Unique Engagement Rings: The Art Of Caring For Your Rings
Unique engagement rings are more than just a regular piece of jewellery; they’re a personal story that holds deep sentimental value. At Bear Brooksbank, we believe that preserving its beauty is part of preserving its essence. Unique engagement rings go beyond being just valuable in the material sense; there is an emotional significance and weight attached to the jewellery.
Whether you have a softly glowing sapphire, a buttery yellow gold band, or a vintage antique stone, how you care for it plays a role in how it lives on, for both you and future generations. Even the hardest stones, such as diamond, sapphire and ruby, need a little help dealing with the conditions of daily life. That daily life can mean everything from exposure to soaps, lotions and creams to subtle knocks and scrapes that occur as we go about our routines. With the right thoughtful attention, these small encounters can be managed with ease, keeping your ring’s beauty intact.
In this article, we’ll share expert insights from our Shoreditch studio about maintaining your bespoke and vintage rings, from gentle daily habits to professional care. We’ll also cover the jewellery repair and check-up services that we provide.
Unique Engagement Rings: Why Maintenance Matters
Maintenance is important for all unique engagement rings. For example, Bear’s chunky rings are designed with durability and longevity in mind, making them inherently more resilient than a delicate claw set solitaire, but even these benefit from care and attention. Like all fine jewellery, Bear’s rings are made to last, but they last best when properly cared for.
With regular upkeep and maintenance, you can protect the material value and expert craftsmanship of the ring, as well as the personal, intangible qualities that your ring represents. Consider the ring a part of your relationship; treat it with care and protect it. With the right care routine, alongside professional check-ups and cleaning, your rings can last for a lifetime and beyond.
By taking proper care of your unique engagement ring, you’re making sure that the ring will remain as unblemished and timeless as possible, protecting both the emotional and financial value. Unique rings are crafted with great care and should be maintained with the same standard of dedication. The American Gem Society recommends professional cleaning and inspections to preserve rings.
Unique Engagement Rings: Daily Care Tips And More
The right daily care habits and maintenance tips can help you ensure that your ring keeps its shine. Here are a few of the best jewellery care tips:
Clean Your Unique Engagement Ring Regularly
The conditions of daily life can create a thin film that dims the surface of your unique engagement ring, but taking the time to clean it can quickly resolve this problem. The first step is to check your jewellery regularly for any signs of dirt, wear and tear, which should be cleaned when noticed.
Avoid using abrasive cleaners on your unique engagement rings, as they can do more damage than good. We recommend gently rubbing gold or platinum jewellery with a dry, clean and lint-free soft cloth, such as the one you’re provided with upon delivery of your Bear Brooksbank jewellery, to maximise the precious metals’ life and shine. Never rush the cleaning process, and always be extra careful when cleaning jewellery with gemstones or pearls, as they are more fragile and prone to damage. For example, when cleaning a diamond, avoid using harsh chemicals.
Using paper towels or rough paper tissues to clean your jewellery can scratch the surface of the metal and should be avoided at all costs. We advise that you wipe your jewellery clean with a soft, dry lint cloth to remove any residue. For more intricate and detailed settings, we recommend spending more time cleaning around the stones and finer details. Afterwards, polish softly with a lint-free cloth.
For gold and gold-plated jewellery, you can use warm, soapy water and a gentle, lint-free cloth or baby toothbrush. Every piece of jewellery should be rinsed and dried thoroughly after cleaning. Avoid using harsh chemicals or ultrasonic machines that can damage the integrity of your unique engagement ring’s more intricate settings and details.
You can always get in touch with Bear Brooksbank for guidance on how to clean a specific piece of jewellery via our valuations and advice service.
Know When Not To Wear Your Ring
A major part of caring for your engagement ring is knowing when to set it aside. It’s better to take your ring off rather than expose it to unnecessary risk, and it can help preserve its shine over time.
If you’re planning to work out, do extensive housework, or spend time using gardening tools, we recommend taking your ring off. The most durable stones are not immune to chipping under the right amount of pressure, and metal tools can warp or scratch the ring with repeated contact. We also recommend removing your ring when you go to bed for the night to let your skin breathe and prevent your fingers from swelling in your warm bed.
On top of that, chlorine, salt water and cold temperatures can sometimes damage finishes, so if you’re going for a swim or about to bath or shower, remember to set your ring aside. It’s also important to be wary of lotions, serums, creams, hairsprays and hand sanitiser, as they often leave behind small residue that can dull your ring’s shine. We recommend taking your ring off during your beauty routine to prevent the precious metals from getting dirty.
