Caring for your Diamonds
Although diamonds are the most durable substance on earth, like anything else they can be scratched, chipped, smudged and soiled.
Keeping diamond jewellery looking brilliant requires only simple maintenance:
- Protect all jewellery from sharp blows, harsh chemicals, sunlight and extreme temperatures.
- Remove rings when playing sport, gardening or doing housework.
- Remove jewellery when swimming as chlorine and related chemicals can severely discolour and damage jewellery as well as loosen stones and settings.
- Remove jewellery before applying soaps, lotions, hairsprays or other cosmetics as their ingredients may damage the surface of the diamond and make your jewellery appear dirty.
- Handle your diamond jewellery sparingly as oil from skin creates a film on diamonds.
- Have diamond jewellery checked at least once a year for loose claws, worn mountings and general wear and tear.
Cleaning your Diamond Jewellery
Here are some simple ways to clean your diamonds and maintain their brilliant sparkle:
- Detergent Bath: Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with mild liquid detergent. Brush the item of jewellery with a small soft brush creating a lather. Place the piece on a wire strainer and rinse with warm water. Pat dry with a soft lint free cloth.
- Connoisseurs Precious Jewellery Cleaner: Available in all Zamel's stores, the liquid cleaner can bring out the brilliance of gold, platinum and diamond jewellery.
- Connoisseurs UltraSoft®Gold Jewellery Polishing Cloth: Available in all Zamel's stores, the convenient Two-Step Dry-Cleaning System cleans and polishes jewellery to a lustre.
Alternatively, you can visit any one of our Zamel's stores to have your jewellery personally cleaned with our compliments.
Storing your Diamonds
Store jewellery separately to prevent pieces from scratching:
- Wrap each piece in a separate soft, lint-free cloth as this cushions the jewellery and keeps it dust-free.
- The original boxes the pieces came in are perfect for storage. A small cloth can be used as an alternative.
- To make lint-free cloths, old handkerchiefs, blouses, or scarves can be cut into small pieces. White cloths are best, because if they are exposed to moisture there is no chance of dyes leaking onto the jewellery.
- Crowded jewellery boxes can damage diamonds. Pendants and bracelets tangle easily, and earrings may be lost if a box is so full that they are not noticed. Forcing jewellery into a crowded box may bend or warp rings, earrings, or other delicate items, especially antique and heirloom pieces.