Caring for your diamonds
Diamonds are very hard but nevertheless can get chipped, so remove your rings before you go gardening or start the DIY! Remember that even if the diamond itself survives a hard knock, the setting can be damaged.

Wear rubber gloves when doing housework – some domestic cleaning solutions, especially those containing chlorine bleach, wreak havoc with your ring mounting.

Make an annual appointment with a jeweller for checking your diamond jewellery – to make sure, for instance, that the mounting remains firm and that there is no harmful wear and tear.

Store your diamonds wrapped separately from other jewellery. Diamonds are the hardest of gemstones, so can easily scratch each other and other pieces if they are all flung together in a box.

Avoiding conflict diamonds
Conflict diamonds played a key part in the Bond film Die Another Day. Remember the star-studded face of the villain Zao? When diamonds are smuggled and sold illegally in order to fund terrorist and rebel groups, they are known as conflict diamonds. Check this Amnesty International guide to conflict diamonds and make sure you don’t unwittingly support terrorist activity.
Amnesty International >

All about diamonds
…and we mean ALL! Find out how diamonds are formed a hundred miles below the Earth’s surface under incredible pressure and heat. They are in fact made from carbon, one of the most common elements, although as diamonds they become one of our most valued commodities. Also, before you go looking for a diamond, you can arm yourself with knowledge about cut, clarity, colour and carat, the four “Cs” that determine a diamond’s beauty and its value.
How Stuff Works >

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