Caring for your rings

If you want to keep your rings in mint condition, taking them off when doing certain things is essential. Here’s when and why…

Working Out/Sports
Before you break a sweat, it’s a good idea to take your rings off.
The materials used in diamond jewellery – platinum, gold, and white gold –are, to a certain degree, soft, so putting pressure on these metals may change their shape. If the shape of a ring is bent enough, you then risk bending the claws that hold the diamond and your diamond falling out.

Moisturising
Lotions and moisturisers may be great for your skin, but not so much for your ring, as excess build-up can diminish the brilliance and dull your stone over time. To protect your rock and ensure a cloudy layer of film doesn’t form on it, wait until your hands have completely dried before slipping your bling back on.

Primping
Cosmetics, hair sprays, and perfumes can cause a build-up of grime, weakening the natural sheen of your ring. Gently rinse rings with hot water and dishwashing liquid, then dry with a cotton or linen towel, and use a polishing cloth for a sparkling finish. Don’t forget to secure the sink when washing jewellery so nothing slips down the drain.

Swimming
Never, ever, ever wear your expensive jewellery in the ocean or in the pool. Cold water “shrinks” your fingers, making it that much easier for an already loose ring to disappear during a swim. Pool chlorine can damage and discolour the mounting of your ring and your platinum, gold, or white gold wedding band.

Cleaning
You can easily bang your rings on tough surfaces (bathroom counters, kitchen floors) while cleaning, causing serious damage to the stone and setting. You can even potentially alter a gemstone’s colour with harsh chemicals such as bleach and ammonia.

Showering
The shower can be a dangerous place for rings. They easily slip off when your fingers are slippery with soap, oily soaps will dull the finish of your diamond, and exfoliating soaps will scratch it.

Cooking
Cooking and food prep is also a major no-no for wearing rings, as germs and bacteria can easily get lodged into the ring setting. You also risk the ring slipping off when you rinse anything in the sink.