How to Take Care of Engagement Rings?

Engagement rings are a symbol of love and commitment. Women fall in love with these fine jewelry pieces from the moment they become permanent fixtures on their left hands.

Nevertheless, females should take proper care of their engagement rings to keep them sparkly and shiny in the years to come. This means purchasing insurance, cleaning them regularly, not exposing them to chemicals, taking them off when necessary, storing them properly, etc. Maintenance tasks aren’t too labor-intensive or time-consuming.

Follow the helpful tips below to learn how to care for your precious jewelry piece.

Purchase insurance

The first tip for taking care of your engagement ring is to have it insured. These accessories aren’t usually included in homeowners’ insurance, which is why you should either add yours to your existing policy or purchase a separate policy. Insurance provides the necessary protection in the event of theft, damage, or loss.

Moreover, your engagement ring should be appraised by a jeweler, and some jeweler provide such appraisals at no additional cost. The value of this jewelry piece has to be appraised every five years due to the change in precious metal costs. Make sure you click here to see a beautiful collection of engagement rings. Unless you have them appraised regularly, the replacement cost would be much higher than the insured value.

Clean it regularly

Another valuable tip is cleaning your engagement ring regularly every few weeks. Diamonds are known for being oleophilic, meaning they attract skin oil that forms a thin layer and reduces their brilliance. The stone has to be cleaned frequently to live up to its potential. Otherwise, you won’t be doing the stone any justice.

Fortunately, the cleaning process isn’t very time-consuming and can be performed at home. Make sure you fill a bowl with lukewarm water, add several drops of mild dishwashing detergent, and stir the water. Afterward, put the ring inside the water and let it sit for ten minutes, which is enough time for oil and grime to break down. Once the soaking process is over, remove the accessory from the water and brush it with a baby toothbrush with soft bristles.

Each side should be brushed gently while paying special attention to the edges and the back. You should once again put the ring into the bowl and keep on brushing gently to remove any loose grime and dirt. Then, rinse it with clean water but don’t forget to plug the drain. In terms of drying, you should either dry it with a hairdryer or a lint-free rag. It’s important not to leave the jewelry piece to air dry if you wish to avoid water stains.

Take it off when performing hands-on activities

As much as every woman loves wearing her engagement ring, there are times when females are strongly advised to take these jewelry pieces off. The performance of some activities can easily damage the stone or metal, such as swimming, sleeping, working out, showering, cleaning, cooking, gardening, applying lotions, etc. The following link, https://www.brides.com/story/when-to-take-off-engagement-ring, explains when to take off your engagement ring.

It’s of the utmost importance to take this accessory off when swimming in the ocean or a pool. Coldwater temperature can make your fingers shrink, meaning the risk of losing your ring is relatively high. In contrast, swimming pools impose a risk of damage because of the presence of chlorine in the water. Chlorine is capable of discoloring precious metals, such as gold, white gold, and platinum.

Cleaning also isn’t the best time to wear your engagement ring. You might bang it up on a tough surface like kitchen counters and bathroom floors. The color of the metal is at risk of getting altered due to the ammonia and bleach used in most cleaning agents. When sleeping, there is a possibility for the prongs to get weakened.

Women are recommended to get their engagement rings off before having a shower. There are two types of risks associated with the shower. First of all, your precious jewelry piece can slip off when your fingers are covered with soap. If it slips off, the worst-case scenario is to fall down the drain and disappear forever. Secondly, the use of oily soaps can dull the diamond finish, whereas the use of exfoliating soaps can scratch it.

Avoid exposure to chemicals

Another vital tip is not exposing your engagement ring to chemicals or cleaning it with abrasive agents. Precious metals get easily discolored when coming in contact with bleach or abrasives, such as baking soda and toothpaste. Abrasives are infamous for scratching soft metals and stones. As mentioned before, chlorine discolors precious metals and even dissolves them over time.

Furthermore, make sure to never wear your ring when applying lotions, perfume, hair gel, sunscreen, moisturizer, and foundation. Most of these cosmetic products contain chemicals and leave residue on the jewelry surface. For instance, lotions are particularly harmful to porous gems, including coral, turquoise, and pearls.

Schedule annual maintenance appointments

Prong checks are considered essential at least once a year, so make sure you have your engagement ring inspected by a professional jeweller. These appointments are necessary to identify problems like loose or damaged prongs, loose diamonds, shank cracks, etc. Jewellers can have prongs and stone tightened in no time, restoring jewelry pieces to their original condition.

Don’t take it off in public places

Removing your engagement ring in public is the worst decision you can make. Many women are tempted to take these jewelry pieces off when washing their hands in public restrooms. It’s very important to resist this temptation, as you might leave your lovely piece on the sink ledge and walk away. Until you realize what you’ve done, the jewelry will be long gone. Another scenario is for the accessory to fall into the drain.

A final note

As long as you care for your ring regularly, it will keep shining on your finger.

Wear it with pride and avoid any activities that may harm it!