Caring for yourAntique Wedding Rings

Care

Generally, antique wedding rings should always be stored separately from each other to avoid scratching of the two pieces. Do not anyhow store your rings in any container as not every container is suitable for storing antique jewellery. It is best to put your antique rings in their original, individual jewellery box. By doing so, not only you can minimize scratching between the two pieces, you can also prolong the lifespan of your rings, as the jewellery box is made of material suitable for storing jewellery. For extra precautions, you can also put soft pouch or cloth around the ring. Alternatively, put your rings in plastic containers and zip lock bags before putting them into the jewellery box. Also, try not to wear your ring when doing household jobs or gardening to minimize the risk of scratching your rings. Similarly, several rings on the same finger or adjacent fingers would also put your rings in risk of blemish and scratching.

Temperature and moisture are two important factors to be taken noticed. Extreme temperature changes can cause great damage to your rings. As a result, your rings should always be kept away from sunlight, heat vents and hot car interiors. Similarly, moisture can cause verdigris damage, rust damage and pitting of metals. It is advisable not to wear your ring to moist places, such as beach, pools and saunas. Do not wear your ring when you are swimming as chlorine is damaging to stones and metals.

Clean

How often should you clean your ring? You do not need to clean your ring too frequently as too much cleaning will also damage your ring. If you wear your ring daily or often, you could clean it once in every week or two. If you usually put your ring in the jewellery box and only wear it in special occasion, then you can clean it after you have worn it or before you put it back in to the box. However, for rings with diamonds, it is best to rinse it with water every day. When a diamond is covered with oil and dirt, it is no longer sparkling. A diamond that does not sparkle is just a piece of stone. This is especially true if you have a high quality diamond. A top grade diamond that does not sparkle is no superior to a low grade diamond.

As a rule of thumb, you should always inspect your ring’s condition carefully before attempting to clean it. Check using a magnifying glass to see whether there are any loose stones or settings. Generally, there are many products out there that are specially made for cleaning antique jewellery. Keep in mind that the cleaning product/cleaner you choose should not contain ammonia, acids, alcohol and vinegar. It is extremely important that you choose the cleaning product that is specific to your ring’s material. Improper/ non-matching cleaning product can cause great damage to your ring. Secondly, when using the cleaner, always spray them onto a soft cloth and carefully wipe your ring with it, rather than spraying the cleaner directly onto your ring. Usually a very small amount of cleaner is sufficient for normal cleaning. Never use soap to clean your ring as soapy water leave residues on the metal and the stone.

To simply get rid of the dust and dirt on your rings, use a soft brush (e.g. baby toothbrush or make up brush), or use a soft cloth to gently scrub and dust the stone. However, you should not scrub the metal, but instead should use a jeweller’s polishing cloth to gently wipe off the dust. A polishing cloth is inexpensive and can do a wonderful job of keeping your ring look almost new. It is also recommended to rinse your ring under hot water each night if you use hand cream on a daily basis (Do not wear your ring when you are applying hand cream!). Importantly, always remember to put the stopper in the sink when you are cleaning your ring!

Finally, after cleaning your ring, thoroughly dry it. As mentioned above, moisture can cause verdigris damage, rust damage and pitting of metals. Always make sure that you ring is completely before putting it back into storage.