A lab-grown diamond is the hardest thing you own. The gold around it deserves gentler company.
Day to day
- Last on, first off. Jewellery goes on after scent, cream and hairspray, and comes off before sleep, sport and swimming.
- Keep pieces apart. Diamond scratches gold — and other diamonds. One piece per pouch or compartment; the Sertelle box is designed to live on a dressing table for exactly this reason.
- Mind the chemicals. Chlorine attacks gold alloys; salt water dulls polish; household cleaners cloud settings. Rings off for pools, sea and washing up.
- Chains fasten before they travel. Clasp necklaces and bracelets before laying them down and they will not knot.
Cleaning at home
Warm water, a single drop of washing-up liquid, a soft baby toothbrush, five gentle minutes. Brush beneath the stone where skin oils gather — that film is what makes a diamond look tired. Rinse over a closed plug, dry with a lint-free cloth. Monthly is plenty.
The film that dulls a diamond is skin oil and soap residue, and it gathers underneath the stone where light enters — which is why the brush works from below and the rinse matters as much as the wash. Five unhurried minutes returns the fire completely.
Skip ultrasonic cleaners at home: they are safe for most solitaires but can loosen pavé over time. Ours is calibrated, and using it is free — see below.
Metal by metal
- 18k yellow and rose gold develop a soft patina with wear; an annual professional polish returns the mirror.
- 18k white gold is rhodium-finished; high-wear rings enjoy re-plating every couple of years, complimentary under Sertelle Care.
- Platinum does not thin with polishing — it burnishes. Its gentle satin developing over years is the point.
Sertelle Care, for life
Professional cleaning, claw checks and polish are on the house, forever. Post your piece to us insured — or bring it to Mayfair — and it returns as it left the workshop. Details on Resizing & Re-polishing and the Lifetime Warranty.
Certified by IGI or GIA. Hallmarked at the London Assay Office. Yours for life — resizing, re-polishing and care, on the house.