Diamonds are one of the most popular stones used in both engagement rings and wedding rings. This is due in large part to their timeless beauty and the tradition tying marriage and diamond rings together. However, despite being the hardest natural substance on earth with a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, your diamond ring will still need regular TLC to help maintain its brilliance. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to go about this, without needing to be constantly worried about damage.
If you have a diamond ring that you want to keep at its best, here is what you need to know about everyday care.
Caring for Your Ring Daily
To properly care for your ring daily, it’s important to remove it when showering or doing the dishes. You may also consider removing it when doing any task that involves getting your hands dirty. This will help prevent soap, grime, and dirt build-up from accumulating in the hard to reach places of your fitting. Similarly, when not wearing it, you should place it in a separate fabric pouch to prevent it from being scratched or dinged by other jewelry. Try to avoid taking your ring off and putting it in a non-memorable location, or one that can be easily knocked causing the ring to fall or become lost.
Weekly Care
To help prevent your diamond ring from becoming dulled by body oils, you can use a simple solution of warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush to clean away any built-up gunk. Similarly, many jewelers will recommend specific solutions to help keep your ring as shiny and new as possible. This is something to keep in mind, especially since some metals tarnish faster than others.
Yearly Care
Most jewelers agree that you should stop by and see them for a professional cleaning at least once a year. Trained jewelers will be able to deep clean your ring and restore its brilliant shine in no time. They can also inspect the ring to ensure that the fitting isn’t too loose or that the stone is at risk of falling out. You may also wish to have a jeweler update your appraisal to ensure that the value of your ring hasn’t gone down. If the value has decreased, you could be spending more to insure the ring than is necessary. Many jewelers recommend having an updated appraisal conducted every two to three years to prevent this from happening.
In the same vein, if you haven’t insured your ring, you might want to consider getting coverage. Accidents happen, and without protection, you could risk losing your ring and not being able to replace it!
What You Should Never Do to Your Ring
Diamonds themselves are resilient, but that doesn’t mean you should test the limits with your ring. If possible, refrain from picking up the ring by the center stone. This can help prevent it from becoming loose and falling out. You should also never place your ring into a storage unit while moving, instead, place it into a safety deposit box at your trusted bank to ensure it can be kept safe. You should also never clean your ring with anything abrasive or harsh. Strong chemicals can cause discoloration while abrasives can cause tiny scratches across the stones and metals. This can dull their appearance and lessen their shine.
Treasuring Your Ring
Engagement and wedding rings have very special meanings and it’s important to take the best care of them possible. Make sure to always place your rings in a safe place, while taking care to have them cleaned and maintained regularly. If an accident does happen, make sure you have insurance ahead of time so that any issues can be taken care of without a hassle.
By following these helpful tips, you can help maintain your diamond ring so that it continues to shine for generations. A little bit of maintenance now can truly help ensure that your diamond will be forever.