10 Things You Should Avoid When Wearing Your Engagement Ring (2024)

Here at Reis-Nichols, we hear a lot of…dare we
say…interestingstories when we ask: “What happened to your ring?!” Trust us, we’ve likely seen it all… everything from dropping it down the garbage disposal to the dog eating it (and yes…man’s best friends love sparkly diamonds just as much as you do). We know you ADORE your ring, but doing certain tasks with your ring on (and that really goes for any jewelry) can wear down the metal, causing stones to come loose, cracks in the metals, or even worse, your diamond to fall out. While we’re happy to repair anything that
comes through our doors, we’d never want you to loose a diamond!! So, we thought you ladies (and gents) could use some tips on whatnotto do while wearing your rings. Here’s our Top 10:

  1. Working
    Out:
    It seems simple enough, and we know you want to keep from getting hit on at the gym, but…. just don’t do it! Especially with gold, a softer metal that can wear over time, gripping hand weights, bars and even the elliptical machine can crack or even break a band. Plus, sweat will dull your finish. Fitness is
    important, but please try to remember to take your rings off before your sweat session
  2. Cleaning
    the house/washing the dishes:
    House-hold cleaners and bleach are really rough on
    gold and precious metals. Be sure to remove your “precious cargo” before
    scrubbing the grout and you should be just fine. Rubber gloves are an ok alternative, just ensure your rings aren’t pressing on anything heavy, like the handle of a pan.
  3. Messy
    crafts:
    So many things today are all about DIY, especially for your wedding, but stow the rings somewhere safe before you get started. The ingredients and final
    product of craft-time can get in between diamonds and any other tiny openings
    of your ring.
  4. Playing
    sports or swimming:
    This is just as dangerous for your rings as
    working out. Find a safe ring box to stow in your gym bag/locked locker. No one wants to see
    their diamond ring fly across the floor or tennis court… or to the bottom of a lake! Swimming is also one of the worst… the chlorine (or salt water) is SO rough on your precious piece.

    She's in the know - with no ring!

  5. Moving
    or lifting heavy furniture:
    If you’re moving, and
    you’ve already packed up the rest of your jewelry, why not add your rings to thatbox? This way you’ll know where to look while you’re unpacking and you
    won’t have to worry about the damage that can occur while you’re trying to move
    the couch into the living room or getting the box spring up the stairs.
  6. Doing Laundry:Now, we understand that laundry isn’t necessarily aheavy-duty job (for most) but we wanted to throw this in, just in case. Be
    careful when loading & unloading the washing machine. You’d be surprised how easy it is
    towhackyour ring along the rim of
    the drum or scrape it down the side while reaching for the wet clothes. You can
    chip your diamond this way or cause damage to your mounting, especially if you
    have a ring that holds your diamond up higher.Plus, you don’t want to accidentally snag it on clothes you love while folding.
  7. Gardening:We see it all the
    time, especially with women who love to spend time in their flower
    beds. However, the dirty truth about gardening with your ring on is that the
    dirt can get lodged in the smallest places and settle beneath your diamond,
    making the whole set look dingy and dirty. The dirt and rocks can even scratch
    up the ring itself. Wearing gardening gloves if you must, but we recommend you
    leave your ring in the house altogether.

    It's ok to get dirty.... just leave your ring inside.

  8. Washing your hands/taking a shower:This is probably the biggest no-no! Water, soaps and chemicals in your cleansers will break your ring down over time. If your ring is prong-set, especially, the prongs can possibly thin out… and there is already little metal holding that beauty in place. Plus, as with the other items we’ve already discussed, soap and hard water make your ring dirtier rather than clean. Nobody wants to show off a ring that doesn’t sparkle beautifully!
  9. Putting on lotion:In follow-up to your cleaning routine,if you moisturize your hands just out of the shower or throughout the day, be
    sure to take your rings off before slathering it on. The chemicals
    in lotions can eat away at your gold and make your diamonds and metal look dirty,
    especially if you let the lotion residue sit on your rings for a long time.
    It’s an easy clean by a jeweler, but because of that breakdown over time, we still recommend you take them off
    beforehand.

    Yay! No ring here... for now!

  10. Sleeping:
    Last, but not least, we highly recommend that you don’t sleep with your rings
    on. You and your spouse could easily wake up with battle wounds. Not to mention
    you can create a pretty nasty hole in the sheets if you catch the ring just
    right. Putting your ring in a safe spot for the night will ensure a good
    night’s rest of all parties involved.

You love your ring, so do what you can to keep it in stellar condition forever! A closing reminder: always leave your jewelry in a safe, designated spot when you take it off… There’s nothing worse than frantically trying to find your ring when you think it’s lost. That safe spot should always be the same, where small children or pets can’t reach.The coffee table in the living room is no place for a cherished wedding set! Try a jewelry dish in a drawer, a valet tray at your desk or a jewelry box in your purse.

