The platinum diamond solitaire: all you need to know about its properties and how to care for it

Platinum, the king of precious metals for a diamond jewel of rare quality

The quality of platinum is rare, just like the metal itself. Specialist statistics estimate that platinum is up to thirty to forty times rarer than gold. It is also much heavier: it weighs about twice as much as 14-karat gold (be careful, however, in very special cases where you buy jewelry such as earrings or even bracelets that should not be too heavy to wear). If we had to continue to mention the assets of this exceptional metal, we can also mention its solidity which is considered as particularly exceptional. This material was notably made famous by the French jewelry house Cartier, which made it its emblem and created several collections of platinum jewelry that quickly met with dazzling success during the 20th century. Because of its eternal side, a platinum solitaire can also have a strong symbolic value, creating a parallel with a love that will also be eternal. Moreover, platinum is generally the most chic metal for engagement rings or wedding rings.

Platinum is more expensive than gold, both on the price of the metal and on the workmanship of your diamond engagement ring

The prestige, quality and properties of platinum, as well as the time that must be spent working with such a precious metal, obviously make its prices rise compared to others such as gold, silver or bronze. Platinum is not necessarily always a very hard metal: in fact, it is above all its malleable character that often requires the most work from the craftsmen jewellers to produce a quality jewel.

Mixing and assembling platinum with other materials such as diamonds, emeralds or rubies can be quite expensive but have truly exceptional rendering due to the qualities of these stones and metals.

Purity of your platinum diamond solitaire

It's quite simple: the purer the diamond is considered, the more its value will increase. There is, as for colors, a diamond purity scale that goes from IF (no defects) to P1, P2, and P3, the latter level meaning that the diamond has too many inclusions that affect the brilliance of the stone.

Carat of your platinum diamond solitaire

Carats are the term used to refer to weight. So the more carats a diamond has, the heavier it is and the more valuable it will be.

Cut of your platinum diamond solitaire

The cut is mainly the determining criterion to know if the diamond will reflect the light well. The cut of the diamond concerns both its dimensions but also its polishing and its symmetrical dimensions.

Colour of your platinum diamond solitaire

Color is also a good indicator to estimate the value of the diamond. The more colorless the stone is, the more valuable it can be judged to be. Colors are noted from the letters D to Z, the D indicating a perfectly colorless diamond while the Z refers to a very yellow hue diamond.

What budget should I set aside for the maintenance of my solitaire or platinum wedding ring?

Since the basic maintenance is therefore mostly done with fresh or soapy water, the budget for cleaning your solitaire or platinum wedding ring will not necessarily skyrocket.

For example, if you choose to use fresh water with soap, you can start soaking your jewelry in warm water that will be mixed with detergent, cooking salt and soda. You can then proceed to polish it with for example a used toothbrush, which has the advantage as a type of brush to be able to rub in general in all details, or a used brush eventually that will do the job. You can also add a little bit of toothpaste on the toothbrush, which usually makes the cleaning of the jewelry more effective. It is necessary to be careful not to rub in excess. Then you can finish the wiping with small cloths suitable for cleaning jewelry that you can find in most department stores.

If, on the contrary, you prefer to go to an ammonia washing solution, this time you will have to place your jewelry in a bowl, preferably also containing lukewarm water, for 20 to 40min (you can however go up to 1h depending on the nature of your jewelry) and then you can start the same cleaning process with a small brush such as a toothbrush or other similar type. Finally, don't forget to rinse your jewelry well with clear water and then let it dry for a few hours.

Then, of course, you will have to take good care to rinse your jewelry, ideally also with lukewarm water as at the beginning. An important piece of advice: it is preferable not to wipe it with either paper cloths or dishcloths, as this would present the risk of damaging the jewelry, particularly by increasing the risk of causing scratches. The most preferable solution in the end is simply to put it down and let it dry and drain patiently.

Have your platinum jewel polished by an artisan jeweler in case of wear, scratches or scuffs.

If cleaning your jewelry by yourself does not tempt you for various reasons, whether it is for lack of time or because you want to call upon the professional who sold it to you or another professional to benefit from optimal performance, you can therefore go to the store of a jewelry craftsman. It is important to know that they do indeed have specialized and top-of-the-range equipment in this field. They use in particular last generation ultrasonic machines which allow an exceptional cleaning of your jewels. These devices allow your jewelry to be rid of the slightest impurity. It is thus an ideal machine to allow an incredibly thorough cleaning of all your jewels until the least recesses in particular where the small toothbrushes, although very practical, cannot go. Thus, what is still called ultrasonic baths are really ideal for delicate jewelry, rather complicated shapes or those that are very valuable.

Also, be aware that if you go to the jeweler from whom you bought your jewelry, the service of intensive cleaning in the ultrasonic tub is free!

A jewelry professional will also be able to polish your jewelry in case of wear, scratches or scuffs and give it a real rejuvenation treatment. Polishing is indeed a regular technique for optimal care of your jewelry. But you must be careful to choose a professional with a lot of experience and know-how because polishing, which is done using specialized machines, is an extremely meticulous technique on which you must be perfectly familiar. A small wrong move can make a new unwanted mark on your jewelry.

For the price of these services, there is no fixed rate. The craftsmen each have their own grid of services. For a very small polishing, the price of the initial service does not generally exceed ten euros.