It doesn't matter if you're recently engaged or you've already tied the knot, chances are, at some point you've probably wondered: How often should you clean your engagement ring?
Personally, I've yet to come across anyone whose received an engagement ring that's come with care instructions, although they probably do exist. Most likely, you were presented with a ring box, or even just the ring itself. Even though engagement rings are big purchase items, they are cherished possessions that are placed onto the third finger immediately, only being removed before bed or prior to a very specific event like a pottery class. Folks who need to get their ring resized because they experienced a surprise proposal, will still want to get their engagement ring back ASAP and onto their finger where it will remain at least until the wedding — and possibly after if you want to wear your engagement and wedding rings together for the rest of your life.
Considering you wear your engagement ring day in and day out, it's important to know how often you should clean it. If you consider what your hands go through in an average day and the dirt, germs, and general debris they pick up, it's enough to make you want to clean your engagement ring immediately.
But don't fret, I spoke to a couple of experts who informed me how often engagement rings should be cleaned, so you can quit worrying about how hygienic your ring is.
"There are two types of stone settings that are very popular for diamond engagement rings. One is the 'rub over' setting and the other is the 'claw' setting," explains jeweler Constance Howarth of Constance Isobel.
"The claw setting is more likely to attract dirt as it is usually open at the back of the diamond," she tells Bustle, "Which in time can gather dust."
But no matter the type of setting, Howarth says, "I would suggest cleaning an engagement ring once a month to keep that beautiful sparkle."
"If you wear your engagement ring every day," says Ali Galgano, gemologist and private jeweler at Serpentine Jewels, "There’s no such thing as cleaning it too often. You should try to clean your ring at home at least every month — every week if you can remember!"
"Like going to the dentist," adds Galgano. "You should make a point to visit your jeweler at least every six months for a thorough check-up and professional cleaning."
"A good jeweler will inspect your ring to make sure all stones are secure in their settings, and put it through an ultrasonic machine for a deep clean. In some cases it can take hours to get a ring 100% clean, so be skeptical if it’s finished in 5 minutes," she says. "When you get it back, the diamond should look like it’s been given new life and sparkle like it came straight from the counter at Harry Winston."
The general consensus is, if you wear your engagement ring every day, you should give it a clean at least once a month. If you can manage to clean it more frequently than once a month, you're sure to have a consistently gleaming engagement ring.
Images: Wesley Tingey (1), wu yi (1), Rachael Crowe (1) /Unsplash
