Caring for your diamond

[sgruning]

How does everyone keep their diamonds clean and sparkly?

 

[aljdewey]

The SI ultrasonic cleaner, fueled with Mr. Clean and a touch of Dawn dishwashing liquid.

MAGIC!

 

[scarleta]

is this just for diamonds or can it be used for everything ( opals too?) Where can we buy it and the cost? thanks

 

[widget]

I love the US cleaner, too, but only use it for multiple jewelry cleaning, or for special occasions.

For everyday, I keep a small spray bottle by my bathroom sink, containing my US "recipe": water, Dawn, and Windex.

I give my ring a good spray, then let it sit while I shower, make-up, etc.

Then I give it a scrub with a soft old toothbrush, and rinse in hot water...

widget

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Have some time on your hands? Check out THE ultrasonic thread!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/can-you-use-an-ultrasonic-cleaner-to-often.34606/=

 

[jaz464]

Dawn and warm water with a scrubbing from a baby toothbrush each day.

Once a week, scrubbing with warm water and ammonia.

 

[plg_cp]

Date: 12/14/2006 10:16:41 PM
Author: scarleta
is this just for diamonds or can it be used for everything ( opals too?) Where can we buy it and the cost? thanks

You are not supposed to put opals into an ultrasonic cleaner
It seems the most popular model among PSers is the Sharper Image Ultrasonic. The Shaper Image has an Ebay store (userID: the_sharper_image) where they sell refurbished units for somewhere $30-$50 + shipping. Or you can buy a new one in-store for I think $100.

Mark

 

[snlee]

Yup, check out the thread ChargerGrrl posted. A ton of us here on PS use the SI ultrasonic cleaner daily and love it! It definitely keeps our diamonds clean and sparkly!

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 12/14/2006 10:16:41 PM
Author: scarleta
is this just for diamonds or can it be used for everything ( opals too?) Where can we buy it and the cost? thanks

Hi Scarleta. I''m not an expert, but diamonds can take stronger cleaning agents than other things. For example, it''s not a good idea to stick your pearls in ammonia! Cleaning methods are specific to what you are cleaning. I found this on opal cleaning:

To clean the surface of your Opal it''s best to softly rub the Opal with a facial tissue or piece of silk. Do not use chemicals, abrasives, toothpaste or ultrasonic cleaners to clean Opals. A mild soapy luke-warm water solution and a very soft toothbrush may be used for jewelry set with solid Opals, but it is best not to immerse doublets Opals or triplets in water as the ironstone adhesive may deteriorate. Opals may be damaged by sudden severe temperature changes, such as when wearing an Opal ring whilst cleaning dishes. For this reason it''s best not to wear Opals when cleaning dishes or showering.

from www.gilletts.com.au

 

[widget]

Yeah...no opals, emeralds or pearls in the US cleaner....also some have reported having melee get dislodged in pave mountings during cleaning...

widget

 

[luvthatstone]

Anyone have any advice on cleaning a pave/melee setting?

My GF is about to become the proud owner of a WF Champaigne setting and I want that puppy to sparkle but don''t want to cause any unnecessary wear on the stones set in the shank.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 12/14/2006 10:16:41 PM
Author: scarleta
is this just for diamonds or can it be used for everything ( opals too?) Where can we buy it and the cost? thanks

Do NOT use an ultrasonic on opals, emeralds and other fragile stones. You might get away with it most times, but on those occassions when you don''t, well you are going to be VERY unahppy.

While we have many clients who use the ammonia and water or dawn with good results we have found that the gemcare products line does the best job other than having your jewelry professionally cleaned. Your local jeweler may carry it, and will be happy to see how well it works if you ask him to get some for you. It has a paste to remove the tarnish from your metal and a liquid to get all of the cookie dough off the back of your ring. It is organically based rather than petroleum based so it does not leave the film that the petroleum based products do. This results in your stone staying cleaner longer.

Wink

 

[jaz464]

Date: 12/15/2006 11:37:03 AM
Author: luvthatstone
Anyone have any advice on cleaning a pave/melee setting?

My GF is about to become the proud owner of a WF Champaigne setting and I want that puppy to sparkle but don't want to cause any unnecessary wear on the stones set in the shank.

