A dirty issue - how do your fancy cuts hold up when cleaning is overdue?

[kenny]

I have a fancy cut, an Octavia asscher, but I can't answer your question.
Since I clean it once or twice every day cleaning is never overdue.
Sorry.

Why wear a dirty diamond?

A dirty diamond is like Ferrari with flat tires.

 

[MamaBee]

I have a fancy cut, an Octavia asscher, but I can't answer your question.
Since I clean it once or twice every day cleaning is never overdue.
Sorry.

Why wear a dirty diamond?

A dirty diamond is like Ferrari with flat tires.

I’m like you in that I clean mine at least every day. I even do that with my MRB diamonds..When I had my antique asscher I noticed it stayed spot free because it had little facets around the steps unlike a regular asscher. My cushion also hides water spots because of that reason. My emerald cut has long facets like a window. If you spray a window and don’t wipe it then you may get water spots. I think that's what’s happening. It still sparkles..I actually don’t think anyone would notice it but me. I think because it’s a higher clarity it’s easier to see them. Yesterday I wore it all day without spots. When I was in the house I just used Nitrile gloves if I was going to do something messy. Heaven knows I have tons of gloves during Covid!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@MamaBee, I hope you don’t mind me asking, do you use your ultrasonic exclusively to clean your diamonds or do you ever clean them with a toothbrush and Dawn?

I ask because I still don’t have an ultrasonic (might lose my PS membership card for that!) but I do religiously scrub with a toothbrush and Dawn and hot water, Windex if I have it. Wondering if I’m doing my diamonds a serious disservice by not having one?

 

[MamaBee]

@MamaBee, I hope you don’t mind me asking, do you use your ultrasonic exclusively to clean your diamonds or do you ever clean them with a toothbrush and Dawn?

I ask because I still don’t have an ultrasonic (might lose my PS membership card for that!) but I do religiously scrub with a toothbrush and Dawn and hot water, Windex if I have it. Wondering if I’m doing my diamonds a serious disservice by not having one?

@YadaYadaYada I keep my diamonds so clean that I don’t need to use a toothbrush. I occasionally look at it afterwards with a loupe to see if there’s anything there. It’s super clean. I love using an ultrasonic. The advantage with using the cheapie one from Magnasonic is I can use 91% alcohol in it . It doesn’t have a heat setting or generate enough power to blow up my kitchen.

 

[kenny]

I’m like you in that I clean mine at least every day. I even do that with my MRB diamonds..When I had my antique asscher I noticed it stayed spot free because it had little facets around the steps unlike a regular asscher. My cushion also hides water spots because of that reason. My emerald cut has long facets like a window. If you spray a window and don’t wipe it then you may get water spots. I think that's what’s happening. It still sparkles..I actually don’t think anyone would notice it but me. I think because it’s a higher clarity it’s easier to see them. Yesterday I wore it all day without spots. When I was in the house I just used Nitrile gloves if I was going to do something messy. Heaven knows I have tons of gloves during Covid!

No water spots here ... for 2 reasons.
1. I never use water to clean or even rinse, only Isopropyl alcohol.
2. Immediately after scrubbing and jabbing gently into the nooks and crannies with tiny pointed tooth brush I blow all the contaminated liquid away with canned air.

IMO the best jabbing brush is the GUM End-Tuft 308 by Sunstar.

 

[Rockdiamond]

There are physical reasons why different diamonds react to dirt differently.
Each facet is acting either like a mirror, or a window.
Stones that return the light with fewer bounces- such as Emerald Cuts, OMB's, and others- have large pavilion facets acting as mirrors. A dirty mirror will reflect light better than a dirty window will allow light to pass through.

 

[MamaBee]

No water spots here ... for 2 reasons.
1. I never use water to clean or even rinse, only Isopropyl alcohol.
2. Immediately after scrubbing and jabbing gently into the nooks and crannies with tiny pointed tooth brush I blow all the contaminated liquid away with canned air.

IMO the best jabbing brush is the GUM End-Tuft 308 by Sunstar.

I’m going to do that! No water! I do out the alcohol in the Magnasonic..I may have to get canned air. Is there a special brand you use?

