DIAMOND CARE

Cleaning Your Diamond Jewelry

Depending on the setting you choose, you can soak your diamond engagement and/or wedding rings for up to 30 minutes in a solution of dishwashing liquid and water. This is best suited to prong and cathedral settings. In pave and basket settings, however, soaking the rings can increase the likelihood of the gems coming loose. Be mindful of this when you decide to soak any jewelry piece use mild dish soap in warm water and soak your jewelry for a few minutes. Using a soft cloth or cotton swab, gently scrub the metal (gold, platinum, silver) and then rinse. Repeat the process if necessary, but always proceed with caution when it comes to soaking jewelry.You can use a soft-bristle toothbrush to remove dirt that is lodged in between the prongs and the diamonds. If fibers from cloth get stuck in the setting, gently use tweezers to remove them. Again, be careful of the metal. Even though diamonds can only be scratched by other diamonds, the precious metals into which they are set can be scratched more easily.Ionic cleaners can be used on most diamond jewelry. If your engagement ring is set with stones other than diamonds, consider other cleaning methods, as some gemstones are adversely affected by the electrical current in the ionic cleaning process.When storing your diamond jewelry, be sure to keep it separate from other jewelry. Remember that diamonds can not only scratch any other jewelry you have, but can scratch each other as well. Make sure that two diamond pieces are not being stored in such a way that they touch each other.

INSURING YOUR DIAMOND JEWELRY

First, get your jewelry appraised by a professional jewelry appraiser. For diamonds and gemstones, it's a good idea to find an appraiser that has been certified by a gemological lab, such as the GIA, EGL, ISI or AGS. You must usually have an appraisal report in hand prior to obtaining jewelry insurance.

Second, find out what jewelry coverage is included in your existing homeowners or renters policy. If the coverage is inadequate, you may need to add a jewelry addendum or purchase a separate policy. Some questions you should ask your agent include:

  • Do you need to have your jewelry appraised by an insurance company‐approved appraiser or can you use your own?
  • Will the policy cover you for any losses when traveling?
  • How will you be required to prove the loss of your jewelry?
  • Does the policy only cover theft or will it also cover mysterious disappearance, damage, or loss due to a fire or other disaster?
  • Will your jewelry be covered for full replacement cost? Will the insurance company send you a check, or will they require you to replace your lost piece with one that is same? Or with a similar item from a certain store?

    It is recommend that you have your covered jewelry reappraised every two to four years. Notify your insurance broker/agent of any changes to make certain that your coverage continues to reflect its fair market value.