How to Care for Your Engagement Ring: A Jeweller’s Guide

An engagement ring is one of the few things you will wear every single day for the rest of your life. It goes with you to work, to the gym, into the kitchen and on holiday. Moissanite and lab-grown diamonds are among the hardest materials on earth, and solid gold and platinum are made to last generations — but a little care goes a long way. Here is how we advise our own clients to look after their rings.

Why your ring loses its sparkle

A stone only sparkles when light can travel through it and bounce back out of the top. Everyday life — hand cream, sunscreen, soap residue, cooking oils and dust — builds a thin film on the underside of the stone, where you can’t see it. That film blocks the light, and the ring starts to look dull. Nothing is wrong with the stone; it simply needs a clean.

The ten-minute clean at home

1. Fill a small bowl with warm (not hot) water and a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid.
2. Soak your ring for about ten minutes to loosen the build-up.
3. Gently brush around the stone and under the setting with a soft, clean toothbrush — the underside of the stone matters most.
4. Rinse under warm running water. Close the plug first.
5. Pat dry with a lint-free cloth.

Do this every week or two and your ring will look the way it did the day you received it.

The underside of the stone is where the sparkle lives. Clean there first.

When to take your ring off

• Gym and heavy lifting — weights and bars can knock the setting and bend claws over time.
• Gardening, cleaning and DIY — grit is abrasive and harsh chemicals such as bleach can damage metal alloys.
• Swimming pools and hot tubs — chlorine is hard on gold alloys, and fingers shrink in cold water, so rings slip off more easily.
• Applying lotions and sunscreen — put your ring back on once your hands are dry.
• Sleeping — not essential, but it reduces snagging and pressure on the claws.

Storing your ring

Hard stones can scratch softer ones, and even other diamonds. Keep your ring in its own compartment or a soft pouch, away from other jewellery. When you travel, a small hard case is better than a loose pocket.

Metal-specific care

White gold

White gold is coated with rhodium for its bright white finish. With daily wear this coating gradually softens and the warmer tone of the gold beneath can show through. A re-plating every so often restores it to bright white.

Yellow and rose gold

These colours run all the way through the metal, so there is no plating to wear away. Light surface scratches are normal and can be polished out.

Platinum

Platinum doesn’t lose metal when it scratches; it develops a soft, satin “patina” that many people love. If you prefer a mirror finish, it can be re-polished.

The annual check-up

Once a year, look closely at the claws holding your stone. If a claw looks flattened, catches on clothing, or the stone moves when you tap it gently, stop wearing the ring and have it checked. Catching a worn claw early is the simplest way to protect your stone.

Have a question about your LM Jewellers piece? Our FAQ covers the essentials, or you can get in touch with our team at any time.