Diamonds and gold are two of the most durable things you can own, but they still like a little care to stay looking their best.

Your lab grown diamonds are just as hard as mined diamonds, a 10 on the hardness scale, so nothing you do day to day will scratch them. What dulls a diamond is not damage, it is grease. Diamonds love oil, and lotion, sunscreen, and the natural oils on your skin build up on the stone and quietly take away the sparkle. A soak in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush behind the setting will bring it right back. You can do this every week or two.

Gold is the softer of the two. It is beautiful, but it scratches and bends more easily than people expect, and the higher the karat, the softer it is. Keep it away from chlorine, which weakens gold over time, so take your pieces off before a pool or a hot tub. Clean it the same gentle way, with warm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth. Skip the toothpaste and any abrasive cleaner.

A few habits make everything last:

1. Put your jewelry on last, after your makeup, perfume, hairspray, and lotion, and take it off first at the end of the day.
2. Take it off for showering, swimming, the gym, cleaning, gardening, and sleeping.
3. Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or a lined box so nothing rubs against anything else. Diamonds are hard enough to scratch each other.
4. Have your settings checked once a year or so. Prongs loosen over time, and it is a small thing to have looked at before you ever lose a stone.

None of it takes much, and treated this way your pieces will look beautiful for a very long time.