Never Lose Your Sparkle
We all have a bit of spare time on our hands at the moment and are looking for productive ways to spend that time.
Jewellery is precious to us all, we like to keep it looking pristine and at its best. Jewellery naturally gets dirty from general wear, skin oils, creams, soaps and cosmetics that it is exposed to as well as all the baking going on right now.
A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth. It can cut any kind of rock or metal. Only another diamond can cut a diamond. Other than their sheer brilliance, this is one reason diamonds are used in pieces such as engagement rings-their durability.
To start with, handle your diamond as little as possible - the oils from your fingers affect its brilliance and make it look dull. Diamonds are a natural magnet for grease.
In between professional cleans, a home solution is to soak your diamond in a degreasing solution (Fairy Liquid and water are good) once or twice a month or Hagarty's Jewel Clean and Hagarty's Jewel Cloth which is available from Weir & Sons (always read the instructions on any cleaning solution-please see 'Caution Section' at the bottom of this article). The difference with a professional clean here at Weir & Sons, we use an ultrasonic machine to clean your jewellery which really is an unrivalled deep clean.
When cleaning at home and working over a sink, make sure the plug is in just in case you drop the piece first of all.
A soft clean toothbrush (a child's toothbrush is ideal) is a good way to loosen dirt from your diamond. Always be gentle with your diamond and do not rigorously scrub. You want to make sure that you are not loosening any stones. If your stone is loose, we would advise you have this looked at by a professional and avoid wearing the piece until you have done so.
After cleaning give your jewellery a good rinse and dry. When cleaning instore, we would also steam your jewellery clean with our in-house professional steamer as well as rinsing your pieces after using the Ultrasonic machine.
Do examine your diamond on a regular basis, note if there are any fibres caught in the claws as it might need its claws checked by your jeweller. It is good to get your jeweller to check the claws every now and then particularly if it is an older ring, antique or vintage.
If you have a white gold diamond ring, it is recommended that you get it rhodium plated every 12-18 months dependent on wear.
Caution section when cleaning the following:
Emerald, Pearl, Opal, Coral, Tanzanite, Turquoise, Costume Jewellery, Vermeil , Paste Stones, Peridot.
*Do not apply the above techniques to any item listed in the caution section. Be sure to know what the make-up of the pieces you are cleaning is before endeavouring on cleaning.