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Your engagement ring symbolizes commitment and love, which makes it more than a piece of jewelry. It is a significant investment that your other half would have spent a great deal on. This means caring for your ring in the correct way is crucial.
Following the right tips and tricks will help you maintain your ring’s shine and brilliance, ensuring it stands the test of time.
To help you keep your ring looking as good as when it was presented, we’ve provided a handful of top tips to care for your beloved piece of jewelry.
Read on to discover more.
1. Cleaning Your Ring Regularly
Whether you wish to sell engagement ring Jewelry or keep it sparkling on your hand, you must clean it regularly. This will help you to maintain its sparkle.
An engagement ring is a jewelry item worn daily and seldom taken off. This means it comes into contact with soaps, lotions, potions, dirt, and grease. All can affect your ring’s shine. Cleaning your ring is a must. With the right tools, this can be completed at home. For best results, avoid using ultrasonic cleaners or abrasive solutions. This includes baking soda. In addition, every six months, you should have it cleaned professionally.
2. Store Your Ring Correctly
If you do take your ring off, store it correctly. For best results, choose a safe place, somewhere you won’t misplace it. If you only remove it when you shower, go to the gym, or wash the dishes, invest in a ring dish.
Invest in a solid jewelry box or safe if stored away when traveling. Choose one that features a fabric pouch or a soft lining. This will minimize air exposure and make your ring less susceptible to scratches.
3. Annual Inspections
Every year, you should take your ring to a professional jeweler to inspect. This is of particular value to those who intend to sell their ring. A jeweler will inspect for worn mounting and loose prongs. Both could cause damage to the ring and, in the worst-case scenario, the gemstone to fall out. This is an expensive fix, especially if you misplace the gemstone. In addition, a ring specialist will determine whether your ring needs to be replayed or polished. These regular inspections will ensure your ring stands the test of time.
4. Protection From Impact
To ensure your ring’s setting and gemstone stay shiny, avoid wearing your engagement ring when engaging in activities that necessitate high impact. This is particularly true if your engagement ring boasts delicate prongs or a higher setting, as this style is more vulnerable to hard impact.
Playing high-impact sports or lifting weights can cause stones to loosen or prongs to bend.
To protect your jewelry, always take your ring off during these activities. This will avoid any accidental scratches or bumps.
5. Avoid Wearing Your Ring In Water
Whether relaxing in a hot tub or sauna or swimming in a pool, water can damage your engagement ring. This is often due to the heavy chlorine in public pools and saunas. This chemical can affect the metal settings, causing accelerated erosion. On top of this, wearing your ring in cold water can increase your likelihood of losing your prized piece as your fingers can shrink. For best results, always take your ring off before engaging in water-based activities.
6. Avoid Lotions and Potions When Wearing Your Ring
Avoid applying creams, lotions, and cosmetics to your face or body when wearing your engagement ring. These lotions and potions can leave a residue, which lessens your ring’s shine. In the worst case, it can damage softer, more delicate gemstones, such as the emerald. To avoid the buildup of products, take your ring off before applying your favorite products.
7. Wear Rubber Gloves When Handling Harsh Chemicals
Chemicals in perfumes, cleaning products, and hair sprays can corrode and discolor your ring, mainly the metal. To prevent this, wear rubber gloves or remove your ring when handling strong chemicals.
8. Avoid Wearing Your Ring At The Beach
Sunscreen, saltwater, and sand are not good for your engagement ring. As mentioned earlier, cold water can cause your fingers to shrink, which means you’re more likely to misplace your engagement ring. Sand can scratch the gemstones and metal, and sunscreen can leave an unwanted residue, thus dulling its shine.
9. Take Your Ring Off When Cooking
Greasy foods can dull your ring’s shine. If cooking with raw meats or oils, remove your engagement ring first. This ensures zero oil or bacteria get into the crevices of your ring.
10. Avoid Manual Labor When Wearing Your Engagement Ring
Whether gardening or working with machinery, avoid wearing your engagement ring if it is potentially subject to tools, rocks, or dirt. All of these elements can scratch, bend, or dent the metal of your ring. In addition, dirt can get stuck in the setting or dull the shine of the gemstone, making it hard to clean.
The Bottom Line
Your engagement ring is a piece of jewelry that needs to withstand the test of time. Although you’ll likely wear it every day, you must remove it in certain situations to prolong its shine.
If taking off for short periods, store it on a ring plate. If removing for longer periods, invest in a special jewelry box or soft pouch or store it away from other jewelry items that could scratch the metal or gemstone.
Following the above tips and tricks will ensure your engagement ring stands the test of time, meaning you will enjoy its sparkle for years to come, or if you do choose to sell it, it will make for an easy, efficient sale.