Whether it’s a diamond ring worn daily or a treasured piece that may have been badly stored, even the most sparkly diamonds can become dull and frosty in appearance. Daily wear and tear to a diamond varies greatly to the ravages of time upon precious metal settings. For example diamond rings (e.g. engagement rings) set in gold will, over time, see the gradual thinning of the band, loosening of facets and general wearing down of components.
The diamond itself is more than likely to remain unchanged. Indeed many jewellers profess much of their diamond re-setting work being centred on heirloom diamonds needing a new or refurbished band.
One of the best tried and tested home remedies is 1/3 tepid water, 1/3 ammonia and 1/3 washing up liquid. The softest toothbrushes are made for kids and make the perfect home cleaning tool. Also recommended are make-up brushes (particularly for lipstick)
Opinions vary a little, some say the jewellery should be left to soak for around ten minutes, then lightly brushed to removed grime as deeply into the facet as possible before being rinsed under tepid water and dried using a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Another prevailing opinion is that diamonds needn’t be soaked, but simply brushed in the solution, rinsed and dried. Toothpaste is sometimes recommended, but most jewellers will shy away due to the abrasive effect of toothpaste on some metals.
Engagement rings are up for a particularly varied amount of daily environmental abuse. Most jewellers recommend having diamond rings checked for facet weakness at least annually.
In most cases this is a five minute nip into the jeweller, during which a professional steam clean could be easier (effort-wise) than regular home cleaning.
If in doubt, the best advice is likely to be from a professional jeweller, many of which offer free consultations concerning setting integrity and cleaning.