My ring has a ton of pave on it. I don't use a US cleaner on it. You can see above what I do to clean it. I have seen people here write that you don't know how dirty your ring is until you have it cleaned with a US but I disagree. Of course, I clean my rings every day, so nothing builds up. I took my e-ring to a jewelry store recently to have the prongs checked and the guy couldn't believe how clean it was. He said he was going to ask me if I wanted it cleaned but there was no reason to do so.

 

[grapegravity]

I just went onto ebay to buy the gemcare product that wink mentioned.. Because I noticed the more I use my US on my 18kt white gold ring, the yellower the band ...

 

[:)]

Date: 12/15/2006 11:37:03 AM
Author: luvthatstone
Anyone have any advice on cleaning a pave/melee setting?

My GF is about to become the proud owner of a WF Champaigne setting and I want that puppy to sparkle but don''t want to cause any unnecessary wear on the stones set in the shank.

Some have recommended the Salton Spa - they seem to report that they do not have trouble with their pave or melee in it.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Well I just use the little red round jars of jewelry cleaner you can get at a Dept store or the jewelers. Works OK hasn''t hurt my WG or pave. But for super clean I would try what WINK suggested.

 

[scarleta]

thanks for that.. now I know..

 

[Lynn B]

Can someone give more specifics on the gemcare stuff Wink mentioned? I looked on eBay and couldn''t find a thing??!! Thanks!

 

[Julian]

From someone who thought that good old fashioned scrubbing with a baby toothbrush and ammonia was good enough... When I recently got my first loupe, I was HORRIFIED to see the stuff that I was leaving behind! The US was the only thing to really get my diamonds 20X clean.

It was like that Married with Children episode when Al Bundy gets eyeglasses. He suddenly sees how his wife REALLY looks and sees how dingy his house is. So he decides to throw away the glasses! (We were kids when that show was on and it was the cool thing to watch secretly when our parents weren't paying attention!) Hilarious.

So I'd much rather not look through the loupe unless the ring has gone through the US! Otherwise, it's just too scary! And I clean my rings every single day... eek! I don't want to THINK about what really dirty rings that are never cleaned look like under 20X magnification!!!!

 

[jaz464]

Date: 12/16/2006 8:42:49 PM
Author: Julian
From someone who thought that good old fashioned scrubbing with a baby toothbrush and ammonia was good enough... When I recently got my first loupe, I was HORRIFIED to see the stuff that I was leaving behind! The US was the only thing to really get my diamonds 20X clean.

It was like that Married with Children episode when Al Bundy gets eyeglasses. He suddenly sees how his wife REALLY looks and sees how dingy his house is. So he decides to throw away the glasses! (We were kids when that show was on and it was the cool thing to watch secretly when our parents weren''t paying attention!) Hilarious.

So I''d much rather not look through the loupe unless the ring has gone through the US! Otherwise, it''s just too scary! And I clean my rings every single day... eek! I don''t want to THINK about what really dirty rings that are never cleaned look like under 20X magnification!!!!

This is interesting. My jeweler was looking at my ring under a microscope when he commented on how clean it was. Maybe I just do less dirty things with my ring than others.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 12/16/2006 11:01:59 AM
Author: Stone Hunter
Well I just use the little red round jars of jewelry cleaner you can get at a Dept store or the jewelers. Works OK hasn''t hurt my WG or pave. But for super clean I would try what WINK suggested.

Haha! Me, too! I''ve never had a problem keeping my rings clean with this! And as a matter of fact, both jewelers where I bought my latest rings gave me jars of this kind of cleanser. So I won''t need to buy any for a long time!

 

[Gothgrrl]

Jazmine...I tried the Dawn and warm water and boy oh boy....did my rings sparkle! So much better than those jewelry cleaners in the jar. I still want to get an US so it can be extra sparkly!

 

[ladykemma]

i use dishwashing liquid and water in the ultrasonic cleaner, detail with a soft paintbrush, rinsey rinsey, dry with a towel, and then i inspect with a loupe to check the prongs and check for crud.

sometimes to get major crud off a newly purchased pawn shop piece i will use sulfamic acid bathroom cleaner, dental floss, and a toothpick, to get off hardwater deposits, dead skin cells, and soap scum. in and out, no soaking.

i also use one of those polishing cloths occassionally to brighten up metal.

i want to purchase a water pick for fine detailing.