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CARING FOR YOUR DIAMOND
JEWELLERY
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THE
FACTS | THE
ENEMIES | HEALTH
CHECKS | CLEANING
| CARE OF
PLATINUM | SECURITY
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HARD TO
ACCEPT? |
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Diamonds NEVER EVER fall out of
rings they are only ever PUSHED [but
not deliberately of course]. See Note 1
Think about it you could put a diamond ring on a table and watch it
for 1,000 years and the diamond would never move. There has to be
some force to compromise the setting and then dislodge the stone,
everyday wear exposes a ring and its diamond to those threatening
forces.
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Precious metals, don´t become scratched or
dented on their own2
Like dents in new motor cars, some force has to happen!
FEAR
NOT - a little respect, understanding and simple
precautions and some elementary housekeeping will keep your
jewellery sparkling for years.
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| THE
ENEMIES |
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Bedding - remove your jewellery before going
to bed.
Your wearing your diamond ring in bed, you´re asleep, a claw
catches in the bed linen, you turn over and that 1mm claw is
subjected to 112 pounds+ [8 stone+ of body weight] of lift and
pressure. And that´s when you are sleeping, we´ll leave it to your
imagination of the potential damage caused by more active bed time
pastimes.
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Gardening and DIY.
Remove jewellery when doing any manual work, even though diamonds
are very strong, a hard blow can dislodge, even chip them. There is
also the risk that you expose them to chemicals that may be harmful
to the jewellery.
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Washing and Washing up.
Diamonds are natural grease attractors and can become coated with
an oily film when they are immersed in dishwater. Energetic contact
with metal pots and pans in hot greasy water is not the healthiest
way to treat fine jewellery. There is also the risk that you expose
them to chemicals that may be harmful to the jewellery.
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Bathing and showering.
Remove all jewellery before bathing as showering as soap causes a
film that can dull diamonds. Do not leave your ring next to the
sink when washing your hands; it can easily slip down the drain or
you could leave them in a public place - out your ring between you
teeth when washing your hand - you certainly won´t forget where it
is [don´t swallow].
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General house work.
Exposes diamond jewellery to dust and dirt, cleaning chemicals and
the knocks and bumps of manual labour.
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Sports.
Remove jewellery when doing any sports, even though diamonds are
very strong, a hard blow can dislodge, even chip them.
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Door handles and heavy bags.
Few people respect the enormous pressure exerted by the human grip,
your ring is between that grip and the metal door handle its bound
to have some effect - just think just how many times you open doors
every day.
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Playing with your ring and jewellery.
Watch and you will regularly see people running their pendant up
and down the chain, running their hand across a table or seat to
roll their wedding ring.
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Storing jewellery incorrectly.
Store your jewellery separately, as even platinum will be
scratched. However, if visible scratches appear a professional
polish will restore its natural beauty. When traveling, special
care should be taken for your diamonds and other precious pieces of
jewellery. There are many types of carry-alls, specially designed
for jewellery travel. Most have padded compartments for protecting
each piece. .......top of page
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| IMPORTANT DAILY HEALTH
CHECKS |
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Check the claws.
Every day look sideways at the claws while rotating the piece and
check that ALL the claws still have contact with the diamond.
Remove any fluff. If they don´t slip it back to the jeweller that
sold you the ring, its a simple, routine and affordable job to
tighten the claws. We recommend, and your insurance company may
insist on an annual inspection, correction and cleaning. Its not an
expensive job, use the jeweller that sold you the piece, out of
respect, loyalty and the fact that any guarantee is invalidated if
you allow a third party to work on the piece.
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Ensure that the stone is not loose or turning in
the setting. . .......top of page
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| CLEANING YOUR DIAMOND
JEWELLERY |
Don´t use abrasive cleaners on
jewellery.
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It´s tricky to keep a diamond ring clean.
Diamonds are natural grease attractors and can become coated with
an oily film when they are immersed in dishwater or when they come
into contact with any greasy substance including hand or body
lotions and natural skin oils. Powders, hair spray and soap also
diminish a diamond´s brilliance.
