Check out the new Jewelry Cleaning Education Page - Any thoughts?

[Dancing Fire]

Hi @Dancing Fire , I have the exact same US. But don’t like the jewelry hanger thing I have. Like your’s ALOT better—where did you get it?? Mine doesn’t have enough ‘posts’ to hang things IYKWIM.

Mine came with my old Gem Oro US cleaner. You can buy one here...

Cleaning Ring Rack - 16

Wire formed and vinyl coated to protect rings from abrasion or marring when dipped into the tank for ultrasonic cleaning. 5 1/2" x 4" x 1 3/4".

www.zakjewelrytools.com

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Tooth paste and soft bristle brush cleans in a pinch.

Worst advice ever Heididdl!
Forms a paste on the pavilion

 

[Mreader]

I have an espresso machine and after I make my coffee I blast my diamond with the steam wand. Haha.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Would there be a problem with daily ultrasonic use on a platinum diamond solitaire (no pave)? Asking for a friend

@Dancing Fire how often do you use your ultrasonic?

Once a week, but if I'm not lazy I can use it 10X per day. Don't think my diamond will mine getting a bath every few hrs.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

You're not imagining scratches if you're using a heavy brush or abrasives. From the linked education page.
<< Tooth enamel has a Mohs hardness of 5, and can be scratched by medium, firm or hard bristles. Most gems in jewelry will be harder than that, but gold alloys used for jewelry have an average hardness of 2.5 and platinum has a hardness of 4.5. Don’t use an old brush or one which might have detritus on it, as debris could also scratch your jewelry.>>

@Wink you should know this. Weren't you alive back when prospectors bit down on gold ore to test it because gold is softer than your tooth?

I disagree - the scratches come from dirt and abrasives and soft bristles will cause just as many scratches if you have not first removed some of the grit with a good hot solvent. And when you use something hot, soft bristles get mushy.

re heat and boiling, I add ammonia and detergent to boiling water in a cup (at home) or a small ultrasonic cleaner. I start with diamonds, then ruby and sapphire because they are the best conductors of heat and there are limited risks of breaking.
Breaking is caused by one part of the stone expanding faster than the rest.
The larger and longer a stone the more risk, even with say large marquise diamonds.
So - warm the stone by placing the band in the very hot water first.
With other gems, especially tourmaline and any gem that grows in long skinny crystals - including topaz and aquamarine - clean them last when the water is finger hot.
Make sure those gems are still hot if steam cleaning them. Take them from further away and and slowly into the main hotter part of the jet.

 

[heididdl]

Worst advice ever Heididdl!
Forms a paste on the pavilion

Really sorry Ive been doing that for years lol

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Really sorry Ive been doing that for years lol

You will enjoy your new found brilliance.
Some tooth pastes have great abrasives for polishing pewter.

 

[Mlh]

My favorite homemade solution for dirty diamonds is equal portions hot water and room temperature white vinegar. On platinum and gold pieces it's safe enough to soak your pieces in and get all that nastiness out from under the prongs. And you'd be surprised just how much patina some shaving cream can remove from platinum pieces!

Over time it is actually normal for prongs to loosen a bit, which is why it is suggest that you have your prongs checked bi-annually. If you use an ultrasonic cleaner frequently, you definitely want to make sure your prongs are tight. Be very careful when cleaning multiple pieces in an ultrasonic as it can result in diamonds scratching each other if they make contact.

For those who "never take my rings off!," you're still married whether or not the ring(s) are on your hand. Allowing weeks, months, or years of grime to accumulate under your diamonds can not only make them look dull and lifeless, but can actually shorten the lifespan of your settings.

While this tip isn't about cleaning, it is perhaps even more important...having the proper size ring on your finger is more than just vanity. It's important. I recently fell and broke my arm in two places. While I was screaming in pain on the floor, my youngest came running to see what happened. The first thing I told them to do was to get my jewelry off, especially my 3 carat three-row pave band that I had recently had sized up a bit as my fingers swell during summer months. If I hadn't had it sized up, they most likely would have had to cut the band off of my hand and it would have destroyed the ring. We were able to stick my hand in a shallow dish of cool soapy water and slide it off before heading to the hospital. So yes it can be annoying to be without your ring for a week or two while it's being sized, but it sure beats having to wait over a month while the ring is being remade because it had to be cut off after an accident.

Hi Melissa, so sorry to hear that you broke your arm! Hope you are feeling better!!

Thanks for the tips. I never heard of that shaving cream trick. You just soak in water and shaving cream?

 

[yssie]

It could be argued that a gold setting is even more robust for regular bathing, given its tensile strength. We're a PLAT household so I don't have that daily experience. Covid also changed our wear-habits so that gentle clicking doesn't serenade us nearly as often.

