Whiteflash Diamond Setting: Whiteflash jeweler setting a Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring.
Your Whiteflash jewelry has been carefully created and inspected for quality. With proper wear, care & cleaning it will provide you with a lifetime of joy.
Remember that jewelry undergoes wear and tear, like shoes, your car or anything that travels. Jewelry worn each day should be professionally checked between once and twice a year. Failure to properly maintain jewelry may result in damage not covered by your manufacturer’s warranty.
Wear
Select daily-wear pieces that are in-harmony with your lifestyle. Common alloys used in jewelry are soft metals and will bend if subjected to excessive or regular pressure. Gold prongs are less shock-resistant than platinum. Doctors, artists and others in hand-intensive occupations sometimes choose two rings; an elaborate formal band and a plain band for wear at work
Make a habit of checking your jewelry each day you wear it. Even the most careful person can accidentally knock jewelry against a hard surface. Diamonds are the hardest objects on earth, but even a flawless diamond can chip if struck on a cleavage plane. Prongs and mountings are even more susceptible to accidental damage.
Remember to remove jewelry, rings in particular, when doing active work or household chores. Excessive pressure like weight lifting, sporting, or even gripping a hammer can subject a ring to unusual pressure, causing it to become misshapen.
Chlorine can permanently discolor or damage gold jewelry, especially at the joints. Remove gold jewelry when using chlorine bleach or while in a pool or hot tub. Cast platinum pieces are safer, but even platinum jewelry may have solder or sizing joints with lower melting point alloys that can be damaged by chlorine.
Some colored gemstone jewelry should not be exposed to lotion, salt water, chlorine, bleach or other chemicals. They may erode the finish and polish. Additionally, some colored gemstone jewelry should not be exposed to sudden temperature changes (consult a trusted professional with questions).
Care
Apply cosmetics, hair spray and perfume before putting jewelry on, so it’s not exposed to chemicals or film - especially pearls and gemstones which can be damaged by hairsrpay and perfume.
Once you’re finished, wipe your jewelry with a clean soft cloth to ensure it’s clean before storage.
Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place. Pieces can scratch each other so store them apart. Many fabric-lined jewelry cases are designed for this. If you use ordinary boxes wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper, or store them individually in soft pouches.
Along with regular care, have your jewelry professionally cleaned and checked by a professional for worn mountings, loose prongs and general condition once per year.
Have white gold re-plated, platinum re-polished and prongs re-tipped as necessary to maintain original condition. For most people this will be once every 18 months or so, depending on wear.
Cleaning
Diamond Jewelry
Some diamond jewelry is worn 24 hours a day. Diamonds are brilliant but still require proper cleaning to keep their appearance. Lotions, soaps and skin oils create a film and attract dirt. This changes the refractive index of the diamond and causes it to look dull, even if the dirt is unseen, on the pavilion (bottom) of the diamond. Regular cleaning will keep your diamond jewelry looking its best.
Clean your jewelry in a secure location, not the rim of a sink where it can slip down the drain.
Daily-worn jewelry should be cleaned once per week. A concentration of mild dishwashing detergent & warm water is good for diamond jewelry. Allow diamond jewelry to soak for 10 minutes in the solution, then use a soft brush to scrub away particles; especially underneath gemstones. Rinse and dry with a clean soft cloth. Seriously soiled jewelry should be cleaned professionally.
Don’t use polishing compound, a brush with toothpaste on it or materials unintended for jewelry. Toothpaste is an abrasive and will damage metal. Use only a soft brush, never sharp or hard objects, to remove dirt or particles.
Ultrasonic cleaners are available and popular, but be aware that excessive use of an ultrasonic cleaner on pieces with tiny diamonds may eventually shake them loose.
Clean stored jewelry with a soft chamois cloth regularly to keep it lustrous and ready for wear.
Colored Gemstone Jewelry
Some gemstones require special care and cleaning. Before caring for any gemstones you should check with a trusted professional to get relevant advice. Once you have done this, here are some general tips:
Wipe your gemstone jewelry down with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth to remove oils and perspiration after each wearing. Store pieces individually, in soft pouches.
You can clean gemstone jewelry with mild dishwashing detergent & water, but not with chemicals or solvents. Allow to soak for 10 minutes then use a soft brush to scrub away particles. Rinse and dry with a clean soft cloth.
Ultrasonic cleaners are not safe for certain gemstones (contact us with questions about which are safe and which are not).
Clean stored jewelry with a soft chamois cloth regularly to keep it lustrous and ready for wear.
Pearl Jewelry
Cultured pearls are the products of living creatures. The mollusk secretes a substance called nacre which produces the pearl and gives the rainbow of colors and luster which is beautiful but also susceptible to damage.
After each wearing of pearls wipe them off with a t-shirt or soft cotton cloth.
Clean your pearl jewelry with mild dishwashing detergent & water but not with chemicals or solvents. They can damage your pearls.
Put pearl jewelry in a chamois bag, or wrap in tissue, when putting it away. Pearls will be scratched by hard edges and other jewelry pieces so don’t drop them into a purse or jewelry box.
Have frequently-worn pearls restrung as necessary to prevent breakage. Cosmetics, perspiration, oils and wear weaken and stretch the threads on which the pearls are string. Be sure they are strung with a knot between each pearl to prevent loss of pearls if the string breaks.
Remember
Jewelry pieces are luxury items and should be cared for in same manner as you would a family heirloom. Those worn daily are at greater risk of damage.
One person may wear a ring for 100 years with no issues and the next person may experience damage after a week. Like fine automobiles, fine jewelry must be cared-for, maintained and worn with great care to stay in mint condition.
