How to Care For your Engagement Ring

April 22, 2019

You got engaged!!!  I hope it was as sweet and dramatic as Monica and Chandler’s proposal!  Now that you have that shiny new bling….how can you take care of your engagement ring?  There’s so much information available about this so I decided to interview a local specialist.  Here are some of the most important things for you to know about caring for your new bling!

Let your jeweler hook you up….

Your jewelry store will tell you (and they’re right!) that they highly recommend that you bring your ring in once every six months for an inspection.  They’ll clean it for you for free while you’re there!  They are able to check your ring to make sure that the prongs haven’t loosened and that your diamond is in excellent condition.  Ultrasonic cleanings cleanse even the hard to reach parts of your ring, so that it looks brand new again, and it’s safe for most diamonds.  However, it can harm the filling in some fractured filled stones and can shake loose stones from their mountings so bringing it to the jeweler for that inspection is super important! (Note: ultrasonic cleaning is not safe for colorful stones such as emeralds and rubies!)

Best at home cleaning…

In my life, getting to the jeweler every six months isn’t always realistic.  If that’s the case for you then grab a Connoisseurs Diamond Dazzle Stik.  You can find them on Amazon for less than six bucks!  They have a gentle solution built into their pen-like design and a super soft bristle brush.  Safe, quick, easy and affordable.  You can also use warm water to gently clean your diamonds and gemstones in any setting.  A super soft toothbrush with warm water and hand soap is ok, just make sure that you rinse them really well so they don’t leave a filmy residue.  Always pat them dry with a paper towel.   (Note: never use liquid cleaning solutions on porous stones like turquoise, opals or pearls, instead use an untreated polishing cloth to shine them.)

Do’s and Don’ts to keep your jewelry safe…

Don’t use polishing cloths on your diamond!  You can polish the band, but a cloth can scratch the stones.  Avoid getting bleach (or any abrasive cleaning product) on your ring, it can put pits in your gold alloys which can cause the settings to weaken and loosen the stones.  Store your jewelry individually so that they can’t scratch each other or get caught on one another.   You shouldn’t wear your rings to bed.  I hate this one, because I never want to take my rings off!  But sleeping with them on, they can get caught on your sheets and damage the prongs.  You also shouldn’t wear your rings in the shower or when you are washing your hands, unless you make sure that the jewelry gets rinsed really well and patted dry.  If you choose to leave them on when you shower and throughout your regular daily activities then definitely consider taking them off for things like applying lotion (seriously!), gardening and outdoor chores.  Gloves will not keep them as safe as you would think and can actually loosen the prong settings.    You will likely wear your engagement ring and eventually your wedding band together, side by side.  It’s a good idea to get them soldered together so that they don’t rub against each other.  Long term that rubbing together can cause scratching and actually wear down the metals themselves.

Get excited!!!

I know all of the do’s and don’ts can get exhausting….don’t forget to be excited!  Show that ring off, get a manicure, take ring selfies, post them everywhere!  You are getting married and I’m so excited for you!  I hope this information helps you take care of that incredible ring!

 

For more about what to do when you get engaged, check out this blog post!

 https://kellypomeroy.com/2019/03/01/5-things-to-do-when-you-get-engaged/

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