Help Your Ring Stay Beautiful
Diamond engagement rings, wedding bands and anniversary rings symbolize a lasting bond. They’re meant to be worn daily as a sign of enduring happiness. While love can withstand the ages, rings can be subject to daily wear and tear. Diamond bands may not look as pristine now as they did the day they were made. Simple steps will help your rings look their best.
After marriage or an anniversary, a person might place the new ring on top of another they already wear. Wedding sets are even designed to have coordinating engagement and wedding bands. While diamonds are quite hard, other diamonds can scratch them. Soldering rings lowers risk of gems damaging each other.
How you store your rings also matters. Just as diamonds may rub against one another when stacked, loose rings in a box may also scratch each other. There are many ways to prevent this, such as placing rings in individual bags or wrapping them in tissue paper.
Diamonds and oils cling together; things like fingerprints can end up all over your jewels. Likewise, some designs, such as openwork metal, may collect soap or other residues over time. These added materials take away from the luster of your diamond bands. Cleaning your rings removes dust, grease and other debris that may dull your jewelry. There are many home methods of doing this.
Soft toothbrushes can reach into the crevices of diamond jewelry and gently scrub away dirt. Mild detergent is often recommended as a cleaning agent. Other things such as toothpaste may also remove gunk, but may be difficult to rinse off, lowering brilliance. Rinsing well is important.
Ammonia does a dramatic job of dissolving grease from diamonds. Unlike soap or detergent, it’s less safe to use. If cleaning your diamond rings with ammonia, make sure to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated room. It’s also important to use cool or warm water with the ammonia, as boiling liquid might damage the gemstones.
Ultrasonic cleaners are made of small tubs of liquid. They use soundwaves which travel through the fluid, gently loosening grime from the jewelry placed inside. Ultrasonic cleaners are best used on diamond rings that aren’t mounted with porous stones, like pearls. While jewelers use the cleaners on their products, home versions are also available.
