Do’s and Don’ts of Caring for Your Engagement Ring

Whether you’ve been married a year or 50, you’re probably not taking care of your wedding ring correctly! Wedding Wingman Jamie Hollier of Balefire Goods is here to share the do’s and don’ts when it comes to caring for your engagement ring. These tips will help you avoid costly repairs, losing that lustrous shine, or even damaging your rings beyond repair! 

Do Clean Your Ring! 

Our hands get exposed to lots of things throughout the day, from lotion to dead skin. Try to avoid touching the center stone! Gunk can get caught in the back of rings with stones and cause them to change color and lose their sparkle. In addition, you want to prevent build-up as it can be carrying bacteria. 

At Balefire Goods, we recommend you use an old toothbrush to clean your rings with sapphires or diamonds as it has soft bristles and some Dawn soap! Please, don’t forget to use a drain trap in your sink. As for how often, some people will clean their ring every night when they take it off, while others will do it once a week. I would recommend somewhere in between! 

Please, don’t forget to use a drain trap in your sink. As for how often, some people will clean their ring every night when they take it off, while others will do it once a week. I would recommend somewhere in between!

Don’t Wear Your Ring All The Time

Speaking of cleaning, try to avoid anything such as gardening that will make your ring even dirtier. Take your ring off before working out as weight machines and metal handles can bend the ring out of shape. Additionally, avoid wearing your ring in hot tubs or pools as the chemicals used to clean them (chlorine and bleach) can make the metal very brittle and mess up your stones. 

Stay away from salt water also as your hands can get cold and your ring can just fall off into the ocean. If you’re doing any hiking, an elevation change can cause your hands to swell and therefore get stuck. Depending on the situation, where you are traveling, and how eye-catching your ring is, it also may be best to leave your ring at home as it can make you more of a target. 

Do Purchase Ring Insurance 

Better be safe than sorry! We recommend ring insurance to all our customers. Some choose to add a claim for their ring on their home insurance; however, we have found that a separate policy can be more comprehensive. We refer our customers to brite.co for their jewelry insurance as they offer a variety of packages. For example, some coverage will even protect you if you leave your ring at a public restroom. 

Panicking is never a solution, but you should get help! If it’s just a little tight, keep your hand elevated while using ice to keep it cool and it should slip off. If it’s really stuck, don’t listen to the old wives’ tale that says to take your time with it as it can go from a situation where they can help you get it off pretty quickly to a situation where it needs to be cut off.

For help, you can go to jewelry stores, fire stations, and urgent care depending on the severity. If you have to get your ring cut off, it may or may not be fixable but remember “It’s always better to get a ring remade than lose a finger.”

Do Get Your Ring Resized

“I would say a third or more people will get their rings resized!”

More men than women, interestingly as I believe that since women wear more jewelry they tend to understand what a good fit should be. However, it can be a learning curve! If you get your ring in the dead of winter, your hands will be at their smallest. On the other hand, it could be a 100-degree day when you get sized and be looser if you get married in the winter. Finding a happy medium for most people takes about a year to figure out what is comfortable in the summer/winter.  

Don’t Ignore Ring Rash

Wedding ring dermatitis or a rash from your ring can be common and nothing to be worried about! Some people will have an allergic reaction to the metals and the alloys in certain rings. Nickel is a very common culprit and can be found in some white gold and silver. If you find out you’re sensitive to nickel before purchasing an engagement ring, you can opt for palladium white gold which has no nickel in it. However, an allergic reaction can develop over time or from a lack of cleaning your ring! 

Do Scheduled Maintenance Appointments

It somewhat depends on the type of setting you have, but for prongs and even bezels, we recommend a good starting point of visiting your jeweler every six months to a year.