How to Take Care of Your Engagement Ring to Ensure it Lasts a Lifetime
Our guide will provide you with best practices on how to take care of your engagement ring. We’ll explore how to clean your ring, when it’s a good idea to remove your ring and annual assessments to keep it looking its best for a lifetime.
Your engagement ring isn’t just a piece of jewellery, it’s a symbolic representation of your relationship. It can also be unique to other pieces of jewellery because it’s worn everyday so it needs a bit more maintenance over time.
How to Clean Your Engagement Ring
The first step in how to take care of your engagement ring is cleaning. The method you use to clean your engagement ring will depend on the gemstones. At Posy we give our clients a cleaning kit that is safe to use with all gemstones. But, if you are mixing a homemade cleaning solution, you will want to be aware that not all solutions are safe for all gemstones.
Cleaning Options for Durable Gemstones
To watch a video of this method please visit our jewellery school youtube channel!
Let’s first list some gemstones that this cleaning method will work for including: diamond, sapphire, ruby, topaz, spinel and moissanite. This list includes both natural and lab grown varieties of gemstones.
The Method:
- Get a small container and fill it with one part “Mr. Clean” (or any degreaser, but we find the greenish yellow Mr. Clean works best) and three parts warm water.
- Put your ring in the solution and let it soak (if there is a lot of build up under the setting, leave the ring to soak longer).
- Remove the ring from the solution and lightly scrub it with an old toothbrush (don’t forget to get under the setting).
- Dry with a paper towel or lint free cloth if available.
Cleaning Options for Less Durable Gemstones
This cleaning method will work for less durable gemstones including: emerald, moonstone, morganite and tourmaline.
The Method:
- Get a small container and fill it with warm water and a few drops of degreasing liquid soap such as “Dawn”.
- Put your ring in the solution and let it soak (if there is a lot of build up under the setting, leave the ring to soak longer).
- Remove the ring from the solution and lightly scrub it with an old toothbrush (don’t forget to get under the setting).
- Dry with a paper towel or lint free cloth if available.
Cleaning Options for Fragile Gemstones
This cleaning method is recommended for fragile gemstones such as opal and pearl.
The Method:
- Dampen a soft cloth with warm water and add some dish soap.
- Wipe your fragile gemstone carefully with the dampened cloth.
- If you would like to clean build up from under the setting you can use an old toothbrush dampened with water and a dollop of dish soap. Carefully scrub under the setting being sure to avoid the fragile gemstone.
- Dry with a paper towel or lint free cloth if available.
When to Remove Your Ring
Jewellery is not indestructible. Yes, gold, platinum and diamonds are very hard and very durable. Diamonds are, indeed, the hardest thing on earth. But, even a diamond is not indestructible.
The next step in how to take care of your engagement ring is when to remove your engagement ring. Although engagement rings are designed (or they should be!) to be worn everyday, there are times when removing your ring is a good idea. Some of these recommendations are based on reducing damage risk and others are based on the risk of loss.
Remove your ring when:
- Working out, especially if working with weights. It’s a good idea to remove your ring when participating in sports as well.
- Gardening, because it will get dirty, may encounter abrasions with rocks and also to prevent loss.
- General household chores. Especially if you are using harsh cleaning chemicals.
- Performing strenuous activity. For example, if you have a rock climbing hobby, or if you work in construction or trades.
- Swimming, especially if you’re swimming in a lake or ocean to prevent loss. Some gemstones and metals may also have an adverse reaction to the chlorine in pools.
- On vacation. To prevent loss you might want to consider taking a “faux” engagement ring with you on vacation.
- Putting cream on. When you apply hand cream or sunscreen you’ll want to remove your ring first to prevent the grease in the cream from leaving residue on the stone or creating build up under the setting.
- Sleeping. Some people have no problem sleeping with their ring on but some people find they accidentally scratch themselves during the night. It also gives your finger a chance to breathe and prevent potential irritation.
Annual Assessments
The final step in how to take care of your engagement ring is yearly assessments. Most jewellers who create custom engagement rings or sell engagement rings will offer complimentary assessments. We recommend coming in once a year so we can give your ring a thorough inspection.
The assessment should include:
- Looking at your ring under a microscope to examine the gemstones and settings.
- Ensuring that all of the gemstones are still set securely.
- Checking to ensure there are no structural problems in the ring mounting.
If everything is in good shape your ring will receive a nice clean and polish and you will be on your way. If there are any concerns then the jeweller should take care of the issue if the ring is still under warranty or offer a quote on repair. You should think of it as bringing in your vehicle for regular maintenance. Keeping your ring in good shape will prevent larger problems down the road.
Your engagement ring is precious and deserves the best care possible. By following these simple cleaning techniques and knowing when to give your ring a break, you can ensure it will last. Remember, a little TLC goes a long way in preserving your ring for years to come.
We hope our tips on how to take care of your engagement ring have helped you! If you have any other questions be sure to reach out. We also offer a free care guide that covers all different kinds of jewellery when you sign up for our newsletter, The Posy Dispatch.
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