What are your stones?

Tiger Gems uses the finest diamond simulant available on the market, especially made for our products. Our diamond simulants are not natural diamonds, but are made specifically to replicate the beauty and sparkle of a perfect D color flawless natural diamond and are cut exactly the same way. They are not synthetic lab diamonds and will not test as real with any diamond tester, but will last a lifetime when properly cared for.

The materials and formula used to create our simulants are a trade secret.  We searched the world over to find the perfect stones for our customers and stand behind them with our 100% Happiness Guarantee.

Basic Jewelry Care

1. Do not wear your jewelry in the shower or bath. Residue from soap and shampoo will dull your ring's sparkle. Hair can also accidentally pull on a prong and loosen up a stone.
   
   
2. Do not wear your jewelry when doing housework. Dishes can easily damage your ring and silverware can easily scratch it.

3. Remove jewelry before strenuous activity such as exercise. All delicate styles with accent stones must be treated with care to avoid reshaping.

4. Remove your ring before you go to bed. Tossing and turning can cause the prongs around your stone to loosen or other minor damages to take place.
   
   
5. Do not expose your jewelry to chemicals like bleach, chlorine, hairspray, to avoid chemical reactions or breakdown of materials.
   
   
6. One of the most damaging chemicals to fine jewelry is chlorine. Chlorine in swimming pools, hot tubs, and even cleaning supplies, can damage and discolor gold and silver metal. Please take off your jewelry before you swim or use cleaning chemicals that contain chlorine. We also recommend removing all fine jewelry before going into the ocean. Salt water can cause damage to gold and silver metals.
   
   
7. Even the most perfect ring requires maintenance every now and again. Have your jewelry checked professionally every few months if you wear it constantly. Full eternity rings or jewelry with small little accents should be checked more often.
   
   
8. In order to avoid snagging on clothing and hair please follow the first off last on rule - Remove jewelry first when undressing and put it on last when dressing.
   
   
9. When removing or putting a ring on, it should be put on from the sides with a gentle wiggle side to side, pulling and putting a ring on from the top and bottom, especially on delicate designs can cause the ring to bend. 
   
   
10. We do not recommend using hand sanitizer while wearing fine jewelry. Hand sanitizer is made up of rubbing alcohol and will not hurt the stone. However, exposure to cleaning agents or hand sanitizer can damage the finish on sterling silver and solid gold jewelry.
    
    

Caring For Gold Plated Jewelry

In addition to the care tips above, please remember that anything plated will eventually wear away with time. However, with proper care, you can extend the lifespan of gold plated jewelry.

1. Do not wear your plated rings while performing tasks that require excessive use of your hands to avoid bumping or scratching.
2. Do not sleep with your plated jewelry to avoid sweat residue, tangling in sheets, or bumping on furniture such as headboards and night stands.
3. Your skin pH also affects the plating.  Some people perspire stronger than others causing the plating to fade faster.
   
   
4. Do not wear gold plated items during strenuous activity to prolong the life of your plating.
   

To clean your plated jewelry:

Please click here to watch our videos on how to clean your metal and stones. 

Gently rub the surface using a soft cloth, such as the Tiger Gems ultra suede pouch, to remove any dirt or surface debris and to restore shine. Fill a bowl with warm soapy water. Use lukewarm, not hot, water. Add a few drops of dish soap that doesn't leave a film. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub in the tight places, especially underneath the stone. Rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.

Under the plating, your item is made of solid sterling silver.  Over time it will eventually start to tarnish and will require maintenance. You will have to take care of it just like you would any piece of sterling silver jewelry and polish it with a silver cleaning cloth.

How to Clean Your Jewelry

Over time, all sterling silver jewelry will tarnish. The good news is that it is easy to clean. Here are three ways to make your sterling silver shine:

Please click here to watch our videos on how to clean your metal and stones. 

1. Polishing cloth - They are relatively cheap and  work well. Many come pre-moistened with cleaning solution.
2. Silver polish/Dip/Cleaner - There are a variety of sterling silver cleaners on the market. If you are purchasing a professional commercial cleaner, please make sure it is designed not just for jewelry but sterling silver. You can purchase a polish, such as Goddards' Sterling Silver Polishing Foam which is generally a paste, or a dip. Squeeze a small amount of paste on a soft dry cloth and work into the ring, rinse off to remove the tarnish and the paste. Or dip for approximately 1-2 seconds at a time, until the tarnish is removed. Follow the packaging directions closely.
3. Baking Soda - Create a thick paste with baking soda and a little bit of water. Use a soft toothbrush or your fingers to gently rub the jewelry with that paste, then rinse it under hot water. Finish by drying the jewelry with a soft cloth.

How to Clean Your Stones

With wear your jewelry will simply get dirty, causing your once-sparkling gems to appear cloudy. This is mostly because the back of the gemstones (diamond simulant or natural diamond) have accumulated a layer of soap film, lotion, and oil from our skin which blocks light from shining through them and makes them look dull. The hardest part is that the back of the stone is the most difficult area to keep clean, which is where most of the grime hides.

Please click here to watch our videos on how to clean your metal and stones. 

To clean your stones, mix 1/2 teaspoon of dish soap with 1 cup of warm water in a bowl. Let the jewelry soak in the solution for 2-5 minutes then use a small soft toothbrush to scrub away any dirt and grease. Clean the area under the stones where oil and dirt can easily get trapped. Rinse the jewelry in a bowl filled with clean warm water and lay on a towel to dry.

We do not recommend cleaning your rings in an ultrasonic cleaner. The machine works by sending vibrations through the water and cleaning solution in a matter of minutes. All that vigorous movement can cause stones to become loose or even fall out in the machine.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  We love hearing from our customers!