Consider what happens when you drive a new car off the lot.
Inevitably, those little nicks, dings and scratches appear,
no matter how hard you try to avoid them. And then if you are
really unlucky, (or perhaps careless), there is the minor to
major fender-bender. There are some things you can do to minimize
wear and tear on your rings. Here are some tips and tricks:
- Rings are not for all occasions. Take them off when you need
to work with your hands, especially when painting or gardening. Even
light gardening work will expose your rings to very abrasive particles.
If you do end up with scratches you just can't stand, have the ring
re-polished.
- When you're not wearing your rings, store them separately in a safe
place. A jewelry box is good for this, but it can also provide one-stop-shopping for a burglar. A good method for storing jewelry is in individual cloth pouches, or a roll-up pouch with compartments. Choose a good hiding place.
- It is best to remove your rings when washing your hands. Certain soaps
contain abrasives that can scratch your rings, and soap residue will collect
on the back of your diamond, reducing its brilliance. (Leave your rings ON
when washing at a public restroom. You could forget and leave them behind).
Soaps and detergents can also attack background antiquing on some rings.
- Chlorine and related chemicals can severely discolor gold and silver
jewelry. Never wear jewelry in a swimming pool, hot-tub, or any other place
that would expose the jewelry to these chemicals. The laundry machine and
the dishpan are also bad places for your rings.
- If you have a ring with a prong mounted stone, it is possible to catch
a prong on a sweater or other garment. If this happens, inspect the prongs
carefully to make sure you haven't bent one, possibly loosening the stone.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects while wearing rings. It is not uncommon
for the weight of the object to bend a ring. or even break it if the ring
has a seam.
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