How to Clean Your Diamond Nose Pin

A nose ring or a nose pin is probably the most delicate piece of jewellery you own. It is one of the prettiest trinkets in your collection. Unlike earrings, pendants, rings and other forms of jewellery, a nose ring is rarely taken off. The only time you would take this off is when you want to wear a different nose ring. As a result, it is highly likely that a nose pin collects more dirt and oil than any other piece of jewellery. Even more so, if your nose pin has diamonds on it.

While plain gold nose pins are a classic, diamond nose pins have a stunning charm of their own- there is no doubt about it. Wear one and your look goes from okay to wow in microseconds. Their sparkle ensures that even though it is small, your nose ring does not go unnoticed. As oil and grime start accumulating on diamonds, their sparkle starts dwindling. Worry not! Here are a few tips to keep their sparkle alive.

Clean It. Clean It Regularly

It is unlikely that you take off your nose pin every time you moisturize your face or put your make up on. Unlike other jewellery that is typically the last item you wear, a nose ring is more or less a semi-permanent fixture. Thus, it is the most easily dirtied piece of jewellery. When diamonds get dirty, they cannot reflect light properly which, in turn, affect their shine and sparkle. This makes your stone look dull and old.

• If your piercing is recent, clean your nose pin sparingly. But later on, your diamond nose pin should be ideally cleaned once a fortnight.
• It is also a good idea to clean it every few days if you have a cold or if you are down with the flu.
• Do not use toothpaste or any other such abrasive chemicals to clean your diamonds. These chemicals will not harm the diamond itself but may damage the gold prongs holding it in place.
• Also, do not exert too much pressure on the stone while cleaning it. Diamond nose pins are delicate and a little extra pressure can bend a prong or break it thereby making it easier for your diamond to fall out.

How to Clean It?

Cleaning this piece of jewellery is easy. The things you need are warm water, mild detergent, soft-bristled tooth brush, and a piece of lint-free fabric.

Firstly, if you are clearing your jewellery over the bathroom sink, make sure that you block the drain. Dilute a gentle detergent with water and soak your nose pin in it for a few minutes. This will help loosen the grime. You can then use a toothbrush with baby bristles to brush off the residual dirt. Follow this by rinsing the nose pin in clean water. A lint-free piece of fabric can be used to dry the nose pin after which you can put it back on.

Store Your Nose Pin Carefully

Diamonds are the hardest gemstones available on earth and hence have a very low risk of breaking or fracturing. However, a diamond can easily scratch other gemstones. Hence, do not store your diamond nose pins in a bag worth any other jewellery. Instead, invest in a box with fabric lining. It is a good idea to look for a jewellery box with individual compartments for each piece in your collection. Given the value of your jewellery this is a wise investment.

Alternatively, you could store your nose pins in individual packets or wrap each nose pin in tissue papers. A ring box can also be easily repurposed to store nose pins. When handling your jewellery, do not touch the stone but rather handle it by the gold edges.

Inspect your Nose Pin from Time to Time

Though your nose pin is literally in front of your nose, you may not really look at it unless you are cleaning it. Hence, every time you take it off, take a close look at the prongs and the diamonds. See that all the prongs are of an equal length and that none of the prongs are missing. If you do notice loose stones, take your nose pin to the jeweller as soon as possible. Your jeweller will be able to decide whether the prongs can be fixed or if the diamond needs to be reset. In case your diamond needs to be reset, it should ideally be done in front of you. This way, you don’t have to worry about your genuine diamonds being replaced with ones of inferior quality.

Going for Professional Cleaning Service

It is indeed a good idea to take your diamond nose pin for professional jewellery cleaning once in a while. Your jeweller may also be able to clean it with an ultrasonic cleaning machine. This uses low-frequency sound waves to get rid of any grime that may have got embedded into the setting and is difficult to remove at home. If you want some extra sparkle, get the metal prongs that hold the diamond polished. While this does not directly affect the sparkle of a diamond, it does make the entire piece appear brighter.

Follow these simple tips when you clean your diamond nose pins and they will keep shining forever; so will your pretty face!