I've had 14k and platinum U-prong eternities. Same exact style from the same exact vendor, same method of manufacture (casting), same exact ring size, similarly sized stones (15 and 20 pointers). Same wear habits.

Stones routinely come loose in the platinum band. Never, ever, ever happened with the older gold version. Which... Is exactly what you'd expect from those metals cast, if only I hadn't been so over-confident that mine would be different.

I'll have my platinum band re-remade in gold one of these days.

 

[yssie]

I just bought some pointy-tipped paintbrushes to replace my trustee toothbrush thanks to this thread

 

[Lakefront]

For me, it’s all about consistency.
A quick swish with a gentle soap and soft brush every other day or so (depending on wear) is much more productive than a deep clean once the piece is obviously dirty.

 

[SomethingNew]

Hi Jewelry Lovers,

We just published a page on cleaning, featuring "Seven Steps to Sparkle."

Advice on how to keep your metals shining and your refractive-indices refracting.
https://www.pricescope.com/education/engagement-rings/how-to-clean-jewelry

Any thoughts? Any advice? Any additional suggestions? What works for you? Any chance you have cool techniques, along with before and after photos?

Alternately, do you have any crazy stories about what NOT to do? - For example, using sulfuric acid on an heirloom diamond ring (yes, I saw this).

Thanks John! These are all great info, very helpful!

One thing I'd like to ask and I have asked this on another thread but didn't quite get any feedback, is how do you properly (or the best way) to clean setting with cups or foil back. I am considering setting my yellow diamond in a cup but afraid of doing so because I am afraid it'll difficult for cleaning. I was told usually with the cup, there's a small hole at the bottom, but it's usually very tiny.

Any input is much appreciated!

 

[John Pollard]

I disagree - the scratches come from dirt and abrasives and soft bristles will cause just as many scratches if you have not first removed some of the grit with a good hot solvent. And when you use something hot, soft bristles get mushy.

Hey @Garry H (Cut Nut) - Can you read it again, more slowly, and tell me exactly what you disagree with?

Hint: I have put the relevant bits in bold.

<< Tooth enamel has a Mohs hardness of 5, and can be scratched by medium, firm or hard bristles. Most gems in jewelry will be harder than that, but gold alloys used for jewelry have an average hardness of 2.5 and platinum has a hardness of 4.5. Don’t use an old brush or one which might have detritus on it, as debris could also scratch your jewelry.>>

 

[Mreader]

Thanks John! These are all great info, very helpful!

One thing I'd like to ask and I have asked this on another thread but didn't quite get any feedback, is how do you properly (or the best way) to clean setting with cups or foil back. I am considering setting my yellow diamond in a cup but afraid of doing so because I am afraid it'll difficult for cleaning. I was told usually with the cup, there's a small hole at the bottom, but it's usually very tiny.

Any input is much appreciated!

Yes this is a good question!

 

[John Pollard]

I've had 14k and platinum U-prong eternities. Same exact style from the same exact vendor, same method of manufacture (casting), same exact ring size, similarly sized stones (15 and 20 pointers). Same wear habits.

Stones routinely come loose in the platinum band. Never, ever, ever happened with the older gold version. Which... Is exactly what you'd expect from those metals cast, if only I hadn't been so over-confident that mine would be different.

I'll have my platinum band re-remade in gold one of these days.

One of my friends had an opposite experience. She favors gold because she has terrible wear habits - smashing her hands against stuff on the regular - and hates how fast patina develops with platinum. Those habits bit her after she upgraded to a larger diamond. Within a few months (I may be exaggerating timeline) she snapped a prong 2x. Her husband - a jeweler - told her either switch to platinum or go back to the smaller diamond. They changed the head to PT and she hasn't had breakage again. While I credit the "shock absorber" benefit of PT for that, it's also possible she has worked to amend her evil ways.

 

[John Pollard]

Thanks John! These are all great info, very helpful!

One thing I'd like to ask and I have asked this on another thread but didn't quite get any feedback, is how do you properly (or the best way) to clean setting with cups or foil back. I am considering setting my yellow diamond in a cup but afraid of doing so because I am afraid it'll difficult for cleaning. I was told usually with the cup, there's a small hole at the bottom, but it's usually very tiny.

Any input is much appreciated!

@SomethingNew great question, and one that's outside of my wheelhouse. Someone else in the community may have experience with this. I'll also check with a couple of gurus I know to get a proper answer.

 

[Rfisher]

Thanks John! These are all great info, very helpful!

One thing I'd like to ask and I have asked this on another thread but didn't quite get any feedback, is how do you properly (or the best way) to clean setting with cups or foil back. I am considering setting my yellow diamond in a cup but afraid of doing so because I am afraid it'll difficult for cleaning. I was told usually with the cup, there's a small hole at the bottom, but it's usually very tiny.

Any input is much appreciated!

