Ring & Jewelry Care
They're some of your most prized possessions, so you should keep your engagement ring and wedding band as shiny and sparkly as possible. Here is everything you need to do to keep your rings (and your other jewelry) safe and in good condition so you all can live happily ever after.
Insure Your Ring
Considering your engagement ring has sentimental and monetary value, you'll want to make sure it lasts a lifetime (if not several). First, insure the ring: Add a jewelry rider to your homeowner's or renter's insurance, or take out a separate policy with a specialty insurer. Familiarize yourself with the fine print; some policies will cover theft but not "lost" jewelry and others may not reimburse repair costs, know the details of your policy before you need to make a claim.
Most large diamonds purchased through Laura Preshong come with a Free One Year gem insurance policy from Gemshield. As with all insurance policies know the details of your policy.
What You Need to Insure Your Ring
You'll need to provide an image and description of the ring, including its cut, carat weight, and metal. Laura Preshong can provide a certified insurance appraisal for client stones used in Laura Preshong semi-mounts for 50.00. Extra precautions such as a diamond with a laser inscription and home security systems, may qualify you for discounts.
Clean Your Ring & Jewelry Often
To keep your diamond sparkling, clean it often to remove lotions, skin oil, hand sanitizer and everyday dirt, which cloud the diamonds, with a little knowledge your fine jewelry can easily be maintained for a lifetime of enjoyment and wear. Gold and platinum are very durable metals, but they can be scratched and damaged if your too rough or attempt to unclog the garbage disposal with them. Remember to remove rings during activities such as moving heavy objects, biking, rock climbing, weight lifting, etc. Metal against metal will cause the greatest amount of damage to your rings, and can crush diamond melee (tiny diamonds). Another enemy of gold is chlorine, it can stain (even blacken) and deteriorate gold, we suggest that you remove all of your jewelry if entering a hot tub, swimming pool or if using strong cleaning chemicals.
Click here to read our blog post about cleaning diamond jewelry for some extra tips and tricks.
Cleaning Colored Stone Jewelry
Colored gemstones vary greatly in hardness, durability, and sensitivity. It is a common practice for colored stones to be treated in some way to enhance their color or durability. These treatments, while mostly stable, can make them more sensitive to light, heat, and chemicals. That is why we recommend you only use warm water, mild soap, and an extra soft toothbrush to clean your colored stone jewelry at home. DO NOT use any chemicals or an ultrasonic or steam cleaner on these pieces as the color may fade or disappear completely.
Maintenance
Ring maintenance should also include yearly visits to your jeweler, who can check the integrity of the prongs on your setting. (Bonus: You can have it professionally cleaned then also.) A loose setting can lead to a lost diamond.
Other Care Tips
It is wise to remove your ring when doing anything requiring hard griping with your hands, or involving water (such as dishwashing or swimming), since it can make your fingers shrink. Put the ring in a secure, memorable location (i.e., not on a ledge near the garbage disposal), whether in a kitchen drawer or a jewelry box. If you often take off your ring at home, consider a safe or an unusual but memorable hiding spot. If you need to stash it when you're on vacation, store it in the hotel safe.