How to Look After Your Engagement Ring
Getting an engagement ring is a bit like looking after a baby for the first time; you have no idea where to start taking care of it - and how on earth do you keep it clean? The internet is flooded with tips like washing your dishes with your ring on to get it spick and span, but what should you believe? We’ve got all the answers you’ll ever need.
Is it OK to wear my engagement ring all the time?
Some people prefer to not wear vintage or heirloom engagement rings all the time for safekeeping, whilst some are unable to wear jewellery to work. But other than practical reasons like these, the decision is up to you. Engagement rings are not cheap investments by any means, but they certainly aren’t as delicate as they look. In fact, diamonds [whether mined or lab-grown] are the hardest substance on earth. Other than your ring getting a little dirty, or the metal surfaces scratching [though you can have your ring polished occasionally], you really don’t need to worry about wear and tear at all.
That said, cleaning your ring regularly is extremely easy, and with the technology available nowadays there’s no need to continuously have your engagement ring professionally cleaned. An ultrasonic cleaner is available at a low cost and with tiny vibrations it will coax dirt out of all the hard to reach corners – and your ring will look brand new in no time.
Can I wash my hands with my engagement ring on?
The short answer here is yes. If you’re using scented hand wash and cream, oils can build up on the ring – and this is exactly why it’s a great idea to clean your ring regularly at home. We certainly wouldn’t recommend taking your ring off in public every time you wash your hands, mainly because it takes one careless moment of distraction for you to lose your ring forever.
Another thing to note is when you are at home reaching for strong chemical cleaning products, you may want to take your ring off. These products shouldn’t affect the centre stone, however they can affect the metals on the ring - resulting in discolouration. The discolouration may potentially be fixed by a jeweller, but at a cost.
As for contact with other liquids, when swimming in a pool or in the ocean, it’s best to leave your ring in your hotel room or at home. The chlorine in swimming pools can be harmful to fine jewellery, and can weaken the prongs that hold your precious stones in place. Jewellery can also easily slip off in the sea [we all remember Kim Kardashian’s diamond earring episode] so it’s better to leave off any pricey jewellery for a trip to the beach altogether.
How do you keep an engagement ring safe when not wearing?
When you’re not wearing your ring, what do you do with it? Some people keep any unworn fine jewellery in a locked safe in their home, others may use ring holders or jewellery boxes. The most important thing is whenever you take your ring off, make sure that you always put it in the same place, so that you’ll never be in doubt as to where it is. We recommend keeping your engagement ring in your supplied Cullen Jewellery pouch when you’re not wearing it.
If you are going on vacation for a significant period of time, keep the ring in a safe, lockbox, or with a trusted family member. The rise of theft in cities means people are swapping out their costly engagement rings for travel rings with low-cost stones, such as cubic zirconia or Swarovski alternatives. Some are also opting to only wear their wedding band. So, if you have a funky wedding band , it's time to SHINE!
Receiving an engagement ring is a milestone moment, and, as well as your engagement, the ring should be celebrated too. For many this might be your first piece of fine jewellery, and while looking after a ring might seem a big responsibility, these habits will soon become second nature. If you’re still looking for a ring, and the thought of having a high-cost mined diamond ring feels daunting, have a look at our range of moissanite and lab-grown diamond engagement rings .
View our Engagement Rings here