Congratulations on your engagement!!  This is an exciting time sure to be filled with all kinds of joy and plans for the future - from wedding details to how you and your partner will share a life together!  With a stunning new ring on your finger, you will want to take good care of the ring itself and ensure you will be able to show it off for decades to come!

Protect the investment

If you haven't already, be sure to have the ring insured.  This can be arranged as an addition to your renters or homeowners insurance policy.  Personal jewelry insurance is also available which specifically covers jewelry.

An appraisal will be required to add a piece of jewelry to your insurance policy.  Getting an appraisal of your engagement ring at the time of purchase is an excellent way to be sure all information is accurately tabulated and the jewelry is appraised at a current market value when submitting to the insurance company.

When not to wear your new engagement ring

While you have made a commitment to your person and symbolized this with a gorgeous new piece of jewelry, there are some activities where it's best to take a break from your ring.

1. The best way to care for your skin is to remove your ring first. Keep on washing and moisturizing your hands, but take the ring off first to reduce a build up of soap residue and lotion inside your ring.  All of these things which can get stuck on a ring and cause skin irritation also dulls the look and sparkle of your ring - we don’t want either!  Be sure your hands are fully dried and moisturizer has been absorbed into your skin before replacing the rings on your fingers.
2. Remove your ring before exercise.  When your heart rate is up and you’re working up a sweat, rings may feel tighter on your fingers as more blood is pumping through the body.  The opposite can be true while swimming, especially in natural bodies of water like oceans and lakes.  Cold temperatures cause our bodies to contract causing shrinkage which can make our rings feel looser, where they might be lost to watery depths and washed away for good. Don’t let your concern for your rings or discomfort get between you and a great workout! 
3. Getting messy and deep cleaning. Remove your rings or wear protective gloves for gardening, finger-painting, yardwork, camping, bathing, dishwashing and other hobbies and household cleaning tasks.  Any activity that is inherently hands-on and messy or with the intent of deep-cleaning might not be best for your rings. Additionally, harsh chemicals and abrasive agents in standard household cleaning solvents can be especially damaging to certain gemstones.
4. Store jewelry securely when not in use. For all these times you’ll want to remove your engagement ring, you will need a safe place to store it.  When you purchase an engagement ring from Ivy & Rose - whether you receive it in-person from our showroom in Chicago’s historic Jewelers Row or you have purchased from our website and receive in the mail - it will come to you in a secure Ivy & Rose ring box.  This ring box is a wonderfully safe and enclosed vessel to hold your engagement ring while you do the things you need to do - even if it is simply for sleeping at night!  As you get familiar with the feel of your new engagement ring within the routines of your life, you’ll get a hang of when and where you need to take it off.  Ring dishes are a helpful way to have these dedicated home bases around your home - such as bathrooms, kitchen and dresser - where you remove your rings.  When you are out and about, a small cushioned bag with closure (such as a padded coin purse) will be easy to see or feel inside a cluttered gym bag while keeping your engagement ring from being lost or damaged.

Unless you want your ring to live in storage (which is no fun for anyone), it is going to collect some dirt along the way as you enjoy wearing it and living your life.  While we recommend having your ring professionally inspected annually as part of a routine for standard maintenance, it is easy to keep your rings clean on your own in between visits to the jeweler.

How to clean an engagement ring

An ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is an excellent way to clean your engagement ring, especially if your ring is made with diamonds and a precious metal like gold or platinum!

An ultrasonic cleaner uses high frequency sound waves transmitted across a liquid to clean the submerged object.  Or in more plain terms, the machine makes vibrations to wiggle the yuck out while your jewelry soaks in a hot bath.  This is a great tool to keep new diamond jewelry looking its very best, however depending on the age of the jewelry and types of stones that are set, the ultrasonic cleaner can sometimes cause more harm than good.  

Many natural gemstones such as emeralds, and opals undergo standard treatment processes that can be compromised by the combination of heat and vibrations in an ultrasonic cleaner. Not all gemstones are treated or could be an issue which is why it is important to let your jeweler know if you are aware of any treatments to your stones.   

Additionally, any organic gems, which were especially popular in antique jewelry - such as pearl, coral, amber and ivory - should never be put in an ultrasonic cleaner.  These porous materials can easily disintegrate when subjected to the vibrations and heat in an ultrasonic cleaner so any item with organic gemstones will need to be cleaned gently with soapy water instead.  

Diamonds are a durable and classic choice for an engagement ring center stone and are generally fine for use in an ultrasonic cleaning machine, however treated diamonds are a little different.  There are treatments available which can enhance the look of a diamond - to imbue the stone with eye-popping unnatural color or fill inclusions so they are less noticeable on a low-clarity stone.  Treated diamonds should not be cleaned using an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner as these treatments can irrevocably be altered by an ultrasonic cleaner. 

Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for operations and materials which can safely go into an ultrasonic cleaner and what cannot.

If your engagement ring has any of these materials which are not suited for an ultrasonic cleaner, this simple at-home jewelry cleaning method is a great way to safely keep your jewelry clean!   A soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle dish soap is really all you will need to clear away accumulated dirt and keep your engagement ring bright and sparkling clean!

Now treat yourself to many delightful manicures as you are sure to be spending much time admiring this new engagement ring on your hand!