A cloudy diamond appears hazy owing to microscopic inclusions within the stone. In some instances, a concentration of small inclusions clustered together causes the diamond to look foggy, lifeless and dull.
But sometimes we see diamonds that look cloudy, hazy or dull. Problems with the diamond's transparency may be the culprit and can result from several different causes. A diamond that is not properly cut will leak light and appear less brilliant and fiery than it should.
However, the diamond is less likely to shine if it doesn't have a good cut. As a result of a poor cut, the diamond will have much more of a dull appearance that can make it appear hazy, taking away from that shine that people often want when investing in diamond jewelry.
You see, sparkle is all about light reflection. And the way a diamond is cut affects how light goes in and out of the diamond. Poorly cut diamonds don't reflect as much light, and so they have a duller sparkle.
They do NOT dull or stop sparkling, they just get dirty. Diamonds are magnets for all kinds of materials which will stick to them and make them lose their sparkle. Finger prints are a prime example. The oils on your fingers can stick to the diamond and make it lose some of its brilliance.
While vinegar is slightly acidic and needs to be used with caution on more porous stones, it will do a fabulous job on your diamond ring. Simply mix a half cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir until the baking soda is totally dissolved, then soak your diamond ring in the solution for 2–3 hours.
1. Use a gentle degreaser. The best way to clean your diamond at home is to bathe it in a gentle degreasing solution such as warm water and regular dish soap. Allow the diamond to sit in this bath for 20 to 40 minutes to loosen dirt particles and finger oil.
Diamonds don't ever dull up!
They will look beautiful forever and ever as long as you keep it clean. It's that simple. Clean them once a week. Clean the bottom of the Diamonds well.
Diamonds look brighter if a high percentage of the light coming directly from the source is refracted and returned to the eye. When a diamond looks brighter it also tends to look bigger. In addition, when a diamond looks brighter it also looks whiter which is yet another reason ideal cut diamonds are worth a premium.
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.
If a diamond has strong or very strong blue fluorescence, it'll most likely look hazy or oily on D-I colors. This cloudiness causes the diamond to look less transparent. Expert buying tip: Only buy fluorescent diamonds from a reputable vendor to ensure they're high-quality.
The best way to clean your diamond jewelry and restore its sparkle is to: Spray a soft-bristled toothbrush with Windex and gently brush diamond jewelry thoroughly, removing any dirt on the surface of the diamond or dirt that has settled in and around the metal.
Although it is safe to clean your engagement ring every day, if you use harsh chemicals or scrub too vigorously, you can scratch the ring's finish or loosen the stones. Never use chlorine bleach or abrasive powder cleaners on your engagement ring.
It's a common myth that toothpaste can be used to clean jewelry. However, toothpaste can easily damage your diamond ring and gemstones. Diamond might be hard and strong, but this doesn't mean it has to be cleaned using toothpaste. The chemicals in the flavor used to make toothpaste are corrosive to metals.
Because diamonds reflect white light, colorless diamonds produce the best sparkle and fire. In fact, the more color a diamond has, the less likely it is to reflect white light. And as a result, will produce less sparkle. A D-color diamond is the highest quality, and will offer the greatest sparkle.
"The best way to clean diamond rings is to make a solution with warm water (almost hot) and dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes, gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush, and then rinse under warm running water," advises Mann.
There are many common cleaning products that people may think are good to clean diamond rings with, but they can actually be quite damaging. Chlorine bleach, abrasives (like toothpaste or baking soda), or acetone should never be used on any jewellery.
Chemicals can damage the metals used to alloy gold for diamond settings, and abrasive cleaning products or cleaning brushes can scratch the gold. Diamond rings and chemicals such as bleach, as well as shampoo and moisturizers, can be a bad combination.
In our helpful article we will clear up all those engagement ring musings, once and for all. In general it's perfectly safe to wear your engagement ring every day. However, if you are doing any kind of rough work such as cleaning or gardening, sports or the gym.
Pick the right setting.
Some engagement ring settings cover more of a center diamond than others, which can diminish the sparkle. Choosing a prong setting can better allow light to enter through the diamond than, for example, a bezel setting, which covers a larger surface area of the gem.