He did it!!  He finally popped “the BIG question” with the most perfect engagement ring.  Now that the ring is securely on your finger, you may be wondering how to properly care for your newly acquired treasure.  Below are our most helpful tips to maintaining your new engagement ring and, in the future, your wedding bands:

A Proper Fit

We at Perrara get asked how engagement rings are supposed to fit every hour of every day.  The simple answer is it can be complicated.  Here’s a little biology for you: our fingers don’t stay the same size forever.  Mind blown!  Life changes like weight loss or gain, pregnancy, aging and even water retention (think sushi date night with extra soy sauce or pizza and beer at your favorite pub) can cause our fingers to fluctuate in size through the day, through the week, through the month and year.  This means that your ring will not fit the same way even throughout the day.  Adding to that the shape of a person’s fingers can have an impact – if you have a larger knuckle the ring may inevitably feel loose once in the right spot.  There is no one perfect size.  Your best plan of attack is to discuss with your trusted advisor at Perrara what your day looks like, whether you notice your hands swell and we will help with multiple ring sizers to help you achieve the best fit for you.

Cleaning Your Engagement Rings & Wedding Rings

Fact: diamonds have an affinity toward grease.  This means that they are inclined to get dirty.  And when you think about it, if this is a piece you wear all day every day it can get dirty.  Hand sanitizer, hand lotion, shampoo/conditioner and other things can build up on and behind your diamond causing it to look dull. At Perrara, we offer a light complimentary cleaning by ultrasonic on pieces purchased from us anytime, no appointment necessary and minimal waiting.  But if you want to delve into keeping your ring fresh at home, here are some care tips: 

• Buy a soft bristle toothbrush and keep it by the kitchen sink.  With some warm water on the toothbrush add a bit of dish soap (which is designed to cut grease), gently scrub your diamond.  Pay attention to behind the diamond and gently poke the bristles underneath the prongs.  Rinse well with warm water and either air dry or wipe with a soft cloth.  This goes for your fine jewelry and most gemstones (contact your local jeweler on specific instructions for care if your bling includes softer gemstones like emeralds or pearls).

Pro tip: when you are dishwashing, take an extra moment to two to complete the steps above. By the time your finished, your engagement ring should be mostly dry. Be sure to place it in a safe place while you finish doing the dishes, not on the side of the sink! Invest in a couple of cute ring dishes from Etsy so that they have a designated place when not on your hand.

• Avoid using harsh chemicals, bleach or toothpaste (toothpaste is designed to leave a film which you definitely don’t want on your gorgeous diamonds!)

• There are cleaning solutions & various jewelry cleaners available for purchase at some stores, but we find the tips above to be just as effective & they are items we already have so no need to spend extra money!

Preventative Maintenance For Your Engagement Rings & Wedding Rings

Prongs, bezel, half bezel, pavé, bead set, claw set, channels – these are all terms referring to how diamonds are set.  As a diamond engagement ring is typically worn all day every day, these different forms of holding a diamond can come loose, yes even your center stone!  If a ring is caught, bumped, dropped on a hard surface or snagged, a diamond can loosen in its setting. Loose stones will require a well-trained goldsmith to secure it again.  You may not even notice a diamond has become loose and that’s why it is good to have a jeweler go over your ring approximately every year.  This is also a good time for us to do “the big clean” on your ring and polish out any scuffs or scratches in the precious metals and bring it back to as close as we can to like new. If your ring is white gold and the rhodium plating is looking a bit tired, this will also give us the opportunity to freshen that up & make your ring look & feel like new again. Professional cleaning is the bomb - take advantage of this annually. Please note that this service takes a day or two so plan accordingly!

Pro tip: Take off your engagement ring when you know you are going to be doing something that may be hard on your rings. Like what? Have a peek at 10 Times When You Should Take Off Your Engagement Ring...some of the points are surprising & you’ll be glad you’re well informed!

Insuring Your Engagement Ring & Wedding Band

While engagement rings from trusted brands like Tacori, Simon G, Noam Carver & Parade Design come with warranty against manufacturer defects, we always recommend insuring your precious ring.  Things like wear and tear, damage, and general repairs are not covered by warranty.  Proper insurance will give you peace of mind that if damage should occur to a piece of jewelry you will be covered.  We highly recommend coverage with Jewelers Mutual. This established insurance company specializes in jewelry insurance.  You will be covered for loss (you lose it), theft (someone steals it from you), damage (oops you snagged the ring on the washing machine and pulled the main prong back!) and mysterious disappearance (you didn’t have a break in but you also don’t know what happened to your ring!).  With a zero deductible and reasonable costs you can breathe easy knowing you are covered for unexpected events.

In Summary:

Care of your engagement ring doesn’t have to be a chore. At Perrara, we can help you keep your engagement beautiful and looking new. Just like the day you were presented with it, in hand, on knee...with so much love.

With Love, Perrara

Author: Lisa Maloney, Proprietor