By Indra Jhaveri of
AMI Diamonds and Jewelry
It is recommended to clean diamond and most gem jewelry at least once a week with a soap solution or equivalent. Windex spray/ammonia/dish soap can be used, however check certain gems i.e. soft stones such as turquoise, for potential reaction. Making a ritual/habit of cleaning in such manner can keep the jewelry brighter and sparkling.
Once every three months jewelry should be professionally cleaned by a jeweler; ultrasonic and steam, preferably one you can witness (i.e. done where you can observe if you want to). This is typically in the fine print of your warranty and finance contract. Many people buy and pay extra for a warranty without realizing that the warranty legally becomes null and void if not followed through. Check your warranty contract for care and cleaning to understand and avoid heartaches later.
Ring Sizing: Each individuals fingers are different. Depending on health situations, some individuals could have knuckle considerations due to various medical conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, breaks, etc. Cold and heat can shrink or swell fingers, as well as some heavy work. This is a normal physical reaction. Women are more prone to swelling. It is recommended to have your rings sized so that it is somewhat snug to fit over knuckle. In cases of arthritic knuckles where variation from knuckle to digit varies, there are different solutions that can be applied depending on individual conditions (financial as well as medical conditions).
Ring Guards: These are metallic and attached to both sides of the shank with proper width to match the ring shank. This is the lowest cost solution since it is metallic and not made of gold. Also, one can move it up or down with a flat, small object so that the ring guard is snug against the finger.
Sizing Dots: These are normally applied to two sides of the shank after the ring has been sized properly to avoid the “sliding” of the ring. When the proper size of gold dots are applied (as shown in attached photo), rings can stay put as desired most of the time.
Adjustable Shank: For more severe arthritic cases, this might be the solution. As shown in attached diagram, the shank of the ring is cut off and replaced with this adjustable shank that normally allows two to three ring size variation between the knuckle and the finger below.
For severe arthritic cases, there is a patent-pending option where the flexible shank is applied directly to the finger without going over the knuckle. Contact the author of this article to learn more.
For more information, contact Indra Jhaveri at [email protected], 602-432-2920 or 602-923-8200 or visit their website at www.amidiamondsandjewelry.com