Should something happen, we’re always here to help get your ring back to it’s original fabulousness. But…. wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have to go there in the first place?

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March 26, 2015

Tags: 2015 Jewelry

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10 Things You Should Avoid When Wearing Your Engagement Ring (2024)

FAQs

What should you avoid in an engagement ring? ›

Cleaning, or using harsh chemicals

Household cleaners like bleach, baking soda, and ammonia-based products like Windex can dull precious metals and even cause them to crack. Wearing rubber gloves helps, but still beware of rubbing your ring too vigorously against anything you're cleaning or scrubbing.

When not to wear your engagement ring? ›

If your ring is vulnerable while sleeping, then you definitely shouldn't wear it while playing contact sports (or sports like tennis, baseball or golf) or while doing exercises that involve handling or lifting weights—especially if you're wearing a pavé engagement ring. Free weights can scratch, chip or loosen stones.

What are the rules for wearing an engagement ring? ›

While your engagement ring represents a promise, your wedding ring is meant to solidify that promise, with both rings worn on the ring finger of your left hand once you're married. On your wedding day, your engagement ring should be worn on the third finger of your right hand.

What is the golden rule for engagement rings? ›

Traditional belief (especially in western countries) is that a groom-to-be must spend his 1-3 months' salary on engagement ring.

Why shouldn't you sleep in your engagement ring? ›

Put simply—no, you shouldn't wear your engagement ring to bed. Sleeping with your ring on can put pressure on the band and bend the shank and prongs out of shape. Your ring may also catch on your blankets, which can damage the prongs and pull out diamonds.

Is it bad to wash dishes with a diamond ring? ›

Cleaning

Cleaning products are very harsh on the skin and reactive with metals. Try not to clean the dishes or the oven with your engagement ring on, especially when oven cleaning solutions are well-known for their strong and harsh properties.

Should I wear my engagement ring every day? ›

In general it's perfectly safe to wear your engagement ring every day. However, if you are doing any kind of rough work such as cleaning or gardening, sports or the gym. It's not advised to wear your rings in bed as the diamonds may loosen or catch on bedclothes and remove before showering.

Should I take off my engagement ring when I wash my hands? ›

OK, OK… You can keep your ring on while washing your hands as long as you use a gentle soap. However, if you're not sure the kind of soap you're using, the soap has a strong fragrance or you want to play it safe, it's a good idea to take your ring off. Pop it back on when your hands are dry.

Can you use hand sanitizer with an engagement ring? ›

A: Hand sanitizer is made up of rubbing alcohol and will not hurt diamonds or damage the integrity, value, or brilliance of your stone. However, excessive and repeated exposure to cleaning agents or hand sanitizer can make the finish on white gold wear a little faster.

Who legally owns an engagement ring after a breakup? ›

A no-fault approach states that it doesn't matter who broke the engagement. In these cases, the giver gets the ring back, regardless of who ended the engagement. Typically, the only states where a no-fault approach does not lead to the giver getting the ring back is if the ring was considered an unconditional gift.

Do you show the wedding band when you propose? ›

Presenting a wedding band during a proposal makes sense for a more minimalistic style choice.

What is the old rule for how much to spend on an engagement ring? ›

It's known as the "three months' salary" rule, and it implies that a buyer should put three months of their salary toward a sparkler for their future spouse. For context, The Knot's 2023 Jewelry and Engagement study found that the average cost of an engagement ring in the US is $5,500.

What is the golden rule of engagement? ›

In other words, the Golden Rule requires us to empathize with others, including those who may be very different from us, to understand, respect and ultimately meet their expectations. The best practices for engagement are derived from the basic sociological truism embodied in the Golden Rule.

Is $10000 alot for an engagement ring? ›

Perhaps one that offers a bit more than just a diamond? If so, then $10,000 is an excellent budget to work with. You may have heard by now that $10,000 engagement rings are becoming more and more popular. The average of spending $5,000 on your engagement ring may soon be a thing of the past.

Do couples pick engagement rings together? ›

Making the decision to get married together has also led 75% of couples to choose an engagement ring together, with 28% of these couples saying both people were 'very' involved in the process. Gone are the days of shopping for an engagement ring on your own—this 100-year tradition seems to be at an end.

What engagement ring shapes should you avoid? ›

Pear and marquise-shaped stones don't make durable rings

Though engagement rings are usually worn daily, the jewelers told BI that depending on your lifestyle and the style of the ring, this should be avoided. Franklin said: "Rings with stones set prominently above the finger can prove impractical."

What is the most important thing in an engagement ring? ›

Out of the 4 C's of diamonds, the cut of the diamond is the most important. This is followed by color, clarity, and carat weight.

What's the least you can spend on an engagement ring? ›

The Correct Answer to How Much to Spend
Salary (US Dollars)Minimum To Spend (US Dollars)Maximum You Should Spend (US Dollars)
$25,000$550$2,600
$50,000$550$5,900
$75,000$550$9,200
$100,000$550$12,500
7 more rows

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