Engaged? Everything You Need to Know About Caring for Your Ring
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The summer season is a popular time for proposals, especially during holidays abroad; however, they come with the added risk of losing or damaging your newly received ring, especially if it is slightly too big or is worn during activities and water sports.
Newly engaged couples are likely to consider their engagement ring a prized possession, so taking good care of it is key. This dedication slips eventually it seems, according to a recent study conducted by Pandora UK, two in five (40%) of married women have never cleaned their engagement ring, with over half (53%) confessing they wouldn’t know how to clean it themselves.
To help newlyweds and newly engaged couples keep their rings sparkly and safe, particularly those with lab-grown diamonds, Pandora UK have enlisted their resident jewellery expert Emma Fox to share her tips on cleaning and keeping engagement rings protected.
5 ways to look after an engagement ring
- Ensure it’s the right size
“An engagement ring is something designed to be cherished for the rest of your life, so the most important thing is to keep it safe. If you recently got engaged, don’t be afraid to admit if it’s a little too big, it’s better to go to the effort of getting it resized than risk it slipping off and getting lost completely.
“It’s easy to lose things when travelling or even at home, and wearing a loose ring makes this even more likely. When not wearing your engagement ring, make sure to store it in a designated jewellery case. After a while, doing this will become second nature.
“It’s good practice to remove your engagement ring every time you wash your hands or shower, both to keep it safe and to avoid scratches or damage.”
- Take extra care when on holiday
“Many people who get engaged on holiday make the mistake of feeling like they should keep their ring on at all times, which can lead to accidents happening. If taking part in any sort of water or extreme sports, or even just an activity that you wouldn’t normally do, make sure to remove your ring and store it away safely.
“Equally, chemicals found in cleaning and beauty products can damage the ring, so remove before applying any skincare or tackling any cleaning jobs.”
- Regularly remove built-up dirt and oils
“To keep your engagement ring clean, remove any built-up dirt using a specialised cleaning kit or solution of warm soapy water and a soft-bristle brush. Make sure to be gentle whilst cleaning but try to get the bristles in any small gaps to dislodge dirt.
“If you wear your ring daily, it’s a good idea to set time aside each week to clean it.”
- Keep it sparkling with regular buffing
“Your hands come into contact with lots of things on a daily basis, which can lead to a buildup of dirt, oils and lotions on your ring, ultimately dulling the finish.
“The best way to keep an engagement ring sparkling as much as it did when you first received it is to take steps to keep it safe and protected each day, to avoid scratches and signs of wear building up over time.
“To restore shine back into your ring, once cleaned, leave to dry fully before gently buffing with a special soft polishing cloth.”
- Remove when exercising
“The gym can create the perfect environment to damage your ring, whether it’s from sweating, increased chance of losing it or the damage lifting weights and gripping handles can do.
“Always take your ring off before exercising to avoid marking or permanently denting your ring and place it somewhere safe, like on your necklace or in a jewellery pouch.”
Caring for gold-plated jewellery
“Gold-plated jewellery refers to jewellery that has a thin layer of gold applied over another metal. These pieces won’t tarnish, but it’s important to look after them to prevent fading or scratches.
“To clean gold-plated pieces without risking damage, soak them in a specialised cleaning solution, before leaving to dry fully and gently buffing with a soft polishing cloth to bring back the shine.
“To help extend the lifespan of your plated pieces, store them in a separate jewellery box or pouch to protect them from scratches and always remove them before swimming, showering or exercising.”
Caring for lab-grown diamonds
“Lab-grown diamonds are optically, chemically, thermally and physically identical to natural diamonds, the only difference is that they’re grown above ground rather than mined from the earth using either high pressure, high temperature or chemical vapour deposition.
“Lab-grown diamonds can also be cleaned using a special jewellery care kit, submerge the jewellery in the liquid cleaner for two minutes, then rinse the piece with lukewarm water and pat dry before buffing to a shine with a polishing cloth. Avoid using a bristled brush on lab-grown diamonds as it may cause damage.”
Explore Pandora’s full range of lab-grown diamond jewellery and gold-plated jewellery, or find more tips on keeping jewellery clean by checking out our full Cleaning Guide.
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