 

[kenny]

I’m going to do that! No water! I do out the alcohol in the Magnasonic..I may have to get canned air. Is there a special brand you use?

@MamaBee I use Dust Off Duster in 12-ounce cans.
It's pricey so I buy them in 6-packs at Costco, the cheapest I've seen (per can).
Before tax a 6-pack used to cost around $16, but now with inflation they're up to $25.
I've heard rumor some Costco's will stop selling office supplies so I may have to start buying them from Costco.com in a 12-pack.

https://www.costco.com/dust-off-compressed-gas-duster-12-pack.product.11228077.html

Since I suspect they're all the same, have not bothered trying other brands so I go for the best priced one I could find.
Tip: Be sure to hold can perfectly upright, this makes the liquid in the can last longer.
Actually instead of holding the can I set the can on the counter



To speed up the cleaning process, and reduce waste and fumes harmful to my parrot I keep the isopropyl alcohol in a little Menda pump bottle.
It keeps the liquid handy and clean and takes a split second to use.
You push on the spring loaded top and a tiny bit of alcohol comes up.
Then lower lid to keep it clean.

There are to models of pump mechanism.
The regular is cheaper and allows that bit of left over alcohol to drain back into the bottle.
The one called "Purity Protector" does not allow the possibly-contaminated left over liquid to drain back down - so it just evaporates.
This explains why you'll see two prices for what looks identical.

Menda makes them in plastic, metal, and glass of several colors, and have a line for beauty/makeup with pretty designs on the glass.
Buy at www.mendabeauty.com or Amazon.



The cheapest plastic ones are around $15.
I prefer the nice colored frosted glass ones at probably $25 to $35 these days.
I think they are 4 and 6 oz. I get the larger.

I just timed it.
My entire process took 18 seconds, and the diamond and setting is as clean as new (actually much more clean).
18 sec includes stepping outside to spray off the contaminated alcohol to protect my parrot from the accelerant chemical in the aerosol can.

 

[MamaBee]

@MamaBee I use Dust Off Duster in 12-ounce cans.
It's pricey so I buy them in 6-packs at Costco, the cheapest I've seen (per can).
Before tax a 6-pack used to cost around $16, but now with inflation they're up to $25.
I've heard rumor some Costco's will stop selling office supplies so I may have to start buying them from Costco.com in a 12-pack.

https://www.costco.com/dust-off-compressed-gas-duster-12-pack.product.11228077.html

Since I suspect they're all the same, have not bothered trying other brands so I go for the best priced one I could find.
Tip: Be sure to hold can perfectly upright, this makes the liquid in the can last longer.
Actually instead of holding the can I set the can on the counter



To speed up the cleaning process, and reduce waste and fumes harmful to my parrot I keep the isopropyl alcohol in a little Menda pump bottle.
It keeps the liquid handy and clean and takes a split second to use.
You push on the spring loaded top and a tiny bit of alcohol comes up.
Then lower lid to keep it clean.

There are to models of pump mechanism.
The regular is cheaper and allows that bit of left over alcohol to drain back into the bottle.
The one called "Purity Protector" does not allow the possibly-contaminated left over liquid to drain back down - so it just evaporates.
This explains why you'll see two prices for what looks identical.

Menda makes them in plastic, metal, and glass of several colors, and have a line for beauty/makeup with pretty designs on the glass.
Buy at www.mendabeauty.com or Amazon.



The cheapest plastic ones are around $15.
I prefer the nice colored frosted glass ones at probably $25 to $35 these days.
I think they are 4 and 6 oz. I get the larger.

I just timed it.
My entire process took 18 seconds, and the diamond and setting is as clean as new (actually much more clean).
18 sec includes stepping outside to spray off the contaminated alcohol to protect my parrot from the accelerant chemical in the aerosol can.

Thank you @kenny! Ok..I don’t want to sound dense.…I want to get this straight. You pump alcohol on the ring..clean it with the toothbrush..then spray the alcohol that's on the the ring with the air duster? I would also spray it outside. You’re holding the ring in your hand? I’ve never done this before so I’m trying to visualize it.

