Diamonds are a timeless staple that will never go out of style. Knowing how to care for diamonds is crucial to ensuring their longevity in your collection. This is because while these sparkling stones have a reputation for being one of the toughest minerals on earth, even they require a little TLC every now and then. After all, anyone with a few diamond jewellery in their collection will know that they don't always come cheap nor are they always replaceable, especially if they are family heirlooms that have been passed down to you.
Luckily, with the right care and attention, you can ensure that your jewellery maintains its shine and sparkle while also protecting it from any potential damage. Whether it's your favourite pair of diamond earrings, a diamond necklace handed down by your grandmother or your engagement ring Shiels is here to give you some hot tips on how to care for diamonds.
How To Care For Diamonds Overview:
- Clean Your Diamonds Regularly
- Remove When Doing Strenuous Work
- Store Your diamond Jewellery In A Safe Place
- Avoid Sleeping In Your Jewellery
- Remove When Showering or Applying Makeup/Skincare
Clean Your Diamonds Regularly
Diamonds are magnets for dust, dirt, makeup and puritans that you come into contact with throughout the day. On top of that, the natural body oils in your hands and skin can also leave marks, especially if you're someone who wears fake tan. These factors can affect the lustre of both your diamonds and their setting, impacting their brilliance and appearance. Avoiding too much hand contact with your stone can ensure that it doesn't get too much build-up, however, you should also ensure that you clean your diamonds regularly.
Cleaning your diamond jewellery is easy, relatively cost-effective and requires very little time. All you'll need is a small bowl filled with warm water (lined with aluminium foil if your piece has a silver setting), some mild dish soap or detergent, a soft-bristled brush and a microfibre cloth. After letting your piece soak in the warm, soapy water for around 10 to 15 minutes, gently scrub your piece with the soft-bristled brush so that you can remove any excess dirt from any hard-to-reach places. Then to finish off, rinse off the soapy residue with running water and dry your piece with the microfibre cloth.
Avoid Wearing Them When Doing Strenuous Work
A lot of the diamond jewellery in our collections gets worn every day. Whether it's your bridal set, a pair classic of diamond studs or your favourite diamond bracelet, these pieces are essentially part of our daily uniform. However, in an effort to maintain your diamond's beauty, there are occasions when you should refrain from wearing your diamonds, particularly when doing strenuous work. When doing housework, gardening, cooking or redecorating your housework, you should avoid wearing your diamonds as it puts your jewellery at risk for any potential knocks, chips, bumps or scratches.
If you work in an industry that requires a lot of manual labour or heavy lifting such as construction, hospitality, engineering or transportation, you may also want to consider leaving your diamond jewellery at home when you are on the clock. Working in these high-risk settings, not only are your diamonds at risk of becoming damaged but they can also be quite dangerous. If your diamond rings or even your necklaces happen to get caught or you injure yourself when carrying heavy items this has the potential to have very hazardous consequences.
Store Your diamond Jewellery In A Safe Place
Storing your jewellery in a safe place is about so much more than keeping it away from prying hands; it's also about keeping it away from potential harm. A lot of people are unaware that where you store your jewellery has a major impact on its longevity, and we are not just talking about them being stored in places where they can be dropped or children can get their hands on them and potentially swallow them or put them in a secretive place. We're talking about the environmental factors that could put your jewellery in harm's way.
In order to effectively store your diamond jewellery, consider using separate compartments or organisers to prevent tangling and scratching. Soft, fabric-lined jewellery boxes or pouches are an excellent choice, as they provide a lot of protection from dust and moisture. For delicate pieces, such as necklaces and chains, hanging them individually on a jewellery stand can prevent knots and kinks. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight or extreme temperature fluctuations, as this can cause metals and gemstones to deteriorate over time. If you have a lot of silver jewellery in your collection, avoid keeping it in areas such as the bathroom where it is at risk of tarnishing with all the moisture. You should also avoid placing your silver pieces with wood as the chemicals the wood has been treated with can react with the metal in your pieces.
Avoid Sleeping In Your Jewellery
We've all had one of those days...you've been on the grind all day, you've gone out for dinner or had knock-off drinks and gotten home really late. All you want to do is get into your comfortable jammies and hop into bed. This means the last thing you want to do is your nightly routine, whether it be removing your makeup or applying your skincare. But as much as you may dread doing these things after a big night, you know that you should do them because they'll be good for you in the long run. The same goes for ensuring that you remove all your jewellery before you go to bed.
Wearing your jewellery to bed is a big no, no. One of the biggest problems that can arise when wearing your diamonds to bed is that it can lead to accidental damage. Delicate pendants and necklaces have the potential to get tangled or bent, while bracelets and charms may be a risk of ripping or becoming caught in your bedding as you move around during the night. Not to mention stones may also become dislodged if they are knocked too hard during the night. Sleeping with your jewellery on also increases the likelihood of some of your smaller pieces such as earrings and rings unknowingly coming off in your sleep and getting lost in your sheets or under your bed.
Remove When Showering or Applying Makeup/Skincare
While you may consider it to be a quick and effective way to clean your jewellery, showering with your accessories on is generally not recommended. First and foremost, exposure to water and soap can gradually degrade metals, particularly those that are more sensitive to moisture, causing them to lose their lustre and become tarnished over time. Additionally, some of the chemicals found in personal care products such as shampoo, shaving cream and body wash can interact with some gemstones-leading to dullness and discolouration. Another risk of wearing your jewellery while showering is that it can become dislodged which may result in it falling down the drain.
While we're on the topic of self-care, you should also consider removing your jewellery when applying makeup or skincare. As previously mentioned, diamonds are susceptible to all of the puritans we come across in our daily lives including dirt, dust and the natural oils our body produces. And while skincare may be nourishing for our skin or while makeup may brighten our complexion, the same cannot be said about our diamonds. Cosmetics and skincare products, such as lotions, creams, and perfumes, can contain chemicals that might react with metals in your jewellery, leading to tarnishing or discolouration. Additionally, particles from these products can get trapped in crevices or settings, making it challenging to clean your jewellery thoroughly. Moreover, applying makeup or your skincare routine often involves touching your face, neck and eyes wearing rings or bracelets during this process can result in you scratching your face.
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