cleaning a diamond in a gallery setting

[ilovethiswebsite]

Hi Everyone,

I have the Ritany classic solitaire e-ring... Ever since I had the diamond lowered I have noticed that there is dirt ring around the diamond where the diamond hits the gallery (see arrow in the picture below)... The diamond must be really closely sitting on the gallery becase I can't clean it no matter how hard I try... I have tried my ultrasonic cleaner a few times and even brought it to the jeweler and although it gets better - it's still evident... Does anyone have any suggestions what to do? Should I try a special type of cleaning solution or should I have the diamond raised again so it's easier to clean?

Thanks!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Are you sure you aren''t seeing the girdle reflection?

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Hmm I am not 100% sure... I don''t think so though... It really looks grimy like dirt and after the ultrasonic is does seem to improve a little but it still there... Maybe I will try to take pics to show but it will be difficult as it is only visible at an angle.

 

[Moh 10]

Maybe a waterpik will help dislodge gunk in that tight space.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Here is the best pic I could come up with... Sorry it sucks!

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Date: 7/29/2009 10:27:27 PM
Author: Moh 10
Maybe a waterpik will help dislodge gunk in that tight space.

hmm that is a good idea! only problem is i don't have one! dope!

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Ok - as an update - I just tried my steamer on my cappucino machine and that seems to help a lot - but the grim ring is still visible - just thinner.

 

[stone-cold11]

Try the espresso machine a few more times?

Also give the gem care products a try? Wink sells them and has a video on how to use it in his old website.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/29/2009 10:58:01 PM
Author: ilovethiswebsite
Ok - as an update - I just tried my steamer on my cappucino machine and that seems to help a lot - but the grim ring is still visible - just thinner.

Get a professional cleaning, sometimes these things don''t come off no matter how hard you try, a pro will soon have it sparkling again.

A little tip for you, for home cleaning I find a wooden cocktail stick is great for getting into small crevices and won''t harm the diamond or setting.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Date: 7/30/2009 7:35:32 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 7/29/2009 10:58:01 PM
Author: ilovethiswebsite
Ok - as an update - I just tried my steamer on my cappucino machine and that seems to help a lot - but the grim ring is still visible - just thinner.

Get a professional cleaning, sometimes these things don''t come off no matter how hard you try, a pro will soon have it sparkling again.

A little tip for you, for home cleaning I find a wooden cocktail stick is great for getting into small crevices and won''t harm the diamond or setting.

I brought it to my jeweler a few months ago and he used his ultrasonic cleaner - and it still didn''t work... The steamer seems to work best for some reason... Maybe the heat helps to loosen up the grim... I will try WINKS website to see if he has anything that may work. The solution I have been using so far in my ultrasonic is ammonia based - but that hasn''t been working (then again my ultrasonic is a pretty low end brand so maybe it''s not strong enough).

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[Lynn B]

Can you get a small make-up brush or a small artist''s brush and work at it?

Also, try all kinds of cleaners, too... sometimes it just takes that *one* cleaning product to remove some otherwise stubborn stain.

 

[teetee]

Thanks for creating this thread, OP. I have the same e-ring and the same problem! It has been driving me nuts. I''ve tried everything you''ve listed except the cappucino steamer...too bad I don''t have one

I even tried using an Oral B electronic toothbrush with an interdental attachment but it doesn''t help. It''s hard to say where the grime is but I think it may be dirt on the inside of the gallery that is reflecting.

What do you think about boiling the ring to melt away the dirt and grease? I don''t think it would harm the platinum or diamond but I''m kinda scared to try it.

 

[teetee]

My hubby suggested putting it in the dishwasher. I could put it in a tea strainer so it won''t get lost. The heat and steam should melt the grime...what do you all think?

 

[D&T]

Date: 8/14/2009 12:14:25 AM
Author: teetee
My hubby suggested putting it in the dishwasher. I could put it in a tea strainer so it won''t get lost. The heat and steam should melt the grime...what do you all think?

hmmm interesting thought. Never would have suggested that. I''d love to hear what others think about this idea

 

[glitterata]

I would be terrified to do that. What if the tea strainer came open and the ring flew around the dishwasher and got bumped against all your stainless forks and the dishwasher''s whirling metal parts for an hour?

 

[teetee]

Any other thoughts/ideas?