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If you wish your diamond to look better than
most rings worn today keep it clean! A clean diamond will have the
same sparkle and brightness that it did the day you bought it while
a dirty diamond will look dull and dark and loose its life.
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Diamonds should be cleaned so that the maximum
amount of light can then enter and return in a fiery brilliance. It
just takes a little care and understanding to keep them that way.
Here are several ways to clean diamonds. One of them is pretty sure
to fit the time, the place and the job.
- Pour a generous glass of gin, add twice as much tonic, a slice
if lime and crushed ice - take gratifying, regular sips while
cleaning you jewellery, certainly don´t use it to clean any diamond
jewellery.
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A 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 under warm running
water. Pat dry with a soft, lint-less cloth.
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Cold Water Soak Make a half-and-half solution of
cold water and household ammonia in a cup. Soak the pieces for 30
minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back and front of the
mounting with an eyebrow brush. Swish in the solution once more and
drain on tissue paper.
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Quick Dip Method Buy one of the brand-name
liquid jewellery 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 jewellery
by its edges.
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Ultrasonic There are many types of small
machines on the market that will clean any piece of jewellery that
can be dipped in a liquid in a matter of minutes. They consist of a
metal cup that you fill with water and detergent. When the machine
is turned on, a high-frequency motion creates the cleaning action.
Since each machine is slightly different, read the instructions
very carefully before use.
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To remove tarnish from your jewellery, you can
use jewellery cleaner, or by using soap and water mixed with a few
drops of ammonia. Carefully brush with a soft bristle brush. An old
soft toothbrush can also be used - be very careful.
Dry using soft, clean, non-abrasive cloth.
Gently rub to maximise the shine. .
.......top of page
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CARE
OF PLATINUM
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Platinum is one of the most durable metals. It
is resistant to tarnishing and discolouration due to chlorine and
other chemicals. However, despite its durability, platinum
jewellery needs to be properly cared for. Platinum jewellery can be
cleaned the same way as other fine jewellery and there are many
jewellery cleaners which work with platinum. Over time platinum
develops a natural patina, which many people find just as
attractive as a polished finished, but this does not represent any
material loss and platinum rings will not thin with age. It is
still important to care for platinum jewellery however, if a
polished finish is preferred we can offer a re-polishing service.
Store your jewellery separately, as even platinum can be scratched.
However, if visible scratches appear a professional polish will
restore its natural beauty.. .......top of
page
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SECURITY do´s & don´ts
Information provided by T.H.March specialist jewellery insurers
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DO
- DO ask your Hotel to put valuables in their safe deposit,
rather than leaving them in your room.
- DO carry jewellery as cabin luggage on aircraft, not in the
hold.
- DO Ask for a receipt when leaving jewellery or watches for
repair or valuation. Most Jewellers will give you one
automatically.
- DO have your jewellery re-valued by an experienced Jeweller at
regular intervals.
- DO examine claw set rings regularly for signs of wear.
Otherwise, you may lose a stone. If in doubt, ask a Jeweller to
check.
DON´T
- DON´T leave jewellery loose in a drawer or jewellery box. Hard
stones like diamond will scratch softer stones and metals.
- DON´T leave jewellery on a bedside table. Put it straight into
the safe (if you have one) when you take it off, or into its usual
storage location. It is not uncommon for thieves to enter a bedroom
while the family is watching television downstairs.
- DON´T leave jewellery in unattended vehicles.
- BE AWARE If wearing gloves on a cold day, your rings may be
looser on a finger and can come off with a glove.
- If traveling by car in high crime areas, lock the car doors and
keep valuables e.g. handbags, cameras etc. out of sight. Snatches,
or even window smashes, at traffic lights or in slow moving traffic
are increasing. . .......top of
page
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1Loose a diamond from your ring
or jewellery, it is an insurance claim not the responsibility of
the jeweller that sold you the piece
2When your rings or
jewellery become scratched, it is normal wear and tear and simple
maintenance to have them cleaned and refinished by a
professional. .......top of page |