Jewelry Care.

Love Your Beautiful Bling? Learn How to Take Care of It with This Handy Guide to Ring Maintenance

Take It Off

Believe it or not, caring for your ring sometimes means taking it off, especially during the following activities:

• Sports: Holding a tennis racket tightly is particularly not good for a ring with stones all the way around—especially if you're left-handed. As for taking your ring to the gym, lifting weights with it on can be hazardous. You wouldn't want a heavy dumbbell making contact with your stone.
• Gardening: Heavy yard work can chip your stones or knock the settings loose.
• Cleaning House: It's a good idea not to wear your ring while doing the dishes; harsh chemical soaps or cleansers can soil the ring. For personalized photo rings, it's also wise to take them off while washing hands.

Safekeeping

If you need to take your ring off for any of the activities above, make sure you have a safe—and memorable—place to put it.

Keep It Free From Lotion, Sunscreen, and Perfume

These products can gunk up your ring. It's a good idea to take it off before applying any product, as they can also etch colored gemstones.

Have Your Setting Checked Regularly

Most jewelers recommend having your setting checked every six months to ensure nothing has become loose.

Don't Swim in the Ocean While Wearing Your Ring

Cold water may shrink your fingers just enough to loosen the ring, and if you lose it in the deep blue sea, you won't be seeing it again.

Be Careful in the Kitchen

Cookie dough, turkey loaf, pie crust—it's great to mix with your fingers, but these foods can leave a film on your ring and dull its luster.

Don't Wear Jewelry in Swimming Pools and Spas

Chlorinated water can react with the metals in jewelry, causing color changes and even structural damage. It's a good idea to remove jewelry before entering the pool or spa.

Remove Your Jewelry Before Bathing

Remove all jewelry before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form, making your jewelry appear dull and dingy. Preventing this film reduces the need for frequent servicing.

Keep It Clean

Most jewelers will clean your ring free of charge, so take advantage of this courtesy. If you don't have time to get to the jewelry store, here are a few ways to clean your ring at home:

• Use a gentle dish detergent to clean lotion buildup from the bottom of the mounting. Simply scrub the top and bottom with a soft toothbrush and rinse several times in hot water.
• For extra shine, soak your ring in a small bowl of ammonia diluted with three parts water, and gently brush the top and bottom of the mounting with a soft toothbrush. Dip the ring into the solution again, then rinse in warm water several times to ensure all the solution is removed.
• Set the ring on a soft towel to dry, or gently pat it dry.

Note: If you're doing this over an open drain, use a strainer!