Toothpaste
It is an abrasive. It leaves fine scratches in gold and a film on the stone.
InsteadMild soap and a soft brush
The Care Guide
Worn every day, cared for always.
Diamond is the hardest material on earth, and gold is made to last for generations. A few gentle habits keep them looking as they did the day you first wore them. Here is everything we know about wearing, cleaning and storing fine jewellery, from the people who make it.
Care, by the numbers
10on the Mohs scale: diamond, the hardest material on earth
20 minis all a warm soak needs
12 monthsbetween check-ups, we suggest
Diamonds don't wear out. They only need a little attention. How to clean at home
01 · Why it dulls
A diamond doesn't fade. It only hides.
Diamond attracts oil and repels water. Day by day a fine film of skin oil, lotion and soap settles on it, most of all underneath, where the light should enter. The stone is unchanged; the light simply can't reach it. Draw the line across to see the difference a clean makes.
After a monthOf everyday wear
Freshly cleanedTwenty minutes later
After a monthA grey, glassy look, as if the stone had lost its colour and life.
Freshly cleanedThe same diamond, its light returned. Nothing was lost, only covered.
02 · Wearing it
A day with your jewellery
Most care is simply knowing when to take it off. Here is an ordinary day, and the moments that matter.
07:30
Last on
Jewellery goes on after lotion, perfume and hairspray have dried, so none of it settles under the stone.
09:00
Every day
Fine jewellery is made to be worn. A desk, a phone and a cup of coffee are no trouble for a diamond.
11:00
Washing hands
Soap leaves a film under the stone. Rinse well and dry, and the sparkle stays.
13:00
Taking it off
If you remove a ring, put it in a pocket or a pouch, never on the edge of a basin or wrapped in a napkin.
15:30
Hands-on work
Gardening, moving furniture, lifting boxes. A hard knock at the wrong angle can chip a stone or bend a claw.
18:30
Pool and gym
Chlorine slowly weakens gold alloys, cold water slims the fingers, and weights press on claws. Leave rings at home.
20:00
Cooking and cleaning
Dough, oil and household bleach. Take rings off before you begin.
23:00
Bedtime
Off, and into its own pouch, so chains don't tangle and claws don't catch on sheets.
03 · Cleaning at home
Twenty minutes, four steps
The way our own polishers clean a piece before it leaves the atelier, adapted for your kitchen. Scroll through.
I
A bowl of warm water
Warm, never hot, with a few drops of mild washing-up liquid. Nothing more is needed: no toothpaste, no baking soda, no household cleaners.
II
Let it soak
Leave diamonds, rubies and sapphires in gold for fifteen to twenty minutes. The soap softens the film of skin oil and lotion that gathers under the stone. Emeralds need only a brief dip, then a gentle wipe.
III
A soft brush
A soft, baby-sized toothbrush, kept only for this. Brush gently around the claws and under the stone, where most of the dullness hides, rather than across the top.
IV
Rinse and dry
Rinse in clean warm water over a strainer, never an open drain. Pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth, and let it air for a few minutes before you put it away.
Clean under the stone, not over it. That is where the light goes in.
04 · By material
Each one, its own way
Everything we make, and how each material wears over the years.
How it wearsHow to care for it
Lab-grown diamondThe hardest material on earth, 10 on the Mohs scale, though a hard knock on an edge can chip it. It attracts grease, which is why it dulls.Warm soapy water and a soft brush, as often as you like. Safe in an ultrasonic cleaner when the setting is sound.
Yellow and rose goldNever tarnishes. Softer than any stone, so it gathers fine scratches, a soft patina of wear.Warm soapy water and a soft cloth. We can polish it back to a mirror finish whenever you like.
White goldFinished with rhodium, a bright white metal that slowly wears over the years, letting the warmer gold show through.Clean as yellow gold. When it starts to look warm, we re-plate it and it looks new again.
Lab-grown emerald7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, the most delicate of the stones we set, and sensitive to heat and sudden changes in temperature.A brief rinse in lukewarm soapy water and a gentle wipe. Never an ultrasonic or steam cleaner.
