“They can cut glass, they’re extraordinarily hard” - these common ways of describing diamonds often lead people to mistreat them. Yes, diamonds are hard, but diamond jewellery still needs proper care. Here are some tips to protect yours.

Diamonds, precisely because they are hard, can scratch other gems and metals and even scrape each other. So store your diamond pieces individually, and keep all precious gem-stone pieces in a fabric-lined case. If you use a box with separate compartments, wrap each piece in velvet or silk.

Over time, diamonds get smudged, soiled, and dusty. Lotions, powders, soaps, even natural skin oils, will put a film on them and reduce their brilliance. Chemicals in the air can also discolour the mountings of precious jewellery. So it is important - advisable, in fact - to clean your diamonds regularly and have a jeweller clean them once a year.

Cleaning your jewellery maintains its sparkle and beauty. Despite what you may have heard, do not use toothpaste to clean it, however - its abrasiveness can damage softer gems and metals. All jewellery can be safely cleaned by soaking it for 10 minutes in warm soapy water (use a mild, non-detergent soap). Rinse it in clean water, and dry it with a lint-free cloth. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond jewellery, dip it in plain jewellery cleaner, alcohol, or vodka before you soak it.

Soap plus water plus small precious pieces is a valuable and slippery combination. You will save yourself much potential heartache - believe us - if you clean your jewellery over a bowl or jar, and not under running water, water that’s flowing into the drain of your sink ….

Finally, don’t wear your diamond when you’re doing rough work. Even though a diamond is durable, it can be chipped if it’s struck. And with an eye to the stresses of general wear and tear, visit your jeweller at least once a year to have your jewellery checked for loose prongs or worn mountings. Your jeweller can give your diamonds a professional shine at the same time.