Store Your Ring Carefully
When storing your ring, you should mirror the care you showed when choosing it. The proper storage of your unique engagement ring will help prevent any damage and maintain its brilliance over time. Always store your jewellery in a clean and dry place, away from direct sun exposure and other elements. Ideally, this would be in your Bear Brooksbank ring box.
Avoid storing your jewellery next to radiators, windowsills or in rooms with too much condensation, like bathrooms or wet rooms. Damp and hot conditions may cause precious metals to discolour, tarnish and fade. Every piece of your jewellery should be kept in separate pouches, boxes or bags, so that they don’t end up rubbing together and scratching each other.
Bear Brooksbank offers a Travel Bear Box, a grey suede and black leather jewellery box with a removable ring tray, designed in our Shoreditch showroom, and perfectly designed for travelling. The box is ethically sourced and hand-made by expert craftsmen, and each comes with a 100% organic cotton dustbag, sustainability sourced by the Global Organic Textile Standard. We also offer the Home Bear Box, a carefully designed jewellery box for keeping all your jewellery at home safe and protected. You can find more of our luxury jewellery boxes here.
Get Professional Check-Ups
While daily care habits can help keep your unique engagement rings unblemished and clean, getting a professional check-up routinely is the best way to guarantee that they retain their brilliance over time. A full check-up should include a comprehensive inspection, cleaning and repair where necessary, to ensure that it’s still in top condition.
As time passes, due to natural wear and tear, unique engagement rings may need to be professionally polished, repaired, re-stored, or have stones re-set. At Bear Brooksbank, we have full check-up services available alongside a range of other jewellery care services. For items of jewellery worn daily, we recommend they be checked every 6 to 12 months to make sure settings are in full working order. We’ll take a closer look at our jewellery care services next. For additional tips on gemstone cleaning, visit the Gemological Institute of America.
Bear Brooksbank’s Jewellery Care Services
At Bear Brooksbank, we have a range of jewellery repair and check-up services available. Our team offers ring re-sizing, annual jewellery MOTs, pearl stringing, jewellery restoration work, stone re-setting and stone polishing or re-cutting.
We offer a free re-size within the first 6 months of a purchase on all Bear Brooksbank bespoke rings. We also highly recommend an annual MOT (full check and clean) on all of your regularly worn rings (it is often found in the small print of your insurance agreement and something we believe is essential to keeping your jewellery timeless).
All bespoke clients are provided with a complimentary MOT within the first 12 months of a purchase. During the MOT, we also have the opportunity to detect any issues, should they arise.
Jewellery MOT’s on Bear Brooksbank jewellery start at £65, excluding any additional restoration work, which is quoted separately. For non-Bear Brooksbank jewellery, MOT’s start at £95. For re-sizing services, prices start at £90 for Bear Brooksbank rings and £125 for non-Bear Brooksbank rings.
For more personal guidance, Bear Brooksbank offers personally tailored jewellery advice services. Whether you need guidance on maintenance, what items are worth, how best to divide pieces, or anything else, we’re more than willing to help you out. You can get in touch here for more details or to request a quote.
Unique Engagement Rings: Long-Term Care And Family Heirlooms
With the right maintenance routines and care habits, you’re not just protecting the financial and sentimental value of your unique engagement rings; you’re ensuring that they can be passed down for generations. A well-cared-for engagement ring can become a family heirloom that lives on with your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Restoration work, when approached with sensitivity, allows a ring to keep its authenticity while staying structurally sound. At Bear Brooksbank, we often work with clients who bring us valued family heirlooms in need of restoration. This may mean repurposing an old stone into a new design to blend history with more modern craftsmanship, or just delicately reviving an original piece so it can go back to looking its best. You can learn more about our remodelling services here.
Final Thoughts
Caring for your unique engagement rings is about honouring the artistry, love and heritage that they represent. With the right daily care habits and routine professional maintenance, your unique ring will keep shining for decades to come. From proper cleaning processes to careful and thoughtful storage, every small act of care contributes to your ring's lifespan.
If your ring is due for a professional cleaning or check-up, or you need restoration or repair work done, we would be delighted to welcome you to our Shoreditch Studio. Get in touch today and preserve your unique engagement ring’s beauty for generations to come!