How do you know if a diamond is considered “clean” or not? Is price the only parameter for this? And let’s say we bought a diamond – how do we keep it clean? How can it be cleaned in case it get dirty? Diamond cleanliness is a completely scientific topic – and today we will touch on all its “corners” – both in terms of the diamond’s level of cleanliness and therefore its quality, and in terms of maintaining and cleaning an existing diamond. Get started with the most glittering online guide!
First of all – what does it mean, ‘diamond cleaning’?
To understand this, it is important to understand the meaning of a diamond. A diamond is a carbon found in the depths of the earth. The process within which it becomes the sparkling and special diamond, we know and love, takes millions of years. No one knows the exact time period, but the process in which it takes place involves very heavy earth pressure on the carbon, parallel to the heat projected onto the diamond from the earth’s core. This is how carbon becomes a diamond.
Not all diamonds are born equal
In natural diamonds, although it is a completely natural process without human intervention, 95% of diamonds are not perfect, and have small particles that prevent them from becoming the perfect crystal. In contrast, laboratory diamonds are manufactured in a process that is carried out under precise, rigorous and controlled laboratory conditions that allow for a very high level of perfection. Depending on various parameters, which we will specify immediately, the degree of diamond cleanliness is determined – the more particles, the larger and the less transparent it is – the more this will affect the quality of the diamond and, consequently, its price.
What is a ‘clean’ diamond?
As long as the diamond is cleaner, the rarer and more expensive it is. The diamond cleanliness is measured on an international scale acceptable to all industry professionals, and the person responsible for the diamond diagnosis is a professional. A gemologist. The diamond is examined under a magnifying glass 10 times the size of a diamond under which one examines the quality of the diamond. It is generally assumed that a defect that is not visible under this magnification (10x) is not considered a defect.
Diamond internal defects
- Nate – Another crystal that grows inside the diamond
- Fracture – a diamond crack that is not formed on the fission lines
- Glint – a diamond crack that appears in the fission lines
- Pique – a point that appears inside the diamond
- Cloud – a group of tiny dots
- Inner Crystal – Minerals that appear on the inside of the diamond
- Drill – The hole drilled from the diamond shell to its center with a laser beam
5 quality groups
To know whether a diamond is quality or not – and more importantly – how high it is, we divide its quality grades into five different groups, from the highest quality to the simplest:
- FL: FLAWLESS INTERNALLY – This is the cleanest diamond type in the world, which means it has no flaws at all – neither external nor internal. Even if we look for the smallest defect particle, we will not find it. This perfect diamond costs quite a bit, and its price can reach tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars!
- VS1: Very slight inclusions – The second group includes very high-grade diamonds underneath, with almost no defect particles. However, if we look at the diamond under a magnifying glass 10 times, we can distinguish, barely, the tiny particles.
- SI1 slight inclusions 1 – Here, ladies and gentlemen, awaits us the most sought-after diamond cleanliness, as it has a balance between appearance and quality. Most people who would like to purchase a diamond will seek this degree of cleanliness. On the one hand the diamonds in it are not big and if you do not look at them through professional magnifying glass – you probably will not notice them at all, but on the other hand the fact that there are particles slightly detract from their quality and therefore their price is considered very attractive. In other words: If you are not gemologists and look at this diamond against the other two types, you will probably not notice the difference.
- SI2 slight inclusions 2 – SI3 slight inclusions 3 –
In the fourth group there are medium to low grade diamonds. In the US market, this quality is very acceptable and popular, as the price of diamonds in it is relatively low and the diamond damage – even if it is relatively high – they are not visible unless professional eyes. In the end, it is a diamond that looks great and very sparkling, but not very high quality.
- I1 Included 1 – I3 Included 3 – In the last group, as requested, we find diamonds whose cleanliness levels are the lowest and therefore of the lowest value. Here are diamonds that have many flaws – and not only that, they are also visible, even if you are not gemologists.
How to clean a diamond?
We purchased a diamond of some cleanliness – and now we want to keep it clean and shining. But since this is a natural situation, it only makes sense that as our years go by, our diamond will get a slightly murky appearance. What to do? Very simple, cleaners! Here’s how to make a diamond that knew better days to return to sparkle:
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Cleaning diamond with dish soap
- Drip a few drops of clean liquid to a bowl with warm water and mix gently. If you want really good results, prefer to use soda water rather than regular tap water. Very important – do not use boiling water! This may crack the stone due to extreme temperature changes.
- The solution we created will last for fifteen minutes, during which the soap and hot water will seep into the jewel and gently and resolutely remove the dirt that we cannot reach by hand.
- Now, we will remove our diamond and gently rub it with a toothbrush – a very soft brush preference that will not scratch the face of the diamond.
- Finally, wash the diamond under warm running water until it is perfectly clean and dry with a soft cloth. Before wearing the diamond jewelry again, it is best to dry them completely.
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Diamond cleaning using toothpaste
Toothpaste is excellent for removing dirt on the one hand and on the other – it does not cause scratches on the diamond and the jewelry. When no other detergent is available, this is a great method for quick cleaning.
- Mix a small amount of toothpaste with water (about an inch of toothpaste on each tablespoon or two of water).
- Using a soft bristle toothbrush, gently rub the mixture we created. It is important to use a soft brush as much as possible to avoid scratching the jewelry.
- Finally, we will thoroughly wash the diamond and remove any dirt that has accumulated.
It is very important to know in the context of diamond cleaning
- We will emphasize again (because it is really important): The diamond must not be soaked in water whose temperature exceeds 50 degrees, this may destroy and crack them. Use warm water or room temperature water.
- Don’t blend in with bleach, soak with acids or soak the diamond in fat remover.
- Do not put the diamond in the dishwasher! Although it has a brilliant raw material, it poses a huge danger to the jewel – not only can it be lost in the sewer forever, the materials in the dishwasher will digest the rhodium that has on the gold in the jewel and this can cause its shine to disappear and fade.
- If you want to be sure that the treatment you give your diamond jewelry is quality and good, it is highly recommended to visit the jewelry studio once or twice a year where you purchased the diamond. This way you can be sure that professionals will take care of your precious jewelry and that the diamond will retain its beauty over time, and will shine forever