and detergent solution. Ultrasonic cleaners cause vibrating fluid to remove accumulated dirt and grime. But they can also shake loose stones from their mountings or chip the girdles of diamonds that are set next to each other.
Knowing your diamond is important. This is when a professional appraisal report executed by an accredited and certified gemologist and appraiser by the American Gem Society (AGS) play an important role. Proceed cautiously and avoid ultrasonics for some diamonds that are artificially treated like fracture filling. Ultrasonics vibrations can damage those treatments.
Before placing your diamond in an ultrasonic cleaner, it is best to refer to the diamond’s grading report, which clearly discloses whether the diamond has been treated. You should also consult a professional jeweler who can determine if your jewelry needs repair, such as checking for loose stones and tightening them as needed.
One final word of advice is to have your diamonds professionally cleaned twice a year by a professional reputable jeweler. At Hannon Jewelers we even recommend customers to come any time for a free inspection and cleaning. We clean your diamonds and polish your jewelry. In addition, we do inspect every piece of jewelry for potentials problems. Professional jewelry stores have specialized chemicals and equipment to clean and protect your jewelry.
OTHER RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS
Precious metals used to make your jewelry are soft and they do wear out in time. We recommend you do not wear your jewelry when you are playing sports, at the gym or when you are doing rough work with your hands. like gardening. Even though a diamond is the most durable gem in the world, it can be damaged, chipped or even fractured by a hard blow along its grain.
Another consideration is to store diamond jewelry separated from any other type of jewelry or other diamonds. This is because diamonds would scratch other diamonds and damage other softer gemstones and peals.
Please feel free to reach out to us for any questions concerning gems and jewelry.
June 22, 2024