BTW I had a grand cockatoo...named Einstein. My son rehomed him because he couldn’t spend much time with him. They thrive on companionship so he started losing feathers. He loved that bird so he made arrangements for a friend to adopt him. His friend has two other parrots. My son had to force himself not to visit him so Einstein would bond with his new family.. I miss that guy. He would put his little claw out and hold my finger. The last I heard Einstein’s feathers grew back and loved living with his friends.

 

[kenny]

I should make a video, but until then ...

First watch:

1. With your non-dominate hand hold the ring on the bottom, opposite from the diamond.



2. With dominant hand hold the brush and with a finger pump up some alcohol.
3. Dip brush, not the diamond, into the alcohol.
4. CAUTION - this step can send little splatters of alcohol in all directions. Don't get it into your eyes. Gently jab all around the diamond allowing bristles to get between prongs to access all of the pavilion. As dirty alcohol drips down reload brush with clean alcohol. Jab and wipe/scrub the table with the brush. Another reason I love tension settings is you have nearly full access to the entire diamond surface for quick thorough cleaning in 18 seconds.
5. CAUTION Holding the ring tightly (so the high pressure air from the can doesn't send your ring across the room) blast away the gunky liquid. Air pressure falls off with distance so I keep the ring about 2 or 3 inches from the can's nozzel.
6. Loupe it, heavy gunk build up may require repeating steps a few times. If super duper gunky soak it in iso alcohol first for a while.

Alcohol can dry out your skin, which can be prevented by nitrile gloves or just holding the ring up side down so diamond faces down for entire process.



This process has the added benefit of cleaning right up to where prongs touch the diamond.
That's were you can't reach with a cloth, paper towel, Q-Tip, etc. so contaminated residue will collect there and evaporate leaving a film on the diamond around the prong.
It also cannot contribute lint or residue from the cloth you touched with mormal oily skin.
A hair dryer is no substitute for canned air because the pressure is not high enough to blast away the contaminated liquid.
Plus, the hair dryer speeds up evaporation - but only liquid evaporates, not gunk so you'll leave gunk residue using a hairy dryer.

Even if you want to use the ultrasonic the canned air is still recommended since after using the ultrasonic it's cleaning liquid itself is also contaminated with removed gunk.

 

[MamaBee]

I should make a video, but until then ...

First watch:

1. With your non-dominate hand hold the ring on the bottom, opposite from the diamond.



2. With dominant hand hold the brush and with a finger pump up some alcohol.
3. Dip brush, not the diamond, into the alcohol.
4. CAUTION - this step can send little splatters of alcohol in all directions. Don't get it into your eyes. Gently jab all around the diamond allowing bristles to get between prongs to access all of the pavilion. As dirty alcohol drips down reload brush with clean alcohol. Jab and wipe/scrub the table with the brush. Another reason I love tension settings is you have nearly full access to the entire diamond surface for quick thorough cleaning in 18 seconds.
5. CAUTION Holding the ring tightly (so the high pressure air from the can doesn't send your ring across the room) blast away the gunky liquid. Air pressure falls off with distance so I keep the ring about 2 or 3 inches from the can's nozzel.
6. Loupe it, heavy gunk build up may require repeating steps a few times. If super duper gunky soak it in iso alcohol first for a while.

Alcohol can dry out your skin, which can be prevented by nitrile gloves or just holding the ring up side down so diamond faces down for entire process.



This process has the added benefit of cleaning right up to where prongs touch the diamond.
That's were you can't reach with a cloth, paper towel, Q-Tip, etc. so contaminated residue will collect there and evaporate leaving a film on the diamond around the prong.
It also cannot contribute lint or residue from the cloth you touched with mormal oily skin.
A hair dryer is no substitute for canned air because the pressure is not high enough to blast away the contaminated liquid.
Plus, the hair dryer speeds up evaporation - but only liquid evaporates, not gunk so you'll leave gunk residue using a hairy dryer.

Even if you want to use the ultrasonic the canned air is still recommended since after using the ultrasonic it's cleaning liquid itself is also contaminated with removed gunk.

