The care and cleaning of your diamond engagement ring is important; engagement rings are valuable in sentiment and investment as well as beautiful jewellery items. How do you take care of diamond engagement rings responsibly? Here are some tips:

Handling

You should always pick up your diamond engagement ring (or any gemstone ring) by its band, not by the stone or setting. Not only will this prevent natural oils from your hands building up around the stone’s setting, but it will help to keep the diamond secure in its setting over time. Wearing your ring daily, please take caution to remove and place in your safe while doing housework, lifting weights or anything that may cause harm to your diamond or ring.

Metal

Platinum won’t tarnish, but may be scratched over time, creating a patina of age and wear. Some people like the sheen of age created by these minute scratches, but a quick polish can repair a ring back to its original appearance if desired. Gold is softer than Platinum and therefore easier to repair, polishing of rings is generally an inexpensive and minor jewellery service. Scratches can be removed by a specialist jeweller without problems. Claws can move or shift with daily wear so it is important to remove before doing anything which could cause stress to your claws.

Storage

Diamonds are famously hard, so whilst they are hardy in ordinary wear, they can scratch other jewellery. Storing diamond engagement rings away from other jewellery, for example in a soft fabric pouch or jewellery box, can protect your ring and other jewellery items.

Protection

Over the course of the day there are many opportunities for getting your engagement ring dirty. Substances likely to accumulate on and around your diamond engagement ring setting include shampoo, sunscreen, make-up, flour, dust, soap residue and hairspray. Taking off your ring before you work with greasy or dirty substances or embark on cleaning or lifting and carrying will ensure that your engagement ring stays looking clean for longer.

Chemicals

Many women wear diamond engagement rings throughout everyday life without giving their jewellery much consideration. Common chemicals used around the house, such as hairspray and furniture polish, have the potential to cause lasting damage to your engagement ring. Chlorine is a definite no-no and you should not only remove diamond engagement rings before you use bleach, or hairdye but ensure you wear protective gloves and wash your hands thoroughly before you put your ring back on your finger to protect your hands and jewellery to keep them looking spick and span.

Chipping

Although diamonds consist of one of the hardest substances known to man, they are also a naturally occuring material, formed in crystals, so it is a myth that they are immune to chipping and scratching. It is vital that you take great care when doing heavy lifting or manual work, because you may scratch other items, chip your diamond ring or loosen your engagement ring’s setting.

Soaking

If you simply want to give your diamond ring a quick home spruce, the best thing to do is to soak the ring in a bowl that contains four parts warm water and one part household ammonia for no more than ten minutes. Brush the ring very gently with a very soft brush, dip it back into the solution, rinse with warm water and leave it to drain on some tissue paper. Paper tissues can leave fibres and dust on the ring and are therefore less suitable for rubbing your ring dry than jewellery cloths or other lint-free fabrics. Alternatively, you could use a hair dryer on a low setting from an appropriate distance to air dry your engagement ring and avoid water spots.

Expert check-up

Even the most secure diamond settings may loosen over time, particularly if extensively worn. It is important to have your diamond engagement ring checked for warped prongs and other problems that could make the setting of your diamond less secure. A specialist diamond jeweller will give your diamond ring an expert check and clean at the same time and return it to you looking like new. Remember to treat your ring as a jewel not a tool and remove your ring when doing housework, at the gym or anything that may scrape or damage your diamond, gem, platinum or gold.