Tips for Taking Care of Your Diamond Engagement Ring

Most women love diamonds and enjoy the way they shine when mounted in a ring, bracelet, necklace or brooch. Diamonds can be a symbol of love, beauty, and even wealth and social status. Still, in order to enjoy them for a long time, they need to be cared for properly.

Our Infatuation with Diamonds

We picture diamonds as white or clear, with a brilliant sparkle, but that isn't always the case. Diamonds can appear in different colors, which can include white or transparent, but may also be pink, red, yellow, blue, orange, green, or even brown or black. These colors are the result of impurities that occurred while the stone was being formed in the earth, but the results can be quite beautiful.

Diamonds are also the hardest substance on earth, which makes them very long lasting. While jewelry may break, the diamond itself almost never does. It can easily withstand the wear and tear of daily life. This long-lasting quality may be the reason why the diamond is the perfect symbol of love, making diamonds the most popular choice for engagement and wedding jewelry.

Caring for Your Diamond Jewelry

Even though diamonds are so enduring, diamond jewelry still needs to be cared for carefully. The most important thing you should do is simply to clean your jewelry regularly. Even the most brilliant diamond can lose its sparkle if smudges, grease, or dirt are allowed to collect on the surface. This task is sometimes easier said than done, however, as the settings in which diamonds are found are often intricate and minutely detailed. Therefore, grime and dirt can get trapped within the small areas of the setting.

Because it can be so challenging to properly clean a piece of diamond jewelry, many people take their jewels to a professional jeweler for cleaning. Many jewelers will perform this service for free or for a very low fee and will return your diamond jewelry to you with its shine restored. In addition, you should always make sure a diamond has been professionally cleaned by a jeweler before you buy it so you are sure about what you're getting.

Some people prefer to invest in their own ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. If you have a lot of jewelry, or if it is very inconvenient to get to a jeweler's, this might be a good option for you. Another home cleaning option is an ammonia-based cleaning kit, which you can usually purchase at any jeweler or department store. These kits shouldn't substitute for professional cleaning, but they can keep your jewelry shining so that your trips to the jeweler can be done much less frequently.

One last thing to keep in mind concerns your diamond's setting rather than the diamond itself. It's a very good idea to have a jeweler check your diamond's setting on a regular basis, perhaps a couple of times a year. Prongs can bend or come loose, making the diamond insecure in it's setting, and may require repairs. These repairs are usually quick and inexpensive, so there's no reason to avoid them. After all, it won't matter how brilliantly your diamond shines if it falls out of its setting and is lost! A couple of quick trips by the jeweler's every year can keep your diamond secure in its setting and shining brightly for years to come.