The waiting is over! If you’re newly engaged and are celebrating that big bling on your left hand, it may seem like the hard work is done. But wanting and owning a diamond engagement ring are two totally different things, and it’s imperative to learn a little about how to take care of that huge investment.
While diamonds are the hardest stone on earth, they are not indestructible, and it is important to recognize that diamond jewelry is not immune to everyday hazards. For diamonds that you wear every day, make sure that you:
- Remove them during extended periods of housework or yard work. While your diamonds probably won’t be scratched, they could be chipped if hit particularly hard.
- Steer clear of chlorine bleach. Chlorine will weaken your setting over time and could cause your diamond to come loose.
- If you store your ring when traveling, place diamonds in a fabric-lined case separate from your other jewelry. While diamonds will be safe among other pieces, other gems may not be safe among the diamonds. They can and will scratch softer stones and metals.
- It’s not a bad idea to have your setting checked once a year. Go to a trusted jeweler and watch as they test your diamond’s setting for looseness. If at all wobbly, have the ring repaired to avoid losing the stone.
- Be extra careful during cold weather or in water-your fingers will constrict in low temperatures, meaning that there’s a greater chance your ring could slip off.
- Keep your diamond engagement ring looking gorgeous all-year-round. You don’t need to bring your ring into a store every time it needs to be cleaned. In fact, there’s many different ways to keep diamonds in top shape manually or with small, at-home cleaning products. Find out everything you need to know on our tips page!
Besides the physical ways to protect your diamond engagement ring, there’s another practical must-do for any investment piece: Insurance. When insuring jewelry, check your coverage. On basic homeowners policies, jewelry is protected for only certain causes of loss. Damaging an item, or losing all or part of one, typically are not covered losses and theft is often limited to $1,000. For better coverage, you can “schedule” your jewelry on your homeowner’s policy. It will cost an additional premium, but your jewelry will be safer.
Want to get the highest level of security possible? A stand-alone, specialized policy, such as the type that noted insurer Jewelers Mutual offers, provides broad coverage, and won’t jeopardize your existing homeowners policy if a jewelry loss occurs.
These simple tips make protecting your diamond engagement ring quick and painless. Next stop: Wedding bands!
To shop an extensive selection of diamond engagement rings and jewelry, log on to www.jewelsboutique.com.