Maybe go for yellow gold bold/wider gallery rail instead of a ‘cup’?
Easier to clean and it might still accomplish what you wish.

 

[StarshineSweet]

Hi Melissa, so sorry to hear that you broke your arm! Hope you are feeling better!!

Thanks for the tips. I never heard of that shaving cream trick. You just soak in water and shaving cream?

No, just rub with shaving cream then rinse and dry with soft cloth.

 

[Karl_K]

Another tip the perfect glass or container to use for soaking is paper or softer plastic, do not use china or glass.
I use 2 short tubberware glasses that's older than many people reading this.
Check prongs, stones and setting with loupe
Put in the glass stove warned distilled water - warm not hot. and a dot of dawn, swish ring around for a few seconds. Let it sit in bottom for a few minutes then swish again then swish in another cup of warm clean water to remove soap.
Repeat as needed.
opt but nice: blow dry with canned air.
Check prongs again.

 

[bling_dream19]

Do we have a site where each gem is given cleaning instructions? I've got spinels, zircons, sapphires, emeralds, citrines and I get so confused how to clean each one. For colored stones, I am soaking in warm water with dawn. No ultrasonic. Sometimes I am using a toothbrush. But now I'm confused if we should use a small toothbrush or not. Sorry if I've missed any of the instructions. Thank you

 

[yssie]

One of my friends had an opposite experience. She favors gold because she has terrible wear habits - smashing her hands against stuff on the regular - and hates how fast patina develops with platinum. Those habits bit her after she upgraded to a larger diamond. Within a few months (I may be exaggerating timeline) she snapped a prong 2x. Her husband - a jeweler - told her either switch to platinum or go back to the smaller diamond. They changed the head to PT and she hasn't had breakage again. While I credit the "shock absorber" benefit of PT for that, it's also possible she has worked to amend her evil ways.

You're describing my mother. Shock absorber is definitely the upside of predisposition toward elastic deformation
But I, unlike my mother, and possibly your old friend, don't ravage my jewellery, so...

 

[Karl_K]

Do we have a site where each gem is given cleaning instructions? I've got spinels, zircons, sapphires, emeralds, citrines and I get so confused how to clean each one. For colored stones, I am soaking in warm water with dawn. No ultrasonic. Sometimes I am using a toothbrush. But now I'm confused if we should use a small toothbrush or not. Sorry if I've missed any of the instructions. Thank you

common everyday dust in many parts of the world has a mah hardness around 7 quartz.
I do not recommend a brush on stones under 8ish and not a brush fan at all really.

 

[Bonfire]

do not use china or glass.

Why? I set my rings in a small plastic strainer inside a large glass measuring cup filled with distilled water and Dawn

 

[Karl_K]

Why? I set my rings in a small plastic strainer inside a large glass measuring cup filled with distilled water and Dawn

That's fine because the ring is touching plastic not glass.
Glass and china is hard which is tough on settings and more likely to cause damage to stones and prongs.
Also crystal striking crystal can create harmonics that damage one or the other or both.
The used to and maybe still do make plates they sell as unbreakable, you can toss them across the room and they wont break.
Ring them with some types of glass or china just slightly and they shatter into many pieces from the vibrations.

 

[Bonfire]

Interesting, thank you @Karl_K

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

So when you circle your wine glass with your finger to make it hum, you should not have your ring in there? Dang, there goes my evening.

 

[heididdl]

You will enjoy your new found brilliance.
Some tooth pastes have great abrasives for polishing pewter.

I only wash the diamond not the metal

 

[Karl_K]

So when you circle your wine glass with your finger to make it hum, you should not have your ring in there? Dang, there goes my evening.

That is funny!!!
I have a theory but some people are going to call it a bad one.
I have seen rings dropped from 4 feet land on the diamond on concrete bounce a few times and the diamond is just fine.
Other times I have seen shattered diamonds from falling 4-5 inches into a sink.
On explanation is that diamonds dropped into the sink may have had strain that caused them to blow apart at the lighter hit.
But just maybe it has to do with resonance from hitting a very hard surface setting up destructive harmonics in the diamond.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

That is funny!!!
I have a theory but some people are going to call it a bad one.
I have seen rings dropped from 4 feet land on the diamond on concrete bounce a few times and the diamond is just fine.
Other times I have seen shattered diamonds from falling 4-5 inches into a sink.
On explanation is that diamonds dropped into the sink may have had strain that caused them to blow apart at the lighter hit.
But just maybe it has to do with resonance from hitting a very hard surface setting up destructive harmonics in the diamond.

Hi Karl, Breaking and chipping diamonds is 90% bad luck that the force went thru one of the 4 cleavage planes (octahedral).

 

[Karl_K]

Hi Karl, Breaking and chipping diamonds is 90% bad luck that the force went thru one of the 4 cleavage planes (octahedral).

see told ya lol.
Yes that is certainly a big part of it.