Clean my diamond this way?

[glaucomflecken]

Hi everyone!

I have a new three stone ring each stone set in a basket setting and surrounded on the shank''s sides with pave diamonds. The center stone and pave stones have a "hole" underneath so I can get in there with a brush and clean them well. The two side stones do not have a "hole" underneath and they are looking kind of hazy from the top. I am wondering if the undersides are dirty and I cant get through to clean them (the basket is not open, it has antique detailing so have small openings on the sides to stick a brush in there but VERY small).

The jeweler said to try this:
Try to boil the ring in water and a little bit of laundry detergent. Equal parts. When it boils, put the ring into a strainer and let it boil the dirt out for only a few minutes. Watch it, and do not leave it unattended. That should clean the undersides.

Is this a good idea? How long do you submerge the stone? My ring is platinum.

Thanks!

ps is there anything else that can make a stone look "hazy"? they don''t look "milky" hazy and still sparkle well, they are just not as "mirror clear" like as the other stones. I kind of always notice it now since I first paid attention and it doesnt matter what light form I am in to notice it. I don''t think they are fluorescent, they are H color, VS2. Center is 1.07, sides are each 0.17. Is it common to see a difference between each stone in a 3 stone when the center is so much bigger?

 

[kevinng]

Get an ultrasonic cleaner.

I just got a ring for my girlfriend, and she complains that it gets dirty so often. So I got her an ultrasonic cleaner. I got one that is big enough to clean my specs too.

All you need to do is squirt use some non-abrasive jewellery cleaner on the dirty parts (diswashing liquid will do fine as well) and put it in the ultrosonic cleaner... and voila!

Costs S$89, or around US$52 where I come from.

 

[jregan]

Calvert Jewellery in Brisbane Australia sells a superb device for cleaning jewellery with diamonds and other precious stones. An electrolytic cleaner (Ionic 150R). They do not erode metal, and are non abrasive. Ultrasonic cleaners can damage some stones, and settings - and do not remove oxide from metal. It takes less than 1 minute to clean a gold ring with the ionic 150R. The diamonds will sparkle like new! Also does stainless steel watches, chains etc. I Purchased one from website at www.calvertjewellery.com.au

Be careful when putting jewellery in hot water! Sometimes the stones can split through thermal shock. place the jewellery in with water at room temperature first.

Good luck!

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Edited because of Neils link - check it out...

If I want to get at the dirt under a stone where there is no hole, I leave it in the ultra-sonic a long time. My ultra-sonic is industrial costing $4000 and for it to be affective a use a strong amonia detergent cleaner. That would be your best bet.

What I just read in the other post changes things, as far as daily etc cleaning is concerned...

Boiling will work to a pont, by dissolving any and everything, but it doesn't make it move, so the longer and hotter the better. Then rince it ten times as much as you would expect to - or even rinse it with metholated spirits. Leaving it a few minutes or a few hours doesn't matter. Neither diamonds or platinum can be damaged by such a low heat. If you walk away and burn the cleaning liquid, it will burn onto the jewellery. If so, you need the jeweller and his acid (that he uses all day to clean oxidation from soldering), and his ultra-sonic, but that is if you forget and leave it. The longer the better, it will almost certainly be a matter of dirt, (unless the stones were different from the start).

Better yet take it to your jeweller and have him leave it in all day. It is not a chore for him, really.

Kevinng, wow that is cheap, and it works! A little amonia always helps too, but leave the room.

I owe it to jregan to look at this site, not much industrial application, but it would be nice to recommend

Cheers

Phillip

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Oh, I see. That product has merrit. Interesting concept.

I have a unit that does that already because I do plating.

 

[denverappraiser]

check out this discussion.

Neil Beaty
GG ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver