Jewelry Care

How to Care for Your Rings

You love your beautiful bling – learn how to take care of it with this handy guide to ring maintenance.

Take it Off.

Believe it or not, caring for your ring occasionally means taking it off, especially during the following activities:

  1. Sports: Holding a tennis racket tightly is particularly not good for a ring with stones going all the way around -- especially if you're left-handed. As for taking your ring to the gym, lifting weights with it on can be hazardous. You wouldn't want a heavy dumbbell making contact with your stone.
  2. Gardening: It is possible to chip your stones or knock the settings loose while doing heavy yard work.
  3. Cleaning house: It's a good idea not to wear your ring while doing the dishes: harsh chemical soaps or cleansers can spoil the ring. As for personalized photo ring, it's a good idea to take it off while washing hands.

Safekepping

  1. If you'll be taking your ring off to do the activities above, make sure you have a safe -- and memorable -- place to put it.
  2. Keep It Free from Lotion, Sunscreen and Perfume. These products can gunk up your ring- it's a good idea to take it off before you apply product.
  3. These products can gunk up your diamond, and even etch colored gemstones. It's a good idea to take your ring off before you put these things on.
  4. Have Your Setting Checked Regularly?
  5. Most jewelers recommend you have your setting checked every six months to make sure nothing has become loose.
  6. Don SWIM IN THE OCEAN WHILE WEARING YOUR RING! Cold water may shrink your fingers just enough to loosen the ring from your finger, and if you lose it in the deep blue sea, you won't be seeing it again.
  7. Be Careful in The Kitchen. Cookie dough, turkey loaf, a piecrust… it's great to mix with your fingers. But these foods can leave a film on your ring and really affect its luster.
  8. Don't Wear Jewelry in Swimming Pools and Spas - Chlorinated water can react with the metals found in jewelry causing color changes and even structural damage. As a result, it's a good idea to remove jewelry before entering the pool or spa.
  9. Remove Your Jewelry Before Bathing - Remove all jewelry before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form, making it appear dull and dingy. By preventing the formation of this film, you immediately reduce the occasions of servicing.

For Sterling Silver

Clean your sterling silver jewelry with a soft 100% cotton (nub free) cloth or flannel cloth and gently rub off any excess makeup. Remember, silver is a very soft metal and you can scratch it if you aren't careful so don't rub it too briskly. Never use anything but a clean 100% cotton cloth or a special sterling silver cleaning cloth (a popular choice is Sunshine Polishing Cloth) or a very soft bristle brush, like a baby’s toothbrush or a horsehair silver brush. Paper, polyester and coarse fabrics often contain wood fibers or synthetics that can cause tiny scratches in the surface of your fine sterling silver jewelry. Dirt left over from previous cleanings can scratch the surface as well.

Note: We recommend that you don’t use silver dips for removing oxidation from your silver jewelry as it will leave microscopic pits causing it to darken faster. Instead, focus on preventative care by storing your jewelry in a closed box or plastic zip-lock bag as silver will tarnish when exposed to air.

NOTE: IF YOU DO THIS OVER AN OPEN DRAIN, USE A STRAINER!

For Rhodium Plated Silver

Clean rhodium plated silver with warm water and a mild liquid soap (like ivory dishwashing soap). Rinse and dry with a soft polishing cloth immediately to avoid mineral residue from the water.
Never use any chemicals on your rhodium items. Never use toothpaste and never brush with a toothbrush. Don't use polishing cloths that are intended for use on uncoated silver or for gold jewelry. Don't place your jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner. Never use abrasives of any kind. Never use silver dips. Never use ammonia-based products. If you have an antique or heirloom, don't clean it without consulting an expert on your item.