Ever wonder why we propose with diamond rings? Diamonds, with their fire, brilliance, and claim on being the hardest material on Earth, are the perfect symbol for everlasting love between two people. It might come as a surprise, then, to learn that even a small amount of oil from your fingertips can have damaging effects on your diamond’s sparkle. Other damaging substances include lotions, soaps, and hairspray - and we come into contact with most of those every day! If you’re feeling the sudden urge to take off your ring and carefully place it back in its box for safekeeping, fear not. We have a few tips for keeping the sparkle in your ring (and your eyes!)

It goes without saying that you haven’t stopped admiring, twirling, and sliding off-and-on your ring since the love of your life placed it on your hand. Hear us out: please, not so much. Your ring comes into contact with all sorts of oils, grime, and everyday essentials- it’s unavoidable. But to save you the steps of washing it two and three times a day to salvage its luster, make constant handling of your ring a rare thing. This isn’t to be confused with never taking off your ring. We highly recommend removing your ring to apply lotion, wash hands, clean dishes, work in the garden, showering, and any time you might come into contact with dangerous chemicals, such as hair dye and bleach. Make sure when removing it, you grab it by the band and not the stone, as this will smudge the diamond and potentially loosen it from its setting.

We understand you don’t have time to have your ring professionally cleaned every week. Did you know it’s super easy to do it at home, though? If you have a diamond-only ring, you can soak your ring for ten minutes in a one-part ammonia, two-parts water solution, then let it air dry. Have other precious stones in your ring? Use a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap and soak for five minutes before removing and scrubbing with a clean toothbrush. Make sure to scrub gently as to not loosen any prongs and get the back of the diamond. Use a soft, lint-free or gem cloth to dry.

Finally, always feel free to come see us in Palo Alto and let the professionals handle it. Regardless if you purchased with us, we can walk you through our cleaning process, discuss maintenance, if needed, and we will not start anything without your approval. You will leave feeling as though you have a brand-new diamond winking up at you.