A diamond is the hardest natural material on Earth — measuring 10 on the Mohs scale — but your diamond jewelry still requires regular care to keep it looking its absolute best. Oils from your skin, everyday products like lotion and soap, and environmental dust all accumulate on diamonds and dull their sparkle over time.
The good news: maintaining your diamond jewelry is simple, inexpensive, and takes less than five minutes. Here's everything you need to know.
Why Diamonds Lose Their Sparkle (And It's Not What You Think)
Diamonds don't scratch or chip easily — that's not the issue. What dulls a diamond's brilliance is buildup on its surface. The culprits:
None of these cause permanent damage, but they do require regular cleaning to restore your diamond's full brilliance.
How to Clean Diamond Jewelry at Home
The most effective home cleaning method is also the simplest:
What you need:
- —A small bowl
- —Warm water (not hot)
- —A few drops of mild dish soap (Dawn or similar)
- —A very soft toothbrush (a baby toothbrush is ideal)
- —A lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth
Steps:
1. Fill the bowl with warm water and add a few drops of mild dish soap. Stir gently.
2. Place your diamond jewelry in the solution and let it soak for 20–30 minutes.
3. Using the soft toothbrush, gently scrub the diamond and setting — including underneath the stone where buildup accumulates most. Pay particular attention to the underside of the diamond and around the prongs.
4. Rinse thoroughly under warm running water. Use a colander or plug the drain first — losing a ring down the drain is a real risk.
5. Pat dry with a lint-free cloth and allow to air dry completely before wearing or storing.
Aim to clean your diamond jewelry this way every 1–2 weeks if you wear it daily.
Ultrasonic Cleaners: When to Use and When to Avoid
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners use high-frequency sound waves to dislodge dirt and buildup. They're effective for most diamond jewelry, but with important caveats:
Safe for: Diamonds in secure, prong or bezel settings in good condition.
Avoid for:
- —Any ring with a loose stone (the vibrations can worsen the problem)
- —Pavé or micro-pavé settings with very small accent stones (vibrations can loosen them)
- —Jewelry with gemstones other than diamonds (emeralds, opals, pearls, and others can be damaged)
- —Antique or fragile settings
If you have a simple solitaire or halo ring in good condition, an ultrasonic cleaner is a convenient addition to your care routine — but the warm water and dish soap method works just as well and is safer.
Professional Cleaning and Inspection
Even with excellent home care, we recommend having your diamond jewelry professionally cleaned and inspected once or twice a year. A professional cleaning uses more powerful tools that remove buildup your home routine can't reach.
More importantly, a professional inspection checks that:
- —Prongs are secure and not worn
- —The setting is structurally sound
- —No stones are loose
- —The metal isn't showing unusual wear
Catching a loose prong before it becomes a lost diamond is the single most valuable thing regular professional inspection offers. Most jewelers offer free or very affordable cleaning and inspection services.
How to Store Diamond Jewelry Properly
Storage matters more than most people realize. Diamonds can scratch other gemstones, softer metals, and even other diamonds when they rub together in a drawer or jewelry box.
Best practices:
If you travel frequently, invest in a small travel jewelry case. It prevents pieces from tangling, scratching each other, and getting lost.
What to Avoid
Don't wear diamond jewelry when:
- —Cleaning with bleach or household cleaners — these can damage metal settings
- —Swimming in chlorinated pools — chlorine degrades metal over time, especially white gold
- —Doing heavy physical work, gardening, or activities with high impact risk
- —Applying lotions, perfumes, or hairspray — put jewelry on last
Don't use:
- —Toothpaste (too abrasive — it can scratch metal settings)
- —Bleach or ammonia-based cleaners
- —Baking soda pastes
- —Paper towels (can scratch softer metals)
Prong Care: The Most Important Maintenance Step
For rings, the prongs holding your diamond in place are the most critical structural element. Over years of daily wear, prongs gradually wear down and can become loose or break. A loose prong puts your diamond at genuine risk of falling out.
Signs your prongs need attention:
- —You can feel the diamond moving when you press it gently
- —You can see a gap between the prong and the diamond
- —A prong looks visibly shorter or thinner than the others
- —The prong snags on fabric
If you notice any of these signs, take your ring to a jeweler immediately. Retipping (rebuilding) a worn prong is a routine, affordable repair — replacing a lost diamond is not.
Caring for Specific Settings
Prong-set rings: Clean carefully under the prongs where buildup is heaviest. Inspect prongs regularly.
Bezel-set rings: The metal bezel that encircles the stone can collect buildup at its edges. A soft brush along the bezel edge keeps it clear.
Pavé settings: Tiny accent diamonds in pavé settings are more vulnerable to coming loose. Be gentle when cleaning, avoid ultrasonic cleaners, and inspect regularly.
Eternity bands: With stones all the way around, regular inspection of the underside (which gets the most contact) is particularly important.
Your Diamond, For Life
With proper care, your diamond jewelry will last multiple lifetimes — it genuinely can be passed down through generations. The investment of a few minutes of regular maintenance pays for itself in keeping your pieces looking as brilliant as the day you first wore them.
Questions about caring for your specific Bonjoojoo piece? Our team is always available to help. Explore our full jewelry collection and invest in pieces you'll treasure forever.