Thank you @kenny! I can’t wait to try this!

 

[Demon]

I really like this ultrasonic which is better than those $20 dinky ones:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FTFD3R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put some Blitz cleaner in it and it works great on my diamonds. I do agree that round stones tend to shine through dirt way better than other cuts.

Man, I was going to recommend the GemOro 1.5 pint that I have, but the prices on those have gone up a lot from what I paid.

 

[caolsen]

All things being euqual, setting making a stone harder to wash soap and stuff off, no diamknd gets dirtier than another. They are the same material with the same physical properties.

What junk does is impede light performance differently. Same reason step cuts show inclusions more easily than brilliants is the reason you see the junk more easily - the faceting of a step cut isn’t shattering the light.

How a stone is set is a big culprit, I think. Certain setting make cleaning a nightmare.

 

[MMtwo]

Funny you should write about this topic, @diamondhoarder. YES!

I had a new ring come in and compared it to some I already have. I was just not "feeling" the love for a couple, including my favorite old mine cut. The wonky old cut used to shine and sparkle so well. In a "duh" moment the other day I realized it was likely just dirty, not magically transformed. Diamonds don't really "lose" their sparkle, do they? The loupe confirmed it was atrocious. I often use a ultrasonic to clean them, but not much soap. Then I use a toothbrush to scrub a bit.

This time, I used straight simple green lemon degreaser (nontoxic, non-corrosive, safe for metals and hard stones, as usual, no opals, pearls and so on) and my soft jewelry brush scrubbed everything well and the sparkle returned. I assumed the ultrasonic was keeping up but it clearly was not. The rings were so clean they almost squeaked.

Dirt tolerance from worse to best (my completely uneducated observations)

Scissorcut fancy/emerald - stay close to water, soap and a small brush!
OMC - keep those prisms clean for colored fire
cushion cuts - a little more forgiving
MRB - workhorse keeps on giving, even when she needs a bath.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@MMtwo, thanks for the Simple Green suggestion. I noticed a film on my diamond even though I religiously scrub with a toothbrush and Dawn. Tried the Simple Green and it took the film right off!

 

[MMtwo]

@MMtwo, thanks for the Simple Green suggestion. I noticed a film on my diamond even though I religiously scrub with a toothbrush and Dawn. Tried the Simple Green and it took the film right off!

I'm happy that it worked for you, too. I remember years ago when I worked in a big box type hardware store the Simple Green vendor came in and used it to clean jewelry.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I'm happy that it worked for you, too. I remember years ago when I worked in a big box type hardware store the Simple Green vendor came in and used it to clean jewelry.

I actually but the Simple Green from Lowe’s because it was the cheapest in my area.

 

[MMtwo]

I actually but the Simple Green from Lowe’s because it was the cheapest in my area.

It is - I love the stuff.

 

[diamondhoarder]

I love that this thread has taken off again! I have some new insights onto this whole question now, based on experiences with various diamond cuts over the last couple of years.

I have mercilessly pruned my collection over time, and I have noticed that the diamonds that survived the culling are easy to keep clean and also tend more towards more brilliant cuts (including fancies) and less towards step cuts and diamonds with fewer facets (unless they are small and set in a multi-stone ring). The remaining diamonds have minimal or no leakage.

- Out went an EC and an asscher (both beautifully cut but performance was still impaired by small amounts of dirt/ grease within a few hours of wearing)
- Out went a fancy pink brown cushion set in a rose gold cup. Even though the cup was open the cleaning was a huge faff and it needed to be pristine for top performance
- Out went a mixed cut (step cut pavilion, brilliant cut crown - a branded "Victorian Cut") which had some areas of leakage around the keel which if not completely clean could look dull easily

- In came a row of 7 smaller asscher cuts in a shared prong ring. They do look best as clean as possible, but even if they are not pristine there is plenty of white light return and scintillation so they still dance as the ring moves
- In came a scissor cut (branded PrinceCut) with a cracking ASET and enough facets and virtual facets to retain brilliance and scintillation even if overdue for a bath
- In came a Tycoon Cut with the best ASET and light performance I could ever dream of. In spite of having longer, larger facets than some other cuts which theoretically should easily show up specs of dust or grease, it has plenty of virtual faccets and it still somehow manages to throw fire and brilliance even if a little grubby (although I love it best when its fesh from the ultrasonic)

