Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.
Minerals are assigned a number between 1 and 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale to describe how resistant to scratching they are. Diamonds are given the highest number, a 10. There is nothing that can scratch a diamond except another diamond. A mineral like talc, on the other hand, is a 1 on the scale.
Diamonds, like other gems, can be scratched. However, diamonds can't be scratched as easily as other gemstones. The softer a mineral is, the easier it will scratch. Diamonds happen to be the hardest known mineral or gem on the planet.
As the diamond's surface becomes dirtier, the stone will begin to look dull and lifeless. In turn, some of the inclusions that were previously masked by the stone's brilliance and scintillation will now become more obvious.
The “crack” is a reflection from the diamond's girdle and is a so-called girdle reflection. This phenomenon is caused by the pavilion facets and is the answer to the horizontal line in the diamond. As you can see in the image above, the reflection is only visible from the side and not when seeing the diamond face up.
The oils, lotions and soaps you use everyday can leave traces that accumulate over time and create a filmy layer over the stones, making them lose their sparkle.
Diamonds are very stable and invulnerable to virtually all acids. They can also withstand higher temperatures than most gemstones. Sudden extreme temperature changes can cause damage, however. Diamonds can chip or fracture from hard impact, especially in areas where the carbon atoms are not tightly bonded.
Fair/Poor Grade Diamond Examples
Fair and Poor cut diamonds usually have steep crowns and steep pavilion angles which gives them a really dark looking appearance. This makes them look extremely small for their carat weight. Because of their abysmal proportions, their brilliance and sparkle are horribly affected.
The diamond can be repolished or recut so that the damaged area is removed or perhaps polished down and perhaps after only losing a little bit of weight, the diamond can look as good as new. If, however, the chip is rather large, or the stone is very small, re-cutting may not be a practical option.
A used toothbrush is likely to have frayed bristles that could scratch the stone or metal, and will not be sufficient at buffing off the dirt. Cotton or microfiber cloth - Unless you plan on letting your ring air dry, you'll need a lint-free cloth.
Diamonds do not shatter when dropped, but they may chip from powerful, accidental blows. They can also break when there is pressure buildup inside the stone called 'strain. ' A small tap results in breakage for the pressure to escape. While it is very rare for diamonds to break this way, it's a fact worth noting.
In other words, if you are only going to wear a diamond on your finger at temperatures comfortable to humans away from high ion sources, then the diamond will last millions to billions of years.
The Mohs scale is a scientific measurement of mineral hardness. Glass is rated a 5.5, and diamonds, the hardest mineral, are a 10. So, genuine diamonds will scratch a mirror. On the other hand, so will quartz (7), moissanite (9.25), and cubic zirconia (8).
Do not touch its stone a lot: While putting your ring on and taking it off, do not touch its stone. Particularly diamonds absorb oil easily and being exposed to a lot of touching causes the stone to lose its original sparkle.
Prior research has shown that diamond is the hardest known material but it is also fragile—despite their hardness, diamonds can be easily cut or even smashed. This is because of their ordered atomic structure. Scientists have tried for years to synthesize diamonds that retain their hardness but are less fragile.
The more pure a diamond is (the higher its clarity grade), the less that intrinsic characteristics will contribute to any cloudiness or haze that might be observed. Cloudy diamonds are rare in the upper clarity grades, but not uncommon in the lower clarity grades.
Since I3 represents the worst clarity, it covers a multitude of sins. Two diamonds of I3 clarity can differ greatly. For this reason, some jewellery manufacturers invented grades—for example, I4, I5, I6, I7 etc. But the GIA clarity scale ends at I3 for the lowest possible diamond clarity.
Lotion is especially harmful to jewelry as it can take away from the brilliance and luster of your stone. You might not notice it at first, but over time, a cloudy layer of film will build up on your stone and your gold.
A: No, washing with soap and water will not damage your engagement ring or other diamond jewelry. We do recommend to keep build-up and smudges from your jewelry at bay, that you remove rings, bracelets, earrings & necklaces before applying lotions, oils, makeup, and perfumes!
Will frequent handwashing damage my diamond ring? Handwashing with a gentle cleanser won't really damage your ring, but the soaps can build up and dull the shine.
Diamonds are hard, but they can be damaged. It is possible to break or chip a diamond. Breaking or chipping isn't the only way to damage a diamond. You can damage a diamond with chemicals that cause it to look dull and cloudy or discolor the stone until it is professionally cleaned.
Diamonds break when they are subjected to impact, and sometimes, when there is a buildup of pressure inside the stone (called strain), a slight tap in just the right place (or just the wrong place) will result in the stone breaking so the pressure can escape.
As an example, you can scratch steel with a diamond, but you can easily shatter a diamond with a hammer. The diamond is hard, the hammer is strong.