Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Ring Care

He got down on one knee, said those special words and put that gorgeous ring on your finger. Congratulations! I hope you get to enjoy and cherish this time together because it's awesome. 

It's not all about the ring, but it is a special piece that deserves the utmost care you can give it, right? But how does the normal girl keep her bling blingy?

I contacted my Aunt (who custom made my ring with Kyle) and asked for her insider gemologist tips to share with you.

Here are the best ways to take care of that gorgeous sparkler he picked out just for you: 

1) Be Smart:

 Your ring deserves to be shown off, but it's best to leave it somewhere safe when doing activities where it could get harmed or lost. Rock climbing? probably not a good idea. The beach? Probably shouldn't tempt fate. Gardening? nah. Moving something heavy? heck no.

This is especially important when moving; I can't tell you how many times my mom has bent her ring and lost a diamond while moving furniture. If you really want to keep the commitment, I suggest switching out for a qalo or cheap decoy ring during non-gemstone approved activities. 

2) Limit exposure: 

Similar to the point above, limit the substances your ring comes in contact with. Cleaning products are really harsh on the metal and gemstones on your ring. Lotions and hair products,  especially hairspray, are also things to keep away from. Not only can they hurt your ring, they seriously dull the sparkle.

 I have little ring spots in the areas where I most frequently need to take off my ring to make sure it always has a safe spot to land. A dish by the kitchen sink, an elephant on the bathroom counter and a ring holder on my nightstand. My ring is white gold, which is super sensitive, as the palladium coating wears off, so I try to keep it as unexposed as possible at home. 

3) Be aware:

Those pretty stones are held on by prongs, not super-glue. Don't take your ring off by the stones or the prongs, rather wiggle it off by the shank (the band). Check your ring often to make sure your prongs are still tight, especially after you tap or catch it on something (Towels, sheets, sweaters, hair, crazy fuzzy rugs...etc).  If you notice that it's loose, take your ring in; there's nothing worse than losing your stone. 

My roommate got engaged a week before I did and the stone fell out of her ring within the first month. It was a jeweler error not securing the prongs enough, but it came out because she accidentally hit her hand on the car door. Like the smart woman she is, she immediately checked her ring. After being horrified to find her missing stone, she searched around her and actually found the stone! Moral of the story: check immediately, don't wait to look down and find empty prongs.

4)Keep it Clean:

Diamonds especially like to collect grease and dirt. Your ring is designed to let all the light shine through, so make sure you give it a clean canvas to work with. If you can take it in, most jewelry stores give free cleanings. If you can't take it in, there are various methods to get the sparkle back at home.  

*Every gemstone and metal reacts differently, so check to make sure what is safe.* 

For diamonds and gold, like mine, here are two at home solutions:

A) a very SUDSY solution of toothpaste (not pasty) and water and a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush  is a great quick clean. I put a small dollop of toothpaste on the brush, add water and work up the lather on my nails until it's sudsy. It's super effective and easy. Then I make sure to rinse it thoroughly with my sink drain blocked. 

B) if you have more time or a very dirty ring, you can fill up a cup with two parts warm water, a half part ammonia and a half part Joy dish washing soap (yes, the brand counts here) and soak your ring before giving it a gentle scrub and a thorough rinsing. You can adjust the mixture to what works best, but be careful with the ammonia.