Lab-grown ruby and sapphire9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond, and very durable for everyday wear.Warm soapy water and a soft brush. Ask us before using an ultrasonic cleaner.
05 · Storing
A place for every piece
More fine jewellery is scratched in a drawer than on a hand. Four habits keep it as it should be.
Separately
Diamonds scratch every other stone, and each other. Give each piece its own pouch or a lined compartment.
Chains hung or laid flat
Fasten every clasp before you put a necklace away, and hang it or lay it straight, so it can't knot.
Lined, closed and dry
A fabric-lined box with a lid keeps out dust and humidity. A sachet of silica gel helps in the monsoon.
When you travel
A travel roll or pouch, never loose in a handbag. Rings on a tray, not on a hotel basin.
06 · Best avoided
Well meant, but best avoided
The habits we see most often at our counter, and what to do instead.
Bleach and chlorine
Household bleach and pool water attack the alloys in gold, and over time can weaken claws.
InsteadTake rings off to clean or swim
Hot water on emeralds
Sudden heat can stress an emerald, and very hot water is never needed.
InsteadLukewarm water and a quick rinse
Everything in one box
Pieces rub together, diamonds scratch softer stones, chains knot.
InsteadOne pouch or compartment for each
Rings at the gym
Weights and grips press on claws and scuff the metal.
InsteadLeave them at home, safe in their pouch
Ignoring a loose stone
A stone that moves can fall out on an ordinary day.
InsteadStop wearing it, and bring it to us
Small fixes at home
- A knotted chain
- Lay it flat, dust the knot with a little baby powder or a drop of oil, and ease it apart with two fine pins. Then wash it.
- A cloudy stone
- Almost always a film, not damage. A warm soak and a soft brush under the stone bring it back.
- A ring that spins
- Usually a ring a little large for cold days. We can resize it, or add small sizing beads inside the band.
- A stiff clasp
- Don't force it. Bring it to us; we will clean and adjust it.
07 · Aftercare
When to bring it to us
Small signs, caught early, are simple to put right. If you notice any of these, stop wearing the piece and get in touch.
- 01
The stone moves
A stone that rattles, turns or sits at an angle when you tap the ring gently near your ear.
- 02
A claw catches
Claws that catch on knitwear or tights have lifted, or worn thin.
- 03
White gold looks warm
The rhodium finish has worn. Re-plating restores it in a few days.
- 04
The band has thinned
Rings worn every day for years wear thinnest at the base of the band. We can rebuild it.
- 05
A clasp opens too easily
Spring rings and box clasps lose tension over time.
- 06
Once a year, regardless
We clean it, check every claw under magnification, and give it back looking new.
Complimentary cleaning
Bring any Diamos piece to us, at any time, and we will clean it for you.
Resizing
Complimentary resizing in the first year, so a ring is never put away because it doesn't fit.
The size guideLifetime exchange
Every eligible piece carries our lifetime exchange: the full value of its gold and 80% of its diamonds, towards anything new.
How it worksQuestions
How often should I clean my jewellery?
A quick wipe with a soft cloth whenever you take it off, and a warm soak and brush every week or two for pieces you wear daily, such as engagement rings.
Can I wear my diamond ring every day?
Yes. Diamond and gold are made for it. Take it off for the gym, swimming, cleaning, gardening and bed, and have the claws checked once a year.
Can I shower in my jewellery?
It will not harm diamonds or gold, but soap and shampoo leave a film that dulls the stone, so we suggest taking it off.
Is an ultrasonic cleaner safe?
For diamonds in a sound setting, yes. Never for emeralds. For rubies and sapphires, ask us first.
Will my white gold turn yellow?
Not exactly. White gold is finished with rhodium, which wears slowly over the years to let its warmer tone show. We re-plate it to restore the bright white.
Does gold tarnish?
No. Gold does not tarnish. It may gather fine scratches, which we can polish away.
How should I store pieces when I travel?
In a travel roll or individual pouches, with clasps fastened, in your hand luggage.