Jewelry Care Guide
Fine jewelry is designed to be worn and enjoyed, but every gemstone and metal responds differently to daily wear. The safest way to care for your jewelry is to consider the entire piece, not only the center stone, but also the setting, metal, plating, and any smaller accent stones.
At SUMLAN, our collections include moissanite jewelry set in 18K gold-plated sterling silver, as well as lab-grown diamond jewelry set in solid 9K, 14K, and 18K gold. The care recommendations below are tailored to these materials.
Caring for Moissanite Jewelry
Moissanite is a durable gemstone known for its exceptional brilliance. However, like other highly brilliant stones, its appearance depends on keeping the surface clean.
Skin oils, hand creams, sunscreen, cosmetics, soap residue, and cooking oils can gradually collect on the surface and underneath the stone. This film can interfere with light passing through the facets, making the moissanite appear less clear or less brilliant even when the stone itself has not been damaged.
If your moissanite begins to look slightly dull or hazy, surface buildup is often the first thing to check before assuming there is a problem with the stone.
How to clean moissanite set in gold-plated sterling silver
Because the moissanite and its plated setting require different types of care, we recommend a gentle, targeted cleaning method rather than repeatedly soaking the entire ring.
Use a clean, soft, lint-free cloth to remove fingerprints and surface oils after wear. When deeper cleaning is required, lightly dampen a very soft jewelry brush with lukewarm water and a small amount of mild soap. Gently clean the stone, particularly the pavilion and the area beneath the center stone where oils and residue tend to accumulate.
Avoid aggressive scrubbing of the plated metal. Remove any remaining soap gently with a clean, lightly dampened cloth and dry the entire piece thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth immediately afterward.
For gold-plated pieces, avoid prolonged soaking whenever possible.
Why does moissanite sometimes look cloudy?
A loss of sparkle does not necessarily mean that the moissanite itself has deteriorated.
Daily contact with skin oils, lotions, soaps, cosmetics and food oils can create a thin film over the stone. Because brilliance depends on light entering and returning through clean facets, even a relatively small amount of surface residue can make a bright stone appear less lively.
Cleaning the underside of the stone is especially important. This area is easy to overlook but commonly collects oils and residue.
The same principle is well documented for diamonds: GIA notes that even oils transferred from fingers can reduce a diamond's brilliance, and that buildup frequently collects beneath the stone.
Caring for 18K Gold-Plated Sterling Silver
Gold-plated sterling silver requires more careful handling than solid gold because the 18K gold is applied as a surface finish over the sterling silver base.
High-quality plating can retain its appearance beautifully over time when properly worn and cared for, but friction, moisture, cosmetics and chemical exposure can gradually affect any plated surface.
The most effective way to preserve gold-plated jewelry is to reduce unnecessary exposure rather than repeatedly polish it.
Apply perfume, lotion, sunscreen, hair products and cosmetics before putting on your jewelry. Allow these products to dry before wearing the piece.
Remove gold-plated jewelry before showering, swimming, exercising, cleaning, or activities involving prolonged water exposure or significant perspiration. Sterling silver itself is also sensitive to environments containing chlorine, humidity, perspiration and strong chemicals.
Avoid household cleaners, bleach, chlorine, alcohol-based cleaning products and abrasive cleaning materials.
After wear, gently wipe the piece with a clean, dry, soft cloth before storing it.
Do not aggressively polish an 18K gold-plated surface as if it were solid gold. Excessive polishing and friction can gradually reduce the plated finish.
Caring for Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry
Lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as natural diamonds, so their fundamental cleaning and care requirements are also comparable.
Diamond is exceptionally resistant to scratching, but hardness does not mean that a diamond ring is indestructible. A sufficiently strong impact can damage a stone or setting, and a diamond may become loose if the prongs are compromised.
Just as importantly, diamonds readily collect oil from fingers, skincare products and daily wear. This buildup can reduce their brilliance even though nothing is wrong with the diamond itself.
How to clean a lab-grown diamond at home
For lab-grown diamond jewelry set in solid gold, prepare lukewarm water with a small amount of mild liquid soap.
Allow the jewelry to sit briefly in the solution to loosen oils and residue. Using a clean, very soft-bristled brush, gently clean around the diamond, the prongs, and especially underneath the stone.
Rinse carefully and dry thoroughly using a soft, lint-free cloth.
GIA similarly recommends warm water, mild soap and a soft brush as a safe approach for routine diamond care.
