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How to
Clean your Diamond Jewellery
Author: Paul Shane
Diamond is one
of the prettiest and costliest gemstones in the world. Made of pure
carbon, it is the hardest natural substance available on earth. This
hardness, combined with its high dispersion of light, make it highly
useful in industries and jewellery making.
It is often
said that diamonds are a woman's best friend. Gift this precious
stone to a woman and her reaction will say it all. Diamonds are rated
on 4 Cs – cut, carat, colour and clarity. However, cleanliness
can be easily considered as the fifth 'C' in this rating. When you
buy this stone from a shop, you will get a well-polished one. After
that, the onus of maintaining its lustre lies on you.
Expensive as
they are, diamonds need to be maintained well in order to retain
their lustre. And, here lies the importance of cleaning your gemstone
periodically. Cleaning a diamond
does not demand expertise; but, you ought to be careful as the
settings of your ornament can sometimes obstruct the process.
The surface of
this gemstone takes well to
hydrophobic materials, oils and grease, and therefore, it is
difficult to get them off. If not cleaned on time, these materials
can reduce the shine in your diamond. Coloured dye or smudges can
also be harmful for your gem.
Most jewellers
provide sudsy ammonia cleaning kits to the buyers of diamonds. You
can either do it yourself, or get it done from a professional
cleaner. Many of them use steam cleaners and ultrasonic cleaners for
this task.
Then, there
are a number of easy, home-based cleaning methods that can be used on
diamonds. Immerse the stone in solutions made of ammonia or ethyl
alcohol. You can also mix mild grease dissolving detergent with warm
water and immerse your diamond in this solution.
If you are not
sure of how to clean your jewellery, let the experts do it. Do not
take risks with your diamond. They are extremely valuable, in both
monetary and emotional terms. |
