So, you’ve taken the dive and said yes to that gorgeous one-of-a-kind ring that speaks to your soul. Now, how do you keep it looking as gloriously gleaming as the day you slipped it on your bejewelled finger?
Today, we’re chatting jewelry care – dispelling some popular myths, and sharing our top tips forhow to take care of your engagement ring, and keeping all your rings looking as drop dead gorgeous as the day you bought them.
The Myths Of Engagement Ring Care
We’ve sorted through your DM’s, IG comments, story replies, and our email inbox to find your most common questions and ring care myths! Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Myth #1: I need to wear my engagement wear everywhere I go, 24 hours a day
The truth:for a ring to last a lifetime, it needs to be protected from activities that could damage it. Diamonds, gold, and other gemstones are very resilient but they’re not indestructible.
When to take your Engagement ring off
Though your ring is a symbol of your everlasting love, show it love by taking it off during activities like:
- Heavy workouts like weight lifting. You could scratch your ring on those hard, abrasive surfaces and you also run the risk of bending or misshaping the shank of the ring.
- Swimming/bathing in pools, hot tubs, or lake and oceans. Chlorine is very corrosive to jewelry, so avoid exposing your ring to it if possible! Also, your fingers can contract in cold water, causing your rings to loosen. Nothing worse than a ring falling to the bottom of the ocean! #bringoutthescubagear.
- In the shower.We get asked all the time: “Do you shower with your engagement ring on?”. The answer is preferably not. While water itself is totally safe for fine jewelry, the shower gels, shampoos, and cleansers can cause a buildup on your jewels and temporarily dull their shine.
- While Sleeping. Another top Q from all of you: “Is it OK to sleep with my engagement ring on?” We say, try not to! Surprising, right? I mean, you’re just lying there. But the truth is – most of us move around in our sleep, and while you’re not fully conscious, the prongs could get caught in your hair, on your clothes, or around loose pillowcase threads. Your best bet: find a cute ring dish for your ring to rest in while you sleep.
- In the sand or dirt. Tiny sand or dirt particles can get lodged in the setting and under the diamond, and while you can of course clean it later, it’s better to just avoid the grime altogether.
From Catherine: “The reason we still have vintage jewelry from the 1920s is that it wasn’t commonplace to wear your jewels 24/7 back then.”
What to wear instead of your engagement ring
We recommend adding a smooth gold band to your stack. This can be the ring you never take off! That way your engagement ring can have a break every now and then. Gold bands are much more resilient than your intricately set diamond/gemstone engagement ring. Scratches on the band can be polished out, unlike diamonds which can’t be easily fixed.