Fancy color diamonds are stones that, unlike white diamonds, are vibrantly colored as a result of natural processes or artificial treatment. Naturally colored diamonds get their color from chemical compounds or inclusions inside the stone. In contrast, treated fancy color diamonds have had their colors enhanced by using heat.
Most colored diamonds are heat treated because natural fancy color diamonds are very rare (and expensive). That’s why you should always ask for a certificate that verifies whether the colored diamond you are buying has been treated.
Since the color-enhancing treatment affects the properties of fancy color diamonds, there are certain rules you should pay attention to when cleaning these stones.
Avoid Heat
Fancy color diamonds that have been treated are sensitive to heat.
Subjecting them to very high temperatures can alter their colors.
Be careful if you don’t want your colored diamonds to lose their hue and become dull.
Keep Away from Ultrasonic Cleaners
Due to their heat sensitivity, fancy colored diamonds should not be put into ultrasonic cleaners.
In addition to ultrasound, these devices use hot liquids to clean jewelry, and colored stones can get damaged by the temperature.
Tell Your Jeweler If Your Diamond Is Treated
If you need to get your jewelry fixed, and it contains color-enhanced diamonds, always disclose this fact to your jeweler.
When manipulating jewelry pieces, jewelers sometimes use tools that produce extreme heat, which can damage your colored diamonds.
Make sure the person doing the repairs is informed of any treatment your diamonds have been subjected to so that your stones are handled with care.
The Proper Way to Clean Colored Diamonds
Always clean your colored stones by hand to ensure that no damage is done. Here are a few simple tips to help you clean your colored diamonds at home:
Make sure that none of your diamonds are loose in their settings in order to avoid accidentally damaging the stones while cleaning.
Any loosened mountings should be brought to your jeweler to be repaired; do not try to clean them by hand yourself.
Remove any hair caught in your jewelry, and use water to wash off the dust accumulated on your stone.
Prepare a cleaning solution of hot water and dishwashing soap that doesn’t contain detergent. Put your jewelry in the liquid and let it stay there for about five minutes.
Scrub the diamond with a soft brush to remove any dirt from your stone until it is clean. Use a flannel or cotton cloth to wipe your jewelry dry.
If your diamonds are loose, instead of soapy water you can use ammonia solution (1 part ammonia mixed with 6 parts hot water).
Do not use ammonia on mounted diamonds as the chemical may affect the look of the metal in which the stones are set.
Storing Your Colored Diamonds
Store your fancy color diamonds separated from each other and from other gemstones in order to avoid scratching. It’s best to use soft cloth to wrap your colored diamonds individually.