As with all other valuable items that receive wear, diamond jewelry requires regular care and cleaning. Well cared for diamond jewelry will retain its sparkle and shine forever, as they are not prone to many forms of permanent wear. While you may not be able to appreciate a diamond for the full length of the diamond’s lifetime, you can enjoy it to the fullness of its beauty for the length of your lifetime. In addition, a diamond that is treated with proper care will go much further in retaining its original value than a diamond that is allowed to become dirty and worn over the years.

What to Avoid

There are three obvious and damaging items that need to be avoided when it comes to the care of diamonds and jewelry: lotion and hairspray, bleach and other corrosive liquids and wearing the diamond in water.

The first, lotion, is used by many on their hands while wearing their rings, and is often mistakenly used in the care of their diamond jewelry. One reason that lotions need to be avoided is that lotions have a base that can get under the diamond’s mounting and settle on the prongs. Lotion that has gotten behind the diamond and settled onto the prongs can cake up on the diamond and even cause the diamond to loosen up in its mounting. In addition to this, lotions can form a film over the diamond, which will noticeably diminish the diamond’s light quality. Hairspray has a tendency to stick very well to diamonds, and may cause the diamonds to appear yellow. The only way to remove the negative affects of hairspray on a diamond is to heat the stone till the hairspray burns off of the surface. There are no permanent negative effects of lotion or hairspray on diamonds.

Next, bleach and other corrosive liquids can actually cause damage to the metal holding the diamond. This means that if you are cleaning using bleach or other corrosive liquids, or go swimming in a pool with chlorine, you should either remove your ring, or wear rubber gloves to avoid contact with the corrosive element. A diamond ring can be beautiful, but it will not look as nice if the band is discolored due to exposure to bleach.

Finally, while water will not damage a diamond, and will not harm most bands, it can cause you to lose your ring. Long exposure to water will cause fingers to contract, thus loosening the hold of the ring on your finger. Unless you don’t mind having your diamond ring slip off of your finger in the pool or while cleaning dishes, you should remove your ring before leaving your hand in water for long periods of time.

Professional Cleaning

Now and then you will want to bring your diamond jewelry to a professional jeweler to have it cleaned with professional care. This type of cleaning will get rid of the hardened dirt and grime that simple home cleaning is unable to remove, as professional jewelers will use an ultrasonic cleaner or steam cleaners. A professional jeweler will also be able to quickly assess whether or not your diamond is still secure in its mount. Most professional jewelers will perform this service for free, so you have little to lose in bringing it to them.