Philips Diamonds Care & Cleaning

Many people think diamonds are indestructible, but they do require care. Read how to keep your diamond sparkling, and securely set in your ring.

Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. They are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching, and can be cut or polished only by another diamond - but an extremely hard blow to the girdle can cause a diamond to chip. By having your diamond set in a relatively protective setting, and remaining conscious of it on your finger, you can keep your diamond intact for a lifetime. Exposure during ordinary wear to perspiration and household chemicals, like chlorine and hairspray, can cause buildup that dulls the surface of a diamond. We suggest periodic cleanings to keep the diamond brilliant and refractive.

Cleaning Diamonds

Diamonds get smudged and soiled and dusty. Lotions, powders, soaps, even the natural skin oils, put a film on diamonds and cut down their brilliance. Chemicals in the air can discolor the mounting of precious jewelry. Clean diamonds "glow" because the maximum amount of light can then enter and return in a fiery brilliance. It takes just a little care to keep them that way. One sure way to keep your diamonds sparkling is to bring them into Philip's Diamond Shop & Design Center where they will be professionally cleaned and prongs checked while you wait.

Here are four additional ways to clean diamonds. One of them is pretty sure to fit the time, place, and the job.

  1. Detergent Bath. Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with any of the mild liquid detergents used in the home. Brush the pieces with an eyebrow brush while they are in the suds. Then transfer them to a wire tea strainer and rinse them under running water. Pat dry with a soft lintless cloth.
  2. Cold Water Soak. Make a half-and-half solution of cold water an household ammonia in a cup. Soak the pieces 30 minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back and front of the mounting with an old soft toothbrush. Swish in the solution once more and drain on tissue paper.
  3. Quick-Drip Method. Buy one of the brand name liquid jewelry cleaners, with its kit, choosing the kind most useful to you. Read the label and follow its instructions. Don't touch your clean diamonds with your fingers. Handle your jewelry by its edges.
  4. Ultrasonic Cleaner. There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean, in a matter of minutes, any piece of jewelry that can be dunked in a liquid. They consist of a metal cup which you fill with water and detergent. When the machine is turned on, a high- frequency turbulence creates the cleaning action. Since each machine is slightly different, read the instructions very carefully before use.

Storing Diamond Jewelry

When you're not wearing diamonds and precious jewelry, they still require attention.We recommend that all diamond jewelry is stored individually in soft cloth pouches when not being worn to prevent the diamond or diamonds from scratching or dulling other jewelry. Keep your precious pieces in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or dividers.

If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in tissue paper. Don't jumble your diamond pieces in a drawer or jewelry case, because diamonds can scratch other jewelry-and can even scratch each other.