How to Care For Your Engagement Ring

woman with ring in hand

Engagement ring care is a crucial component in preserving your ring’s charm and beauty. It’s important to clean your high-priced investment on a regular basis to reveal its true sparkling potential.

Regular maintenance ensures every component of your engagement ring does its job. From re-tightening loose prongs to avoiding harsh chemicals, there are plenty of tips and tricks to keep your engagement ring looking like new.

Why is Engagement Ring Care so Important?

Engagement ring care is important for every type and style of ring, regardless of how many stones or prongs it has. Many reputable jewelry retailers offer a full suite of maintenance services for diamond jewelry, which includes resizing, polishing, prong inspection, steam and ultrasonic cleaning.

Expert jewelers know how important engagement ring care is for the longevity of your ring. Dirt, oil, and other debris can build up on diamonds and cause them to look hazy and not as shiny as they could be. Thankfully, cleaning your engagement ring doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, it’s pretty easy.

Tips on Keeping the Ring Clean

If you’ve never had to deal with engagement ring care, you probably have many questions about the process, cleaning materials, and frequency of cleaning. One of the first rules of owning a diamond engagement ring is to avoid touching the center stone or any other side stones, for that matter. Dirt, oil, and dust can easily get on any type of gemstone.

Engagement ring cleaning can be performed every few weeks, depending on how dirty your ring is. If your stone is looking a bit hazy and grimy, it’s probably time to give it a quick rinse. Before you start cleaning your engagement ring, however, make sure to cover the sink drain.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on washing your engagement ring:

  1. Drop your engagement ring into a small dish, cup, or bowl full of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap.
  2. Let your engagement ring soak in the solution for as long as you need. You can leave it for a few minutes or an entire day.
  3. Gently scrub the stone and ring with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
  4. Rinse. Repeat, if needed.
  5. Dry with a soft cloth or towel.

Diamonds have a reputation of being unbreakable gemstones, but, unfortunately, that’s not the case. Another big component of engagement ring care is diamond care. Diamonds can fracture and chip if the impact is hard enough.

Prong damage can also increase your chances of damaging or losing a diamond. Whether you have a solitaire ring or a round-cut diamond ring, you’re going to need to keep an eye and an ear out for any abnormalities with the prongs. Check to see if any prong is shorter than the other or if you hear something when you shake the ring next to your ear.

woman touching ring finger

Part of your engagement ring care plan should involve knowing when and when not to take it off. A long beach day in the water can shrink your fingers and increase your chances of losing your ring. Also, taking the ring off to wash your hands at a restaurant is a recipe for disaster. Only remove your ring when you're using any harsh chemicals or performing a vigorous activity.

Finally, experts recommend you have multiple engagement ring dishes throughout your house. These dishes are great places for you to keep your ring safe while you’re sleeping, for example. If you need long-term storage, go with a fabric-lined jewelry box.

Professional Cleaning Services

Engagement ring care can easily be performed at home, but every once in a while, it’s vital to take your engagement ring into an expert jeweler. Many reputable jewelers offer a care and maintenance program for customers that bought from them. Jewelers use state-of-the-art equipment to clean, polish, and re-tighten your engagement ring. You can even get a precious metal like white gold rhodium plated to retain its warm luster.

Bring Your Engagement Ring to Smyth Jewelers for Maintenance Services You Can Trust

Engagement ring care and maintenance can be different for everyone, depending on the ring they have. If you need expert help with your engagement ring, stop by our any of our three showrooms in Timonium, Annapolis, and Ellicott City, Maryland to take advantage of any of our engagement ring services. We’ll make sure your diamond ring retains its original brilliance and beauty for many years to come.

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