How to clean a diamond ring?

emmiemac

Thanks very much for all your advice.

Hadn't realised that jewellers were likely to clean it for me for free, so will certainly try to find one when I get the chance.

In the meantime I think the soapy water and toothpaste sounds like the safest option!

MrsMW

I always soak mine in gin or vodka, works every time.

fairylights_2

IN vodka?!?! I'd onl ydo that if I could still drink it afterwards!

OH got mine from Ernest Jones and it came with a little card to say I could get it cleaned there for free. It's due its annual service in the next couple of months actually (so it'll be nice and shiny for our anniversary!).

I took it in last year but couldn't find the card and they said it wasn't a problem, they'd do it without.

Worth a try if you have an Ernest Jones near you?

Poppy9

Talking of alcohol I use a drop of Bacardi to clean my remote controls of grease etc. Works a treat.

My OH is a trained diamond mounter, setter and goldsmith. He used to hear horror stories of people taking repairs into a supposedly reputable jeweller in city centre who used to lop a few inches off heavy gold chains and swop diamonds for CZ's so if you take a valuable chain in for repair get them to write down the length of chain!

It also works the other way. He used to do trade repairs for local jewellers and was once sizing a 2 carat 'diamond' ring. He treated it as he would a normal diamond and when he quenched it after soldering the 'diamond' milked. He was ***** as it had never ever happened before and thought he hadn't properly inspected it for major flaws. He had to tell the Jewellers who said that they had valued it 2 weeks before so they knew it was a geniune diamond (the valuer my OH knew well and he was a qualified gemologist - so mistake doubtful). Anyway, to cut a long story short they sent stone away for analysis and it came back that it wasn't a diamond. The customer suddenly stopped shouting very loudly so they suspect it was a bit of a con job (i.e. get it valued with geniune diamond and then replace with imitation and claim). My OH was mightly relieved as it would have cost him a few grand.

Mado

Poppy9 wrote:

No not toothpaste (or dishwasher or washing powder). All will scratch the stone and given all stones have faults in them (even if you can't see them) it will cause damage. Also you will remove the polished surface from the stone which gives it it's sparkle.

I think you'll find that very little can scratch diamonds!!!!!
They cover the tips of hard cutting instruments with diamond for this very reason.

Gold will scratch, platinum a little less .

Jeweller ultrasonic bath is a good idea, but a toothbrush is fine as a "homemade" option.

Poppy9

Mado wrote:

I think you'll find that very little can scratch diamonds!!!!!
They cover the tips of hard cutting instruments with diamond for this very reason.
Gold will scratch, platinum a little less .

Jeweller ultrasonic bath is a good idea, but a toothbrush is fine as a "homemade" option.

It's to do with the cut and the polishing of a stone. Industrial diamonds don't need such a high polish finish to display the stone well. Have a look through an eye loop at an 'old' diamond and you will see surface scratches.

Different carat golds wear differently. Wearing a platinum or mixing gold carat rings i.e. 22 ct wed and 9ct engagement will cause more wear. My eternity ring with a 9ct white gold setting has worn badly the platinum setting on my engagement ring. Admitedly my engagement ring setting is a delicate handmade job but my OH was horrified at the wear it caused and banned me from wearing together after he repaired, especially as I used to leave on day & night!!

megsykins

although I've had them professionally cleaned occasionally, I usually clean my rings in coke after doing the experiment at school years ago where you put a mucky penny in a glass of coke for an hr and it comes out sparkling, I thought coke could clean anything.
Is this doing more harm than good?!

Becles

I clean mine in vodka. Any clear alcohol will remove grease and dirt, and leave it sparkly.

If you put the ring in a schnapps or shot glass, you only need a tiny amount of alcohol to cover it, so less wastage

ELLA

Im getting married 4 weeks today and want to clean my gold and diamond e ring, It looks very dull next to my new wedding ring but being a moneysaver is there a Diy method to clean it at home.

Thank you

newlywed

Yes... put foil into a non-metallic bowl. Then put hot water into the bowl and add some soda crystals.

Place the ring on the foil and leave for approx 5 mins. Then rinse in clean water and polish with a soft cloth!! Works every time for me - sometimes need a toothbrush to shift any bits in the claws though