There are a few sparklies that have shown real longevity:

- various ideal cut RB items,
- a ring with 3 smaller high colour high clarity ECs,
- a high colour high clarity band ring with RBs and straight baguettes,
- an elongated I colour high clarity brilliant cushion with a fabulous ASET
- an ideal cut square radiant/ Quadex/ POH - continues to throw fire and brilliance even when well overdue for a clean
- a large princess with a very average ASET whose performance was hampered by a setting that hampered its light performance and its personal hygiene. Once the setting was refined the stone was much easier to keep clean and continued to retain its charm and liveliness between cleanings too.

So I agree with @MMtwo that RBs are real work horses and that cushions are more forgiving.
I also think smaller step cuts, especially those set in multiples are more forgiving than larger single step cuts, even when they are beautifully cut for maximum light performance
My higher colour higher clarity diamonds generally last longer between baths without losing too much of their allure.
With fancies, starting off with a diamond with minimal leakage and a colourful, well balanced ASET is more likely (but not guaranteed) to put up some resistance to dulling down by dirt
Sometimes more rather than fewer facets (or at least more virtual facets) in a well cut stone will help to hide dirt.

( I should just point out that I DO like to to ensure my sparklies' personal hygiene is up to scratch and am a huge fan of properly/ regularly cleaned diamonds). But nevertheless, the easier to maintain, the happier I am

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I have a fancy cut, an Octavia asscher, but I can't answer your question.
Since I clean it once or twice every day cleaning is never overdue.
Sorry.

Why wear a dirty diamond? For dirty dancing?

A dirty diamond is like Ferrari with flat tires.

 

[MamaBee]

I just bought a gallon of the Simple Green lemon degreaser..I ordered it online because our area has a high Covid transmission level right now..I couldn’t get anything smaller!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Having burned thru two Magnasonics (lightening), I now have a Rovsun, which I love. Bigger, noisier, steel exterior, but it has a heater and I can poach my jewelry and vibrate it for less time. I love it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm happy that it worked for you, too. I remember years ago when I worked in a big box type hardware store the Simple Green vendor came in and used it to clean jewelry.

Does it still have that awful smell ?
The smell always put me off simple green
Im keen to try Kenny's isopropyl alcohol, Gary has some - you can only buy really small bottles here because its used in the manufacture of meth

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I just bought a gallon of the Simple Green lemon degreaser..I ordered it online because our area has a high Covid transmission level right now..I couldn’t get anything smaller!

Ahhh
lemon !
I obviously wasn't the only one who didn't like the smell of the original

 

[MamaBee]

Ahhh
lemon !
I obviously wasn't the only one who didn't like the smell of the original

I have the green one but she specified lemon degreaser so that’s what I bought..I also don’t care for the smell of the original..

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I have the green one but she specified lemon degreaser so that’s what I bought..I also don’t care for the smell of the original..

Glad its not just me
ill keep an eye out for the Lemon one

 

[MamaBee]

Glad its not just me
ill keep an eye out for the Lemon one

I’ll let you know what it smells like! Haha I will come in two weeks!

 

[MMtwo]

I’ll let you know what it smells like! Haha I will come in two weeks!

I was not a fan of the strange green licorice scent of the original Simple Green, but the lemon is simply lemony cleaner. @MamaBee, you'll be able to clean every ring on Pricescope

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I was not a fan of the strange green licorice scent of the original Simple Green, but the lemon is simply lemony cleaner. @MamaBee, you'll be able to clean every ring on Pricescope

It was kind of cloying wasn't it ?
I think it was one of the first natural products i had ever come across and i remember being none to impressed

 

[MamaBee]

I was not a fan of the strange green licorice scent of the original Simple Green, but the lemon is simply lemony cleaner. @MamaBee, you'll be able to clean every ring on Pricescope

Or all of mine..