Do’s and Don’ts of Caring for Fine Jewelry
Taking care of fine jewelry doesn’t need to be complicated. When clients pick up their completed rings with us, we always give them the run down on how to best care for their new piece but the summary is pretty straightforward: get it professionally checked regularly and keep an eye on it. That being said, sometimes it’s helpful to know what to do and what not to do, so here is a simple breakdown of our best recommendations from our workshop:
DO CREATE A REMINDER TO GET YOUR RINGS CHECKED.
This is the first recommendation for a reason: it’s the most important! We recommend letting us do a check up on your ring within the first six months of wear and again annually after that. No matter how well made your ring might be, in the end it is created out of malleable metals that can bend or warp without you realizing it. Stones can loosen with time, so it’s best to bring your ring to us for a professional examination to make sure everything is secure. We’ll clean and polish your ring, too, so your piece will look just like new once again!
DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU LOSE A STONE TO COME SEE US!
If we haven’t seen you in over a year, we probably won’t cover replacing the diamond. If you’re coming regularly, we almost always will replace your missing diamond on a complementary basis. Make use of having a phenomenal local jeweler available and be proactive in taking care of your precious pieces!
DO CLEAN YOUR RINGS REGULARLY.
We recommend simple tools such as an old toothbrush (don’t throw it out - reuse it!), a gentle detergent, and warm water. If you have a diamond, ruby, sapphire you can use a stronger solution such as Windex. With cleaning solutions, less is more and rinse really well so that you don’t accidentally gum up your ring with detergent. Focus on scrubbing under the head where your ring will collect lotion and dirt - you will be amazed at how much brighter your diamond will look once you clean the underside!
DON’T SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON SPECIAL CLEANERS OR ULTRASONIC MACHINES.
Cleaning jewelry is not a complicated process and you really don’t need special solutions to get your gems looking sparkly. While you probably won’t hurt your ring by using these, you certainly don’t need them, so we suggest saving your money and using items already found in your house.
Alx&Co. Designed Bespoke Toi et Moi ring created using our client’s heirloom diamonds
our beautiful handmade ring boxes are the perfect storage solution if you don’t plan to wear your ring regularly
DO STORE YOUR JEWELRY IN AN ORGANIZED SPACE.
This space doesn’t need to be fancy, but it should be tidy! Think mis en place - everything in its place. If you put your rings away in the same place every day, you are much, much less likely to lose them than if you rotate between the sink counter, the bedside table, your car’s cup holders… we’ve seen it all (and we’re guilty of it, too). We recommend investing in a nice jewelry box with plenty of slots and holders, but that isn’t necessary. A simple ring dish does the trick, too - just remember to use it!
DON’T LEAVE YOUR RINGS ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER.
If this tip feels highly specific, it’s because we have heard many traumatic stories of rings left on the kitchen counter. Thing: rings falling into the garbage disposal, rings being swept into the trash can, rings falling behind the refrigerator, rings simply disappearing without a trace… it never ends. The kitchen is far too busy a place to leave your precious gems! If you want to remove your rings to wash the dishes or cook, have a specific place for them in the kitchen and put them away.
DO RESIZE YOUR RING WHEN IT FEELS TIGHT OR LOOSE.
We often see clients who are hesitant to resize their rings, whether its for sentimental or practical reasons. Whatever the thought process behind it, the hesitation is problematic. If your ring is too tight, you can cause nerve damage in your finger and create unnecessary swelling. If your ring is too loose, you can risk losing the ring or breaking the gemstone due to it sliding under the hand and hitting something. Every single ring will fit very slightly differently, so it is perfectly normal to need to adjust your ring size to get it right. Most people will vary up to half a size on the same finger depending on the ring’s profile, and that half a size can make a big difference in terms of fit. Get it right!
DON’T USE TEMPORARY METAL RING WRAPS IF YOUR RING IS TOO LOOSE
Sometimes it’s not possible to get your ring resized immediately, whether due to travel or pandemics or whatever. We get it! But, you should never opt for a metal ring wrap if you are in this situation. Metal ring wraps can scratch and damage your ring, so if you are in a pinch do not let a jeweler add one of these to your ring. We encourage clients to opt for soft silicone wraps instead and - of course - bring your ring to us for resizing as soon as you can!
