‘Can it clean a Diamond Ring?’ Probably, but may do more damage. Here’s how.

There is an ad on the telly box that annoys me slightly. Now I don’t really mind the fact it is mainly trader’s puff, and in all fairness the claims in the advert are true.  It will clean anything.

However even though it may ‘clean’ your Diamond Ring it may do serious damage to the metals, other stones and finish.

When I sent a Tweet pleading with all you lovely people not to clean your Diamond Rings with this product, I forgot to say do not clean any jewellery in that manner. There are one or two correct ways, and a plethora of incorrect ways.

The most you need to do is use a soft lint free cloth, or a polishing cloth.

There’s a distinct difference between cleaning and removing a tarnished look.

Is your Ring dirty? Is there grit or dirt or foreign substances on it? If yes, it may need a clean. If it’s a little off colour or tarnished then it needs a polish etc.

Now I hear you all saying ‘Oh I clean mine in Baking Soda’, or ‘Granny cleans hers in Gin’, ‘I use Vodka’, and ‘I scrub mine with an old toothbrush’.

Firstly, if you are using Gin, or Vodka, or any other clear Alcohol here’s what you do. Take a glass, fill with ice, add sliced lime (or lemon), then pour in a decent measure of Gin or Vodka, top with your favourite mixer (I use Tonic, but any mixer will do), some garnish if you are so inclined, then sit, relax and enjoy. End of. The Gin is for drinking. So is the Vodka, so no more of that.

Toothpaste is an abrasive, especially the whitening pastes etc. It can scratch stones, even the metals. Yes it can, as Gold is not indestructible, and neither is Platinum. So no more of that either.

Using a toothbrush to clean it can be a dangerous method if it is old or stiff bristled. As well as dislodging dirt, it may dislodge a stone. Dirt may have also dislodged a stone as it caked on, so an overnight soak in a proper cleaning solution would be the best option. From there you can see if your stone(s) are loose. I’ll get to that in a bit. If not, use a soft bristled brush and the same cleaning solution to gently clean the setting and the stone(s).

Carefully pace ring into solution, to leave soak.

Let’s just look at the simplest, most effective method to clean your Rings.

As I mentioned previously if it is caked in dirt it is best to soak overnight in a solution of warm water and washing up liquid. Yes, washing up liquid. What you need to do is just use that soapy solution to allow the dirt to soften so it will become easily dislodged with the minimum of effort.

For the majority of you they won’t be caked in dirt, so here you go.

Take a small bowl, preferable plastic or any material that won’t damage the Diamond Ring lest you drop it.

Apply soft bristle brush, and gently clean.

Using warm water and a drop or two of washing up liquid, immerse the Ring in and leave to soak. Take the ring by the shoulder (the pieces to the left and right of the setting), hold firmly, and clean gently with a soft brush. An artist’s bristle brush or a soft unworn toothbrush is fine for this.

Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft lint free cloth.

Your Ring is clean. If there is still some dirt remaining repeat the process, or consider soaking for a longer period.

That is it. No more.

Keep Jewellery boxed when not in use.

If your Ring still has scratches or looks dull after cleaning that does not mean you have done it incorrectly. Cleaning won’t remove that. To remove scratches it will need to be professionally done.           

There are a few points I want you to note:

Ultrasonic cleaners: Never ever put an Emerald, Tanzanite, Opal, Coral or Pearl in. Some mineral and organic Gems will crack, fracture and even dissolve! Stones that have been thermally enhanced or treated in some way can lose their colour. Be aware of your Gems, even Diamonds can come out worst for wear. So if in doubt leave it out.

Vigorous Cleaning: There is no need. As mentioned earlier a stone can be dislodged or pushed aside if dirt has built up. Here’s something you may not know. A Diamond will scratch, erode and wear metal if it is loose in its setting. Surprised? I thought so. Diamond is a very hard substance and will wear a setting if it is loose. If a stone is loose in its setting it can become looser over time by wearing away the surrounding setting.

Loose Stones: After you soaked the Ring overnight how can you check if the setting is loose? Here is a very handy way of doing this. Get yourself a cotton bud (cue-tip) remove the cotton ball, and just tip the Stone with it. If the stone moves, or appears to move, get it checked as soon as you can.

Detergents and cleaning agents: Some of these leave a soapy scum, some remove oils from Emeralds and other porous minerals. Some contain harsh chemicals and abrasives, that not only affect the Gems, but the Gold or Platinum and the metals mixed with them. So no more use of toothpaste’s or any chemical substances that could damage your jewellery.  

Care: Yes I’m going to tell you to keep your Jewellery in a pouch, or a box. I know in the real world we all don’t sit at home in front of mirrors unclipping our Diamond Earrings before we go to bed, but a little care and attention goes a long way towards maintaining your Jewellery. It minimises the amount of knocks, and possible damage.

So there you go. I hope that covered the basics. Any questions feel free to ask. As always I welcome your feedback.

 Michael

As always you can connect on Twitter:

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Often times we come across pieces of Jewellery long past their ‘sell by’ date. Pieces that are broken, much loved, but worn so much that it is nigh on impossible to wear for fear of it breaking apart and being lost. Other times it’s a piece bequeathed by a relative, so out of style and fashion it just sits in a box, unloved and unworn.

Don’t despair, dust down those little treasures, as help is at hand.

I’m not a fan of so called Commercial Outlets offering cash prices for your old, worn or broken Jewellery. There’s a reason it’s old and worn. That is because it probably has been worn with love for years, and in the event of it being passed down to you, then was previously worn by a loved one.

So why part with it?

I have a pretty logical way of looking at this. A piece of Jewellery in its entirety is commercially saleable, but when you take it apart, the components are based on their values in today’s market. Specifically gold.

But why try and realise a fraction of a Rings value by breaking it up and discarding the stones?

Gold and Platinum or any metal used in a piece are for the Settings. They hold the Stones, and show them off to their full glory. You won’t get the value of the stones, and they are most likely thrown away.

So here are the options available.

• Have a Ring, or another piece of Jewellery? Not wearing it? Ask advice about remodelling. You have all the components, so apart from an extra gram or two of Gold you are only faced with the Labour cost.
• Have broken Ring or another Piece of Jewellery, and there is a stone missing? Replace the stone. If the setting is good, then there is no problem. And if there has to be some other work carried out, then it won’t cost the earth to repair.
• If you have been left a Ring or other Jewellery, and don’t want to wear it, then you have the option of getting it valued for Sale or Auction. This of course will differ to getting a flat rate from a Commercial outlet dealing in Gold and Precious Metals. It will be valued as a piece. Once you have a value you can offer it to an Auction house if you so wish.
• If you have a lot of broken Jewellery then why waste it by giving it away? It can be used to make something you will wear for the rest of your life, and hopefully pass down to another generation.

That’s pretty much it. It is as simple as that. And seeing as this is the shortest Blog piece I have written, I’ll leave it at that. As always I’m here to help. So if you have any questions feel free to mail me at GemInfo@iol.ie

Regards,

Michael