I decided that this is an issue that I should address. Let me tell you what goes on during the process of sizing or repairing fine jewelry. Let's say you came to my store and you brought me a ring that needs to be one size larger. The ring you have is 14k white gold, and has a ruby in the center, with accent diamonds in the shank. When I take your ring back to my bench and am ready to size it, the first thing that I am going to do is check to see if it has ever been sized before. The way that I do this is to take the ring and dip it in a mixture of denatured alcohol and boric acid powder, and then I light it with my torch, this keeps the metal from getting a fire-coating from my torch. I will then take my torch and heat on the bottom of the ring, and see if a solder joint shows up; if one does, I will cut along this line, and if there is no seam then I will just go ahead and saw into the ring at the bottom of the shank. I will then open up the ring, insert a piece of 14k gold, and solder the the metal in place using 14k hard solder.
Next, I will place the ring on my steel mandrel and I will tap on the metal that I just soldered into the ring, to round up that area. After that, I will clean up the area where I worked. I will file the inside of the ring, then the outside, and then I will use an emery stick to take out the marks left by my file. I will then polish the ring, and when finished, I will place the ring in a commercial ultra sonic and then I will steam clean the ring. As you can tell, working on jewelry is no gentle process.
The heat from my torch far exceeds the temperatures inside your dishwasher. If you follow the directions that are enclosed with each Jeweler in the Dishwasher unit, you will not damage your jewelry.
The most important things to remember when using a Jeweler in the Dishwasher are:
Be sure you have your jewelry inspected by your jeweler to be sure all stones are secure before using Jeweler in the Dishwasher.
Read the list of stones that can withstand the heat of the dishwasher before using a Jeweler in the Dishwasher.
Make sure you have the unit completely closed and the zip tie secured correctly.
I am sure that you will be pleased with the results from using Jeweler in the Dishwasher. Most cleaners remove only surface residue, but Jeweler in the Dishwasher removes all the gunk that is caked in the crevices and around stones. The degreaser in the dishwasher detergent combined with the hot water, provides an excellent clean.
Let me give you the following as an example: Have you ever taken your car to the the car wash, put your quarters in the machine, grabbed the sprayer hose, squeezed the trigger and then sprayed your car, only to realize the water isn't hot? There is no way you will be able to clean your car by just spraying cold water on it. Just the same, dipping your rings in a cold solution is not going to remove the dirt that has built up in the mountings.
So, did this blog help to explain how safe Jeweler in the Dishwasher is? I hope so. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via our website
