Product Care
Thoughtful guidance for keeping your fine jewelry brilliant for a lifetime, and for the generations after.
General Care
Over time, fine jewelry can become a treasured family heirloom if it is cared for properly. Dust, pollution and daily wear all conspire to cloud the brilliance of gemstones. The surface of gold, platinum and silver jewelry can become dulled. Timeworn prongs and clasps can result in the loss of a stone, or an entire piece of jewelry.
Professional cleanings are recommended as often as once a year. We encourage you to bring your Diasparx jewelry back to us for professional servicing. Our staff is knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of jewelry care, including cleaning gemstones, restringing pearls, and repairing clasps and earring backs.
Annual Professional Servicing
Bring your pieces to a Diasparx atelier for a complimentary inspection, gentle cleaning and a check of prongs, clasps and settings.
Care Essentials
Four habits that keep every Diasparx piece looking its finest between professional visits.
Store Properly
Keep pieces in a lined case or tarnish-resistant pouch, separated to avoid scratching.
Clean Gently
Use mild detergent, warm water and a soft cloth. Avoid harsh dips and abrasives.
Inspect Often
Check prongs, clasps and earring backs regularly to catch wear before it causes loss.
Professional Care
Have gemstones cleaned and pearls restrung by our specialists once a year.
Sterling Silver
Diasparx only uses sterling silver, one of the most beautiful and lustrous of all metals. With proper care, your silver will retain its beauty and character for many generations to come.
The First Rule Of Silver Care
Sterling silver tarnishes, especially when exposed to salt air and products containing sulfur, such as rubber bands and some papers. However, silver that is regularly used typically needs less care, so Diasparx strongly encourages you to use or wear your silver every day.
Washing Silver
We recommend washing silver by hand in warm water with a mild detergent. To avoid spotting, it is important to dry your silver immediately after washing.
Polishing Silver
Use a quality silver polish. Some "dip" polishes contain harsh chemicals and should be avoided. Electrolytic cleaning (aluminum foil, salt and baking soda in a water base) is not recommended.
Begin by using a soft cloth or sponge to apply the polish. Rub each piece gently but firmly lengthwise, using straight, even strokes. You may use a small brush, such as a toothbrush with natural bristles, for decorative trim or borders. Wash in sudsy water, being sure to remove all the polish. Rinse well in warm water, dry thoroughly and buff gently with a soft cloth.
Special Considerations
An "oxidized" finish is the deliberate blackening of crevices in the ornamentation of a silver object to make its decorative details stand out more clearly. Take care, as this finish can be removed by overzealous cleaning and polishing.
Storing Silver
Once cleaned and polished, silver must be kept dry and properly stored. Our Diasparx jewelry bags will protect it from abrasion and offer a degree of tarnish prevention. Bags made of "Pacific" cloth are also very effective in preventing tarnish.
Gold & Platinum
Between professional servicing, most gold and platinum jewelry can be maintained with a non-abrasive cleaner. Examine your jewelry regularly to make sure settings are snug and clasps and joinings are secure.
Avoid exposing gold jewelry to household bleach, which will quickly cause gold to discolor and possibly disintegrate.
Jewelry storage is important as well. At the time of purchase, all Diasparx jewelry is wrapped in a protective box, case or tarnish-resistant pouch. Between wearings, we recommend that you place it back in its original case or another suitably lined box or pouch.
Gemstones
Certain basic precautions should be taken with all of your jewelry. However, some gemstones, as outlined below, require special care.
Take care to protect your jewelry from impact against hard surfaces and avoid contact with abrasive surfaces. Even a diamond can chip if hit with enough force or at just the right angle. Many stones such as amethyst, emerald, kunzite, opal, pearl, peridot, tanzanite and tourmaline are very delicate and easily abraded. Enamel can also chip or scratch when struck. Gemstones can scratch other gemstones and wear away at precious metals - avoid stacking rings and bracelets that would be vulnerable to such abrasion.
Extreme temperatures, perfumes, cosmetics, ultrasonic cleaning and household chemicals can also damage jewelry.
Cleaning Diamonds: Use a mild solution of six parts water to one part ammonia and apply with a soft bristle brush.
Caring For Pearls: If worn often, pearls should be cleaned and restrung professionally once a year. Between cleanings, wipe pearls gently with a damp cloth.
Let Us Care For What We Made
Bring your Diasparx jewelry back to us for professional cleaning, inspection and repair. Our specialists treat every piece with the same care it received the day it was made.