Why is It Important To Take Care of Diamond Jewelry?

 

Bez Ambar has been in the jewelry business for the last 35 years. We design and manufacture high-end jewelry. We stand behind our product quality and give our customers a life-time warranty for standard wear and tear.

 

Over the years we, at Bez Ambar, have noticed that some of the jewelry that we get back for repair look like it has seriously been abused by the owner. We receive rings with broken, chipped and missing diamonds, contorted and deeply scratched metal and dirty diamonds that lost all their shine.

 

I do not believe that anyone chooses to treat their diamond engagement ring, or any other gemstone ring, which no doubt is precious and valuable to them with such negligence on purpose. Our conclusion is that the reason it happens is for lack of knowledge.

 

 

 

The purpose of this post is to give our customers the information necessary to help them take good care of their jewelry, specifically engagement and wedding rings that we know people prefer to wear all the time.

 

Jewelry Care

 

There are many simple actions you can take to keep your jewelry clean, shiny and safe. If you pay attention to your engagement ring it will last longer and will save you the aggravation and cost of sending it for repair or remake.

 

Handling

 

1)Try to pick up your diamond engagement ring (or any gemstone ring) by its band, not by the stone or setting.

 

Our hands have natural oils and dirt that will build up around  the stone’s setting and on the stone itself.

Too much touching of the stones can cause the diamond to loosen up over time.

 

2) To prevent losing your ring or damaging it, take your ring off :

a. When you are washing dishes.

b. When you are going swimming

c. When you are gardening or doing household repairs

d. When you are engaged in vigorous sports that involves impact to the hands.

 

Metal

 

Fine jewelry is made from Platinum, 18k Gold or Sterling Silver. Platinum is the rarest precious metal and it is stronger and more expensive than White, Yellow or Rose Gold. Both metals do not tarnish, but they may scratch over time, creating a patina of age and wear,especially if you wear them all the time.

 

Sterling Silver is a softer metal and it can will tarnish over time due to the presence of copper and it’s chemical reaction with oxygen.

 

Due to the inherent qualities of those metals they need some periodic maintenance .

 

Platinum and gold need to be cleaned and polished by a professional jeweler. Cleaning and caring for sterling silver is simple and you can do it yourself.

 

Always clean sterling silver with a non-abrasive and phosphate-free cleaner and a soft cloth. Many cleaners and polishes are specifically suited for sterling silver and are widely available.

 

Many people believe they can use toothpaste, but do not! It is too abrasive and may leave scratches! Silver is a very soft metal and even hard rubbing with a cloth will leave small scratches.

 

To wipe and dry a diamond or color gemstone always use a special jewelry cleaning cloth.

 

Storage

 

Diamonds are famously hard so they hold well when they are alone but they can scratch other jewelry and be scratched themselves if they are stored against other jewelry pieces.

 

To protect your diamond and gold jewelry it is important to store them away from other jewelry in a soft fabric pouch or jewellery box.

 

Protection from Chemicals

 

Many women wear diamond engagement rings throughout everyday life without giving their jewellery much consideration.

 

Over the course of the day there are many opportunities for getting your engagement ring dirty.

 

Exposure to substances such as, shampoo, sunscreen, make-up, flour, dust, soap residue, hairspray, body lotions, powders, natural skin oils and perspiration, are likely to accumulate on the surface of the gemstone and dull its natural shine.

 

Chemicals such as chlorine and hair products such as hairspray and furniture polish, have the potential to cause lasting damage to your engagement ring.

 

Chlorine is a definite no-no and you should not only remove diamond engagement rings before you use bleach, or hair dye, but make sure you wear protective gloves and wash your hands thoroughly before you put your ring back on your finger.

 

Make sure you take off your ring before you work with greasy or dirty substances or embark on cleaning or lifting and carrying, so that your engagement ring stays looking clean  longer.

 

Chipping and Cracking

 

Although a diamond is the hardest known natural material on earth, it is not immune to damage. Diamonds and metal are susceptible to cracking, chipping or scratching, and must get attention and care.

 

Rough diamonds are cut and shaped by experts, who find the precise angle in the diamond’s crystal structure where the diamond may be cut.

 

In the same way, a strong enough impact on a polished stone can result in a crack. But such cracks are extremely rare. More common are chips in the diamond, especially diamonds we wear constantly, like engagement rings.

 

Most diamonds get chipped around the girdle, which is the widest point of the diamond and the thinnest.

 

That makes the girdle vulnerable to knocks even though diamonds are so difficult to scratch.

 

Pointed corners of princess, pear, marquise, and heart cuts are also prone to chipping.

 

The prongs protect the diamond girdle from chipping and falling out of the setting, but even so the edge of the girdle can get many tiny chips.

 

Diamonds are hard material but they are brittle so a hard blow to a diamond that has a tiny crack can cause it to brake.

 

It is vital that you take great care of your diamond ring when doing heavy lifting or manual work.

 

For the reasons mentioned above it is wise to wear your diamonds with care, be aware of your ring or bracelet all the time and take your jewelry off before it’s chipped or cracked not after!.

 

 

Looking after your diamond and jewelry is a careful, but straight forward process. Taking basic precautions for wearing and storage; regular, simple cleaning and keeping an eye on the wear and tear of your pieces is the best way to keep them in best condition for many years.

 

When Should you take your ring to a professional jeweler?

 

1) Take your ring to an experienced jeweler every six to 12 months so he can inspect and check it closely to make sure the setting is sturdy and secure and the stones are not chipped or cracked.

 

2) When there’s a heavy film which won’t come away with delicate home cleaning or when your valuables just seem to lack the shine they once had, a professional cleaning – Steam and Ultrasonic, and polish is the best option to bring back the sparkle you miss!

 

3) When the super fine coatings that are used to cover, protect, strengthen and beautify your precious metals, such as rhodium or silver plating, begin to wear off, lose color, chip or crack it`s time to give them a new coat.

 

A last piece of advice:

 

When the ring is heavily damaged, we strongly suggest that you send it back to the manufacturer. Do not try to cut corners or save money by giving it to another jeweler to make the repair. You will end up paying much more!

 

If you purchased a Bez Ambar engagement ring from one of our retailers it is important that you ask that they send the ring back to us for repair or remake.

 

We know our jewelry the best and will always do a better job of repairing or remaking it, compared to a jeweler who did not create the piece.

 

We believe that insuring your precious jewelry is part of taking care of it. If you want to have total peace of mind, it is advisable to insure your valuable jewelry through your insurance company. Most reputable insurance companies offer complete coverage, including theft and or loss!