AboutThomas Expertise Have a question about jewelry repair or working with gold or silver jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and some custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.
Experience Education is English/Physics!Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion!
Expert: Thomas Date: 7/16/2008 Subject: Enhancing cubic zirconia
Question I bought a cubic zirconia ring and it is very dull and on the yellow side. I have tried cleaning it and it does not get much better than what I started with. Is there any kind of treatment that can whiten or lighten the stone
Answer Maggie, unfortunately there is no treatment to change the color of a CZ stone. The color is in the body of the material and that will stay the same, whether yellowish or colorless.
Generally, when a CZ has a yellowish tinge this is from residue of some sort on the back of the stone. You cleaned it. I suggest you try again. If the ring is gold, use household ammonia and let it soak a while, then rinse well, brush with a soft brush on the back of the stone with a mild dish detergent and water. If the ring is silver, skip the ammonia since this can sometimes make silver blotchy. Even a tiny film of lotion or soap residue from washing hands can quickly dull a CZ and the stone may look clean. What happens is the residue is just enough to change the way the light is reflected by the stone and it simply does not look as good as when perfectly clean.
If the stone is totally clean and is still yellowish, you might check with a jeweler and see if they can get you a whiter stone for the ring. A jeweler will have to see the ring to know if the work can be done. The price of a whiter( meaning colorless) CZ will not be high at all.