 

[Demon]

Could it be water spots around the gallery? I was cleaning rings 2-3 times and still finding they looked kind of ''oily'', then I bought a can of compressed air and those rings have never looked better.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

hm I have tried the steamer on my cappucino machine and then the ultrasonic again and repeated... it did improve the grim a lot but there is still a thin ring of dirt on the inside...i give up... never thought to try the boiling thing... do you think it''s worth a try? i guess i don''t see the harm... the compressed air may also be worth a try!

 

[HopeDream]

I''m not sure about the Ritani setting, but I do have a dishwashing cleaning tip:

I use a large safety pin to attach my ring to the hole in the handle of my Tablespoon measuring spoon , and put it handle up in the cutlery basket, so the ring kind of dangels.

Be very very careful about the chlorine in dishwashing detergent leaching metal out of gold alloys! I consider the dishwasher a once a year or less treatment.

The ring comes out very shiny though.

maybe run it through the dishwasher without soap? (so no damaging chlorine)

cheers,
HD

 

[Kaleigh]

Sounds like it needs a good steam cleaning at your local jeweler...

 

[trillionaire]

I''ve only had my ring for a month and have already noticed accumulation in this area.

Looks like I will have to be vigilant. I talke to FI about possibly doing a different prong setting, (because I wanted to see more of the diamond exposed

) but he was concerned that the diamond would no longer be secure...

Hmm... lots to thing about. Great topic!

 

[Laila619]

I didn''t know this could be a problem! Is it perhaps better in terms of keeping a diamond clean to have it set in a regular peg prong head, so that the gallery isn''t as open?

 

[ct-appr]

Boiling works but be careful. Only boil diamonds.

Here is how:
Fill a sauce pan 3/4 with water, add a dash of some cleaner with ammonia, bring to a boil.
Make a hook from a paper clip and hang it on the side of the pan.
Put your diamond ring on the hook so that it is suspended in the water, do not let it touch the bottom of the pan.
Boil for 15 minutes.

 

[teetee]

The boiling didn''t work for me. I didn''t want to bother rigging a paper clip so I just put it in a metal strainer so the ring was no where near the bottom of the pan. After that didn''t work I gave up for awhile but then I saw some threads on PS about the Jewel Jet so I bought one in hopes that it would solve my problem.

Using the Jewel Jet definitely made my ring look sparkly and clean but it didn''t get rid of the dirt on the diamond. I even put it in the ultrasonic and then used the JJ immediately after but still no luck. It does seem like the dirt has been pushed down but it''s still there and getting more clumped up. Lately, I''ve just been using the JJ just to get the sparkle back but it''s a daily requirement.

Other things I''ve tried were compressed air, floss and even bought some small bristled brushes made for getting between teeth. I can''t find anything that is strong, yet thin enough to get between the space between the metal and the diamond. The floss was kind of a mistake because it started shredding and some of the fine threads are stuck under there now.

I think part of the problem is that I''m looking at it under a loupe. You really can''t see the dirt without a loupe but it is really nasty under there. Maybe I''m just being too anal but knowing the dirt is there is driving me crazy! I think my last resort is to have the diamond unmounted and everything cleaned. But I don''t know if I really want to do that because the dirt will just come back.... Does anyone know if that will weaken the prongs?

ilovethiswebsite - have you had any luck?

 

[teetee]

Date: 8/20/2009 1:20:28 AM
Author: trillionaire
I''ve only had my ring for a month and have already noticed accumulation in this area.

Looks like I will have to be vigilant. I talke to FI about possibly doing a different prong setting, (because I wanted to see more of the diamond exposed

) but he was concerned that the diamond would no longer be secure...

Hmm... lots to thing about. Great topic!

Congrats on your engagement, trillionaire! Stay on top of keeping that ring clean

 

[exoticisabella]

LOL! I needed a good laugh

also...are you sure that it''s grime left over and not a reflection of the metal on the diamond?

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

hi everyone,

just wanted to update you guys! i ended up buying a professional grade ultrasonic and steam cleaner and it makes a pretty big difference..... i also brought the ring to my jeweler who spent a lot of time trying to clean it - and finally - after 3 rounds - it was clean... dope!

good news is that it''s not the setting (diamond too close to the gallery)... bad news is i have to clean it religiously every few days...