What to Do if Your Diamond Engagement Ring Loses Its Shine

Table of Contents:

• Causes of Diamond Engagement Ring Losing Sparkle
• How to Restore the Shine of Your Diamond Engagement Ring
• Why is Professional Cleaning Important?
• How to Protect Your Diamond Engagement Ring

The best parts about getting engaged are knowing the love of your life wants to spend their life with you and the new sparkling ring you get to wear (and show off) on your finger. What should you do when the diamond is not shiny anymore? 

Loss of shine can happen to any ring, but it doesn’t mean your ring’s ruined. Several things could cause an engagement ring to lose its shine, but the good news is that you can bring it to our experts here at Jeweler’s Touch. We’ll bring back the bling in no time. 

Causes of Diamond Engagement Ring Losing Sparkle

Many things can cause your engagement ring to look dull. You may notice your white gold ring turning yellow, your diamond looking filmy, or the overall sparkle you’ve come to love fading away. Don’t worry! In most cases, the dullness is due to a layer of film and sediment covering the ring. 

No matter how careful you are, after months of soap, lotions, and grime, even the hardiest rings can lose their shine. 

How to Restore the Shine of Your Diamond Engagement Ring

The best way to restore your diamond ring’s shine is to have it professionally cleaned. The International Gem Society reminds us that gems are different in how they react to heat, light, acids, and scratching, so understanding each cleaning method is important.

You’ll find hundreds of at-home cleaning tips, but a professional has an in-depth understanding of the best ways to care for different metals, gemstones, and settings. They use ultrasonic, steam, electro-cleaning, and manual methods to remove debris from the piece and can also re-plate your ring if necessary. After a professional cleaning, your ring will look like new.

Why is Professional Cleaning Important?

If you want your jewelry to last a lifetime while maintaining its full pizzazz, bring it in for a professional cleaning and inspection at least once every 6 months. When a professional jeweler cleans your piece, they’ll not only make it shine again, but they’ll also inspect the settings and ensure the safety and security of your gemstones. 

Jeweler’s Touch offers a variety of jewelry services, including free cleanings and inspections. You can get that engagement ring sparkling again without paying a cent. If you’re in North Orange County, stop by in person or book an appointment.

How to Protect Your Diamond Engagement Ring

If you’ve just gotten a brand-new engagement ring or recently had your ring cleaned, you’re likely wondering the best ways to keep it looking the same in a year as it does now. Below are some of the easiest ways to care for your ring.

1. Take your ring off during dirty activities  

Dirt and grime on your hands can also get on your ring (and may stay there). Store your ring in a safe place when gardening, doing the dishes, working with clay, or any other activity that requires hand washing afterward. 

2. Take your ring off before going into chlorinated pools or hot tubs

Some semi-precious gemstones may become dull after exposure to chlorine. It can also discolor certain metal bands, especially white gold.

3. Avoid wearing your ring when it could get scratched, dinged, or bent  

Small scratches and dents accumulate dirt, bacteria, soap, powders, and hairspray. This can attract more debris and cause the ring to lose its shine if not cleaned regularly. The fewer microscopic crevices, the fewer places grime can gather.

4. Be aware of environmental factors

Extreme temperature changes may cause gemstone inclusions to worsen, meaning small fractures or cleavages can grow if you jump into a cold pool during a California heat wave. 

5. Try not to touch the diamond with your fingers

Natural oils and gunk from everyday activities could add a layer of grime to your beloved jewelry. The less you touch the diamond, the fewer chances there are for gunk to dull its glitter. 

6. Remove the ring when putting on lotion, washing your face, etc.

The less exposure your jewelry gets to oils, soaps, and lotions, the better it’ll keep the straight-from-the-showroom sparkle.

7. Carefully clean the ring yourself 

At-home care can keep your ring looking its best. Don’t scrub too hard — instead, soak the ring in water with a few drops of dish soap, rub lightly with a soft toothbrush or cotton swab, and let it air dry. Avoid ammonia-based cleaning solutions, and don’t use an ultrasonic cleaner unless your ring can handle the vibrations. 

8. Bring the ring to Jeweler’s Touch for a cleaning

Jeweler’s Touch offers professional cleanings for all your jewelry. You can trust us with your most precious pieces because we treat each item with the utmost respect and care. We know what type of cleaner to use for each type of metal and gemstone, including lab-grown diamonds. While you’re here, we can check for loose diamonds and gemstones, as well as make sure your ring fits you properly. 

Call Jeweler’s Touch Today

If you want your ring professionally cleaned, inspected, repaired, or resized, book an appointment online or contact us at (714) 475-7536. We’re located in Brea, CA, and in addition to our top-tier engagement ring services, we sell necklaces, bracelets, earrings, fashion rings, watches, and other stunning pieces created by talented designers. 

From designing a custom engagement ring to resizing your watch, we’ll take care of all your jewelry needs, big and small. Call today, and let us restore your engagement ring to its original brilliance.