Jewellery Care and Maintenance

The single biggest extender of a ring's life is the habit of taking it off at the right moments. Showering coats the band in soap film that dulls the stone. Sleeping bends prongs into the pillow over time. Exercise and manual work knock the band out of round. Lotions, perfumes and sunscreens build up under the stone faster than most people expect.

When to take it off. Before showering, swimming, sleeping, exercising, applying creams or perfume, and any cleaning that involves harsh chemicals.

Day to day. Put it on last when dressing. Wipe with a soft cloth after wearing. Handle the band, not the stone. Store each piece separately so harder stones do not scratch softer ones.

Lab grown diamonds are chemically and physically identical to mined diamonds, with the same Mohs 10 hardness and the same care needs. Soak the ring in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap for twenty to thirty minutes, then brush gently with a soft toothbrush, focusing on the underside of the stone where film collects. Rinse under warm water with a strainer over the drain, then pat dry with a lint-free cloth. Repeat weekly for a daily-wear ring.

Avoid. Chlorine and bleach, household cleaners, wearing during heavy work or exercise, and abrasive cloths. Diamond is hard, but the setting is not.

Moissanite sits at 9.25 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond, and tolerates the same cleaning routine. Soak in warm water with mild dish soap for ten to fifteen minutes, brush gently with a soft toothbrush, rinse and dry with a microfibre or lint-free cloth. Once a week is enough for a daily-wear ring.

Avoid. Chlorine, bleach and harsh household cleaners. Steam cleaners are usually safe but only if the setting is checked first. Skip abrasive cloths that scratch the metal.

Solid gold does not tarnish, but it is softer than other metals and picks up scratches that read as character over years of wear. Clean with warm water and mild dish soap, soak for ten to fifteen minutes, brush gently, rinse and dry. A gold-specific polishing cloth restores shine between cleans. A professional clean annually returns the lustre on pieces worn every day.

Avoid. Chlorine, which weakens gold alloys over time, household chemicals, rough handling, and storing alongside harder metals or stones that scratch the surface.

White gold is solid gold mixed with white alloy metals and plated with rhodium for the bright mirror finish. The plating wears over time and shows the slightly warmer underlying alloy. Clean the same way as yellow gold, but more gently to extend the plating life. Plan on rhodium replating every one to three years for a ring worn daily.

Avoid. Chlorine, harsh scrubbing that wears the plating, household chemicals, and wearing during heavy manual work or exercise.

Platinum is naturally white, dense, and develops a soft patina from microscratches rather than wearing thin like a plated finish. Clean with warm water and mild dish soap, soak ten to fifteen minutes, brush gently, rinse and dry. A platinum-specific cloth brings back the shine if you prefer the polished look. A jeweller can polish the ring back to a mirror finish at any time, or leave the patina if that is your preference.

Avoid. Chlorine, harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners. Ultrasonic cleaning is usually safe but worth a check with a jeweller first.

Home cleaning keeps the ring looking right. Professional checks keep the stone in the ring. A jeweller can see prong wear, stone movement and metal fatigue that no amount of soap will reveal.

Recommended schedule. Every six months for engagement rings worn daily, annually for other fine jewellery, immediately after any impact or unusual catch, and before white gold replating.

What is checked. Prong integrity, metal wear on shank and gallery, stone security, and the state of the rhodium plating on white gold.