As a piece of jewellery you treasure and will no doubt be wearing every day for life, your engagement ring really does deserve some TLC. It is one of your most prized possessions, and as such it is important that you look after it well so it lasts the distance and always looks its best. We have listed six important ways to care for your ring below.
Insure your engagement ring
However you choose to do it — whether you buy insurance at the same time as purchasing the ring, you buy it at a later date, or you add the ring to your home contents insurance — it is imperative that it is covered against loss and damage. Your ring is precious in so many ways, after all. For more information about insuring jewellery and watches, read our blog post on the subject, here.
Clean your engagement ring
Professional cleaning of an engagement ring
Clean your ring frequently to remove the build up of dirt, lotions and oils, and let the sparkle return. It’s almost a crime to be sporting a well-cut diamond and not be letting it shine to its full potential!
How to clean your engagement ring
Soak the ring in warm water mixed with a few drops of a mild washing up liquid, then gently scrub to remove dirt using a soft baby toothbrush. Following this, rinse the ring by placing it in a dish of clean warm water, then pat dry with a soft cloth and leave it in a safe spot to fully dry in the air. Do this once every 2-3 weeks to keep your ring looking at its best, and always remember to cover your drain if you’re doing this near the sink!
It is recommended that you also take your rings to a professional jeweller to have them cleaned a couple of times a year — just drop them off in-store and collect them once they’re sparkling like new.
Store rings away from each other
When you’re not wearing them, make sure to keep your rings away from each other; diamonds are the strongest material on earth and can therefore easily scratch metal bands, other gemstones, and even other diamonds if left to knock around in the same bag or box as other rings. Store your rings in separate boxes in a safe and memorable place when they’re not on your fingers.
Take your engagement ring off
Remove your ring when you need to
You might not want to ever remove your engagement ring, but it is highly recommended that you do sometimes — particularly when partaking in certain activities. You can read more about this in our blog post entitled The Five Times You Should Remove Your Engagement Ring.
Don’t resize your ring more than once
It can be tempting to resize your ring every time you feel you need to. The first time is often when a ring is brand new and your partner guessed the wrong size for his or her proposal. However, any further adjustments to the ring size can really weaken it, and in the worst case scenario you’ll require the whole band and setting to be remade. If you have had a baby, be patient and wait six months postpartum — your rings will probably fit again by then.
Do a prong and setting check
Every six months it is a good idea to do a prong and setting check of your engagement ring. Remove the ring and hold it up in the light, then check if any prongs are shorter than the others. If not, no problem. Then hold the ring up to your ear and shake it. If you don’t hear anything, no problem. If your prongs no longer match in length or there’s a loose stone, you will need to visit a jeweller as soon as you can to get it fixed.
If you don’t trust yourself to do these checks properly, pop in to see us or your local jeweller and we can take a look for you with an expert eye and put your mind at rest.
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