We all know it’s lovely to see a ring that sparkles and dances in the light, so maintaining that bling is on every girl’s mind! If you want to keep your engagement ring in the same condition it was when you walked down the aisle, there are a few things you can keep in mind, ranging from simple maintenance tips to complex ring recovery! We received this incredible advice article from Mark Slater of Tivol Jewelers, and it’s a definite read for every bride-to-be!
Simple Ring Maintenance
Engagement ring maintenance does not have to be difficult. You can simply wash the ring with warm water and soap. This will help to clean the stone as well as the ring itself. You can leave the ring soaking in warm water with a little dishwashing soap for around 30 minutes. As you can see, your marriage will definitely need more maintenance and upkeep than your ring needs!
Cleaning Substances to Avoid
Old wives’ tales abound about the at-home remedy to fix all of your engagement ring’s ills. However, almost all of these should be avoided or you’ll scratch the metal of your ring, particularly if it’s gold. So keep toothpaste, powdered cleaners, baking soda, acetone and chlorine away from your rings at all costs.
If you are not comfortable with just soap and water and feel that you can’t get your ring as clean as you’d like, then you should take your ring to a jeweler so that it can be professionally steam cleaned. This will be the best way to make sure that your ring is cleaned and handled correctly, instead of using abrasive materials at home that could cause damage to your ring or stone.
Protecting Your Ring When Working
It is recommended that you take your ring off if you are working outside in the dirt or are doing anything that might get the ring dirty or might make it come into contact with chemicals.
Most people take off their ring when they are cleaning with strong chemicals or when they know that their ring will potentially get stuff stuck in it, but as a general rule they leave their ring on. A lot of professionals would probably yell at this, but many feel like you get jewelry to wear and not take it off every five minutes.
Taking your ring on and off all of the time makes it much more likely you will lose it. Have a safe place you always keep your ring when you take it off so you always know where to find it.
Going to the Jeweler for Repairs
There is a suggestion that you have a jeweler look at your ring every six months (at least this is what most people are told by their jeweler). Unless you notice any problems with your ring, this is probably going overboard.
It is also possible to get insurance on your ring so that you can protect yourself if you lose or damage your ring. This can give you a bit of peace of mind, allowing you to get on with your daily life without fussing over your ring all the time.
Avoid Taking Your Ring Off in Public
The biggest thing you want to remember while wearing your ring is that you do not want to take it off in public. It is so easy to lose it if you do this.
A common issue is when women get pregnant they put on weight and therefore their ring no longer fits. Instead, wear it on a necklace.
Treat Your Marriage as Well as You Treat your Engagement Ring
While it is important to take care of your ring, your marriage is much more important. It is harder to keep a marriage going than it is to make sure your ring is taken care of.
You can, however, use your ring maintenance as a reminder for you to re-evaluate how your marriage is going and see if you need to do any maintenance there as well.
Just looking at your engagement ring should remind you of the commitment you have together as a couple and give your renewed vigor to make this a marriage for the ages.
Sometimes, just like maintenance on anything else (including your ring) we need to remember that marriages need maintenance too. It takes hard work to maintain a good marriage.
Try to keep that in mind every time you have your engagement ring looked at or cleaned or repaired. Think to yourself - is there anything that I need to work on in my marriage as well?
If you do this you will not only preserve your diamond’s sparkle, but your marriage’s sparkle as well.
