You’ve just purchased your new piece of diamond jewelry, and you put it on immediately as you walk out of the store, mesmerized by its radiance and sparkle. But a week later, the diamonds don’t seem to shine like they did at the store. They’ve “lost their luster.” Is it because the lighting in the jewelry store is designed to make them look shinier? No, it’s because your piece is dirty. If you want to keep you diamond jewelry looking like it did the day you bought it, you must treat it like the valuable object that it is, and maintain it.

Taking care of diamond jewelry isn’t difficult. It’s mostly just using common sense. If you’re going to be working with cleaning chemicals or doing yard work, take it off and store it. Even though diamonds are extremely hard they can still get scratched (how do you think they get polished?). Plus, dirt and crud from these activities leave crud under the stones, taking away some of their sparkle. Even soap and shampoo will leave a film on the stones and metal that can dull it. Put your ring in a jewelry cleaning solution (or a mild solution of dishwashing liquid diluted 4:1 water:soap)often to remove the grim and film. Better yet, buy an ultrasonic cleaner, which will help loosen and remove particles that you can’t even see.

Have your diamond jewelry taken into the jeweler every six months for a “tune-up.” He will check the stones for scratches or residual films and polish them out. He will also check the prongs or settings on the stones to make sure they are not loose, and he will look for cracks in the metal that could soon fail, causing a stone to fall out. Jewelers will do this for a nominal fee. Some will do it for free if you bought the diamond jewelry at their store, or you can buy a lifetime warranty contract where they do all of the above plus an inspection for the entire lifetime of the piece at no additional cost, and replace any stone that has fallen out in between visits at no charge.

Treat your diamond jewelry like you would your Rolls Royce. Use good judgment if you decide to take it out, always keep it washed and polished, don’t let anyone else touch it, and always keep it in a garage when you’re not using it. Goofy analogy, I know, but you get the point. Take care of it like the valuable keepsake it is meant to be, and you can pass it on for generations to come.

You can find the full article about cleaning your diamond jewelry and much more jewelry advice and information on Jewelrista.com