let’s talk: ring maintenance

As we wave goodbye to sparkling new jewellery that leaves the workshop, it’s only natural that pieces will lose their shine with everyday wear.

Stones can hold onto water, soap, dust, dirt and more which dulls their shine and sparkle. However, by following our really simple ring maintenance routine, you can get your ring looking good as new from your own home.

You don’t need a fancy, expensive ring cleaner. Chances are, you’ll have most of these items lying around at home. You’ll need:

• Glass or heatproof dish

• Kettle

• Washing up liquid

• Soft toothbrush (new/not used!)

• Paper towels/dry cloth

• Hairdryer

• Optional: gold/silver cloth

Our method is simple, not abrasive and doesn’t use any harsh chemicals which a lot of the commercial jewellery cleaners do.

STEP BY STEP:

1) Boil the kettle. Pop your ring into a bowl with boiled water and a drop of fairy liquid. Leave it alone until the water has cooled enough for you to put your hands in comfortably.

2) Take your clean toothbrush (one with soft bristles, perhaps even a baby toothbrush!) and use the bristle to get right under and around the stone settings. The hot water and soap should have softened the dirt, making it easier for the bristle to dislodge any particles sitting under the surface.

3) Keep dipping the ring in the water to release the dirt.

4) Once satisfied that all the dirt has been removed, rinse the ring with warm water! Make sure there is no dirt or soap residue.

5) To dry, pop your ring on a paper towel or tissue - the more absorbent, the better as it will draw out water from the underside of the ring. 

6) Once the majority of the water has dripped off, turn your hairdryer on a low setting and gently dry the ring. Don’t hold the hairdryer too close to the ring and don’t have it too hot as extreme temperatures can affect some stones. 

 If you have a gold cloth, you can then give your ring a final once over with this to make the metal as shiny as can be!

This cleaning routine should get your ring looking as good as new, however we do recommend you get your ring serviced every year or so - just like you would with your car! A jeweller can smooth out the deeper scratches your ring may have from daily wear.

Got any questions? Use our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!