Whether you’re about to tie the knot or have been married for many years, understand how to take care of your engagement ring.
Insure Your Ring
Unfortunately, there’s always a possibility that your engagement ring could get lost or damaged. Insurance helps cover the costs related to repairs and replacement.
To anticipate this incident, have your ring appraised about every five years and adjust your coverage accordingly.
Be Conscientious with Removal
When you take off your engagement ring, you could accidentally drop it or forget to put it back on. However, wearing your ring 24/7 exposes it to potential damage and unwanted substances like soap, perspiration, debris and hand lotion.
Considering these scenarios:
- Avoid taking your ring off when using a public restroom, as you could leave it behind or risk it sliding down the drain.
- If you’re cooking, cleaning or doing other chores at home, remove your ring. These tasks expose the stone and metal to chemicals, food, soaps and dust. While routine exposure can gradually mar the appearance, for more intensive activities like washing dishes, you risk bending the prongs and causing the stone to come loose.
- Have a secure, safe spot for any hand-intensive activities like a dedicated pouch in your gym bag and ring dish at home.
- Take your ring off when you sleep, otherwise you risk having it get tangled in your hair, the sheets or sliding off and getting lost. Leave your ring in its dish and put it on after making breakfast or working out in the morning.
On the topic of ring dishes, keep them in secure spots you frequently visit in the house, like the bathroom or your bedside.
Consider a Backup Ring
If you’re concerned about wear or theft, some people choose to have a backup ring. Generally, this is a piece of costume jewelry or style with less-valuable stones. Backup rings come in handy if you plan to be somewhere or do something that could result in damage or accidental loss.
Know Where You Could Lose It
Common scenarios where you could lose your engagement ring include:
- Wearing it outdoors in winter. Cold temperatures can cause the muscles and skin of your finger to shrink, increasing the risk your ring could slide off.
- Draping your hands. If you have a habit of draping your hands over railings, your ring may fall off onto the ground below. Should this happen in a public place, like a vacation resort, restaurant or sports stadium, the ring likely won’t be found.
- Digging your hands in the ground. From working in the garden to building sandcastles on the beach, you risk losing your ring unless you put on gloves ahead of time.
Be Careful of Wear
With engagement rings, be mindful of activities that could cause it to pick up dirt and grime, chip or loosen the stone, or distort or damage the band and prongs. To reduce wear:
- Don’t rub or tap the ring against other hard materials.
- Limit touching the center stone. Over time, repeat touching can cause the stone to appear cloudy and dull. Especially as you’re taking it on and off, primarily hold the band.
- At home, take off your ring before you wash your hands, take a shower or apply makeup. Put on your ring after you’ve applied moisturizer or hand lotion.
Understand How to Clean Your Ring
It’s recommended to have your ring professionally cleaned by a jeweler roughly once a year. During these appointments, the jeweler may have the ring steamed or use an ultrasonic cleaner. Its integrity will also be assessed, including the tightness and stability of the prongs and stones. The band will be checked for damage like cracks that could worsen with time. If you have a white gold ring, any rhodium on the exterior may periodically need to be re-plated.
At home, clean the surface with a small amount of dish soap and water, scrubbing away debris with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Go around the stone to avoid scratching it. You can also soak it for a minimum of 30 minutes and add baking soda to remove as much dirt as possible.
Also avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, as these can affect the quality of the gemstone. After you’re done scrubbing, rinse the ring under warm water and dry it off with a lint-free cloth.
Explore our collection of beautiful engagement rings at Hannoush Jewelers of Connecticut online or in-store today.
