Engagement ring care and maintenance is an essential but often overlooked aspect of owning engagement rings and wedding bands.
Four out of ten married men in the USA will lose their wedding band at some point, while stone replacements can cost up to $250 each – more if you lose the center stone. Considering how much engagement rings cost in the first place, it makes sense to want to prevent these things from happening.
However, with a little care and consideration, you can ensure your beautiful engagement ring stays looking as good as the day you bought it.
Like cars, engagement rings are huge investments. And while it is natural to have your car regularly serviced and cleaned, it is easy to forget to do likewise for your diamond engagement ring.
An uncared-for car quickly deteriorates and will break down much faster than if you looked after it, and the same is true for engagement rings. No one wants to ride in a damaged or dirty vehicle, and no one wants to wear a dull or broken ring.
But if you regularly maintain and clean your engagement ring, you can be sure it will stand the test of time and look as impressively sparkly as your freshly washed car!
There are five essential components to caring for your fine jewelry. Let’s take a closer look at the five C’s.
First up, you need to get in the habit of performing a regular cleaning routine. And you’ll be pleased to hear this doesn’t need to be anything complicated.
To get started, you need a soft-bristled brush. A soft toothbrush is perfect for this. Then, remove the ring, and using warm water with mild dish soap, you can then gently brush and clean your ring all over.
When done, use a lint-free cloth to carefully dry the ring before placing it back on the finger.
Before you start, here are a few warnings:
Finally, get in the habit of cleaning your ring on a weekly basis. Add in an extra clean after an activity that may have caused dirt to build up quickly.
Having the ring professionally cleaned and maintained on a regular basis is also very wise. All reputable jewelers will carry out this service either for free (if it’s the same place where you bought the ring) or for a low cost.
The jeweler will be able to inspect the ring for any damage using magnifying equipment and perform a deep clean using special jewelry cleaning solutions.
For optimum ring care, you should aim to have the ring serviced twice a year.
When performing your regular cleaning routine, you should always check for any damage. Here’s how:
If you find or suspect something is amiss, take the ring straight to a jeweler for assessment and repair.
This involves a good degree of common sense. Anything that may cause the ring to slip off the finger, get caught on something, or be subjected to harsh chemicals, then it should be removed beforehand.
For example, hands-on activities such as sports, arts and crafts, animal care, machine operation, and outdoor pursuits such as gardening are all situations where it is best to remove the ring.
Cold and heat affect the circumference of the finger, so plunging the hand in the water is one of the quickest ways to lose a ring. If you wash dishes, swim, fish, go boating, or do anything else involving water, put the ring somewhere safe first.
If you’re handling chemicals, it goes without saying that you should be wearing protective gloves. Better still, take the ring off before you get started.
Finally, if you do take off your diamond ring, you need to ensure you store it properly. Simply placing it on the bedside table, ring dish, or other flat surfaces (as many people do) isn’t as safe as you think, as it can be easily knocked or swept off and lost. This is particularly true if you have pets or young kids in the house.
When you need to remove the ring, place it in its jewelry box and store it in a drawer or in a safe if you have one. If you really want to use ring dishes, then we recommend placing them somewhere high up where they can’t be knocked over.
Hand sanitizer consists purely of rubbing alcohol and sometimes fragrances. The good news is that using sanitizer will not damage diamonds in any way. However, if you have a white gold ring, ensure you remove it before using the substance, as it may make the metal’s finish wear more rapidly.
It is a good idea to remove your engagement ring before washing your hands. While everyday soap and water will not damage your ring, it is common for soap to loosen the ring on the finger, making it more likely to slip off and fall down the plug-hole.
If you wear your engagement ring all the time, you run a much higher risk of losing or damaging it. Therefore, you should remove it when performing any activity that may make the ring vulnerable to loss or damage.
For optimum care and maintenance, professional jewelers recommend getting engagement rings serviced and cleaned every six months.
For the best protection for your engagement ring, you should remove it when doing the following:
It doesn’t take much to damage or lose an engagement ring. But it doesn’t take much to keep the ring clean and safe, either. The key is to adopt a care and maintenance routine that works for you.
If you’re prone to forgetting, set yourself a weekly alarm to remind you to inspect and clean it. And do your best to get into the habit of removing and safely storing the ring when doing activities that may damage it.
If you need more tips on engagement rings, we have you covered. From choosing the right ring (including engagement rings for men) to understanding the history of rings, at The Groom Club we do everything we can to give you useful information and tips on all things wedding related.
