Diamond Care & Maintenance

Regular Cleaning

Diamonds attract skin oils, lotions and everyday residue, which dull their brilliance. At home, soak in warm water with a little mild dish soap and clean gently with a soft brush, especially behind the stone where residue collects. Rinse and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.

Periodic professional cleaning is worthwhile. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning are generally safe for untreated diamonds, but they are not advised for fracture-filled or otherwise treated stones, or for diamonds with significant feathers or other inclusions that reach the surface. Check your stone's GIA report and ask your jeweler before using either, and avoid harsh chemicals such as chlorine bleach, which can damage settings.

Secure Settings

Have prongs and settings inspected by a qualified jeweler at least once a year. For rare diamonds, the metal is chosen for security first and for how it sets off the color second:

• Platinum — dense and durable, holds prongs well; a common choice for blue and colorless diamonds
• 18K white gold — secure and elegant; also suits blue and colorless stones
• 18K yellow gold — often used, sometimes just for the prongs, to complement the warmth of yellow diamonds
• Rose gold — a popular pairing with pink diamonds

Whatever the metal, security comes first. Pointed shapes such as the pear, marquise and princess need their points protected by V-prongs or similar settings.

Insurance Coverage

Keep dedicated jewelry insurance, ideally with "agreed value" or "stated value" coverage rather than "actual cash value." With a rare diamond, a cash-value settlement may fall well short of what it would cost to find a comparable stone.

• We can provide written appraisals for insurance purposes; confirm with your insurer what they require
• Review appraisals every few years, because values change
• Make sure the policy covers loss, theft, damage and mysterious disappearance
• Consider a standalone jewelry policy or scheduled rider rather than relying on a general homeowner's policy

Safe Storage

Store each diamond separately. Diamond can scratch other gems, metals — and other diamonds.

• Use a jewelry box with individual padded compartments, or separate soft pouches
• For high-value pieces, consider a bank safe deposit box or a rated home safe
• Never store several diamonds loose together

Professional Inspections

An annual inspection by a qualified jeweler or gemologist is recommended for every rare diamond. They should check prong tightness and wear, setting integrity, the girdle and points for chips, and any new surface marks from wear.

Before any repair or resizing that involves a torch, ask whether the stone should be removed first. Heat can damage a diamond's surface, and some treated colors can change when heated.

Lighting and Appearance

Lighting changes how a diamond looks, not what it is:

• Yellow diamonds tend to look most vivid in daylight and warm light
• Blue diamonds tend to show best in neutral daylight
• Pink diamonds are often shown under soft, warm-toned light
• Colorless diamonds show the most fire under point light sources such as spotlights and candles

Natural diamond color is stable under normal wear. The notable exception is the rare chameleon diamond, whose color can shift temporarily after time in the dark or gentle heating, then returns.

Keeping Your Documents

Your diamond's paperwork matters for insurance, resale and provenance:

• Keep grading reports, appraisals and provenance documents in a secure place separate from the diamonds themselves
• Make high-resolution digital scans of everything
• Store originals in a fireproof safe or bank safe deposit box
• Keep purchase receipts, GIA reports, Argyle certificates where applicable, and related correspondence
• Note the report number — many GIA-graded diamonds carry it as a laser inscription on the girdle, which helps match stone to report

Complete documentation makes resale simpler and makes authentication and appraisal easier whenever they are needed.

Daily Wear

Yes — rare diamonds can be worn every day. Diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale, the hardest natural material, and very resistant to scratching. It is not unbreakable: a hard knock at the wrong angle can chip or cleave a diamond, most often at a thin girdle or a pointed tip. A secure setting and an annual check are the best protection.

Many clients wear their finest diamonds regularly, with proper insurance in place. Wearing an exceptional diamond is a large part of the pleasure of owning one. For the wider picture of owning rare diamonds over the long term, see our guide to investing in rare diamonds.

Related Pages

• Authentication & Appraisal Services
• VIP Advisor Services
• Grading Labs & Certification
• Investing in Rare Diamonds