Avoid toothpaste, abrasive powders or aggressive household cleaning products. Hard abrasives may damage the metal even when the diamond itself is highly scratch-resistant.
Caring for Solid 9K, 14K and 18K Gold
Solid gold does not require the same plating precautions as gold-plated sterling silver, but it should still be treated as fine jewelry.
Gold jewelry is made from gold alloyed with other metals, and its characteristics vary according to karat. Higher-karat gold contains a greater proportion of pure gold and is generally softer; for example, 18K gold can be somewhat more susceptible to scratches and dents than lower-karat alloys.
For 9K and 14K gold, regular gentle cleaning with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft brush is generally suitable when the piece contains compatible gemstones such as lab-grown diamonds.
For 18K gold, the same gentle cleaning method can be used, but additional care should be taken to minimize unnecessary scratching, hard knocks and abrasive polishing.
Regardless of karat, keep gold jewelry away from chlorine, bleach and strong household chemicals. GIA specifically notes that chlorine bleach can pit or damage gold alloys.
Keep Chemicals Away From the Setting
A gemstone may tolerate something that its setting does not.
This is one of the most important principles in jewelry care.
Moissanite and diamond are both durable stones, but the ring holding them may contain gold plating, sterling silver, gold alloys, solder joints, prongs and other components with different tolerances.
For this reason, we do not recommend using strong chemicals simply because the center stone itself is resistant to them.
Perfume, hairspray, lotion, sunscreen and other cosmetics should ideally be applied before your jewelry.
Household cleaners, bleach and chlorine should be avoided entirely while wearing fine jewelry. GIA notes that chemical exposure can discolor or damage precious metals including gold and silver.
Oils, Cooking and Everyday Residue
One of the most common reasons a moissanite or diamond appears less brilliant is not scratching, it is oil.
Natural skin oils, hand cream, sunscreen and cooking oils can adhere to the stone and accumulate underneath the setting.
If you regularly cook or prepare food while wearing rings, oils can transfer directly to the gemstone surface. Removing your rings during food preparation can help keep both the stone and setting cleaner.
If the stone begins to look slightly blurred, greasy or less brilliant, gently cleaning away surface residue is usually the appropriate first step.
Rather than repeatedly performing aggressive deep cleaning, frequent gentle maintenance is preferable.
When to Remove Your Jewelry
Even jewelry intended for regular wear benefits from being removed during activities that create unnecessary impact, moisture, chemicals or friction.
We recommend removing fine jewelry before showering, swimming, exercising, sleeping, household cleaning, heavy lifting and activities where the ring may be struck or compressed.
For gold-plated sterling silver, this is particularly important because repeated friction and moisture can contribute to gradual wear of the plated finish.
For solid-gold diamond jewelry, removing the piece during high-impact activities also helps protect the setting and prongs.
How to Store Fine Jewelry
Store jewelry only after it is clean and completely dry.
Whenever possible, keep each piece separately in a soft-lined jewelry box, pouch or individual compartment. Separate storage minimizes unnecessary friction between metal surfaces and helps protect polished finishes.
Do not store jewelry in persistently damp environments such as bathrooms.
Gold-plated sterling silver in particular benefits from clean, dry storage with minimal prolonged exposure to humidity and air. Sterling silver can tarnish more readily when exposed to moisture, sulfur compounds, salty environments and certain chemicals.
Check the Setting, Not Just the Stone
A beautiful gemstone still depends on a secure setting.
For rings worn frequently, periodically inspect the prongs and center stone. If the stone begins to move, a prong appears lifted or damaged, or you notice an unusual gap around the setting, stop wearing the piece until it has been professionally inspected.
Do not attempt to tighten prongs yourself.
Periodic professional inspection is particularly worthwhile for engagement rings and other jewelry worn every day. GIA recommends regular professional checks and notes that ultrasonic or steam cleaning should be approached carefully because vibration or pressure can loosen stones if the setting is already compromised.
A Note on Ultrasonic and Steam Cleaners
Moissanite and diamond themselves may tolerate cleaning methods that are inappropriate for the rest of the jewelry.
For this reason, we do not recommend routine at-home ultrasonic or steam cleaning without first confirming that the entire piece, including the setting, plating, accent stones and prongs, is suitable for that method.
This is particularly important for gold-plated sterling silver jewelry.
Professional jewelers can inspect the setting before deciding whether a more intensive cleaning method is appropriate. GIA similarly cautions that ultrasonic vibration can loosen stones in vulnerable settings.
