Ring Maintenance & Safety

• • Cleaning your Ring
• • Keeping your Ring Safe

Cleaning your Ring

Gems attract dust, fingerprints, dirt, and water, and by nature, have properties that make them susceptible to surface grime. These rare gems can get dirty rather quickly and if not cared for properly can have a negative impact on your ring.  When a ring is contaminated it loses it sparkle/brilliance because it becomes clouded with debris and light is no longer able to travel freely in and out of the diamond. Watch along with this video to learn how to clean your engagement ring and read below for more!

After a while without cleaning, your center stone, and entire ring for that matter, can appear as if it is of lesser beauty.  Keep in mind this does not actually change the quality of the stone; the cut, color and clarity are inherent in the diamond and any surface buildup just changes the appearance temporarily. Watch this video to see how to keep your ring well maintained and clean all on your own

How Your Ring Gets Dirty

• Avoid showering with your ring, apply lotions, or wash hands frequently. Creams and soaps will create a film on your diamond and hard water will also leave water spots on the diamond from frequent washing. This also goes for applying makeup with your fingers while your ring is on, cooking, etc.

• Do not engage in physical activities like going to the gym with your ring on.  Not only will it get dirty, but it can become easily damaged as well.

• Touch the ring as minimally as possible. Our hands have natural oils in them and carry dirt that diamonds are attracted to. If you do need to take it on and off hold it gently from the band area. Do not take it off while touching the top of the stone as this will leave fingerprints and smudges. Try gripping it from the band and gently removing it

How To Clean Your Engagement Ring at Home

• If you don't have an at home jewelry cleaner just boil some water and add a bit of liquid dish soap to a bowl or cup.   

• Let the ring soak in the solution for about 2-3 minutes. Leaving it in longer can hurt the metal and may eat away at it with frequent use.

• After letting it soak, gently brush all around including the underside of the ring with a very soft brush or toothbrush.  Scrub gently as you do not want to jar any stones loose in the process. Make sure to clean well beneath the stone because there is a lot of build up there. Most of the dirt builds up on the surface of the stone, but more detrimental and unbeknownst is on the underside of the ring.

• Let it air dry or pat it gently with a microfiber cloth and voila!

• If you live near the jeweler you purchased the ring from, or happen to be visiting, they can professionally steam clean your ring which will remove all the dust and dirt particles instantly.

Keeping your Ring Safe

Because an engagement ring is such a physically small item relative to its value, it is an item that gets commonly misplaced or have stolen. Here are some tips to keep it safe:

1. Have a Safe Space. At home it is a good idea take off your ring so that you can avoid showering, sleeping, cleaning, and cooking with it. We recommend putting your ring in one place when you get home like a certain drawer, hidden box, safe, etc. This way you will always know where it is at any given time.

2. Don't wear it to the gym. Working out at the gym or exercise class means adding a lot of pressure to your hands. The center-stone and pave stones in the setting can fall out after enough force. It is also not a good idea to leave your ring in the lockers at the gym as they will not be liable for any theft that occurs. Consider leaving your ring in your safe spot at home or getting a chain and putting your ring around your neck.

3. Make sure it is properly sized. Having a ring slip right off your finger due to an incorrect size is something to be conscious of. Our hands change in relation to the environment and substances we put in our bodies. Test your ring in all climates to see how your body reacts and make sure your ring fits snug even when it is cold outside. One trick is that your ring should fit snug enough that it takes someone else a lot of effort to get it over your finger.

4. Stunt Double. Having a duplicate, or similar, version of your diamond ring with a CZ (cubic zirconia) center-stone is a great way to always have a sentimental piece of jewelry on your hand. Because it will cost a fraction of the price of your diamond center-stone ring, you can wear it comfortably no matter where you are and without the stresses associated with carrying such a valuable piece around.

5. Get Insured! While this is not a preventative measure, this is something we cannot stress enough. Having insurance is going to save you in the event one of the loss or theft circumstances above happens. You can insure the ring under your renter or homeowner’s insurance policy, or through an independent jewelry insurance company such as Jeweler's Mutual. In the unfortunate event of loss, theft, or damage you will be covered for the full value of the ring. The money spent yearly to keep your ring insured will be worth it should something unforeseen occur and will also give you some well needed piece of mind. For Jeweler’s Mutual, all you need is an official appraisal of the item and you can e-mail it over to them to get an instant quote; generally, in the 2% to 4% range of the ring’s value to be paid semi-annually.