Your Everyday Gemstone Ring
Gemstone rings are a popular choice of day-to-day jewellery, as they can be affordable and they are always stylish. Gemstone engagement rings, of course, are the most popular and with lots of different options to the traditional diamond ring these days, there is a whole new market out there.
Your hands are the busiest parts of your body, and get the brunt of the day. This means that any significant jewellery that you wear on your hands can be subjected to the wear and tear of the day, including all the dirt and grime that can build up from daily activities.
Most gemstones can last, but some, depending on their makeup, are easily accessible to chips and scratches or just general grime.
If your gemstones do appear chipped, scratched or cloudy, you don’t need to stress. Taking your jewellery to a professional to get them fixed up and restored is easy and usually cost-effective.
How Do Gemstones Get Scratched?
Not all gemstones are the same. Differences in gemstones can range from the type of gemstone they are, the softness of the gemstone, and how the gemstone is worn. Softer gemstones are more prone to damage and they will show signs of wear over time, especially if you wear them irregularly such as an engagement ring.
Gemstone engagement rings are the most vulnerable jewellery, as you use your hands all the time and could knock your ring against tables, scrape them against fabrics and generally wear them through showers, cleaning and cooking.
It is absolutely fine to wear these rings day to day, making sure to take the proper precautions depending on the type of gemstone your ring holds and the quality of the jewellery. When purchasing the ring, you should be briefed on the proper care of your ring, and will also be given a warranty in the rare case of severe damage.
Gemstones can also begin to dull over time, this is from general dirt and grime, or even from little scratches.
When you notice your ring looking a little dull, the best thing for you to do is get your piece to a jeweller. They are professionals and will be able to evaluate and assess the damage.
From here, the jeweller can clean the piece in the safest and best way.
Harder gemstones will be able to be steam cleaned or go through some ultrasonic cleaning, which is used to get the dirt out of the tiny nooks and crannies of your jewellery.
Another common restoration is stone polishing, which is the process of buffing the surface of a stone to remove any scratches and return it to its true beauty.
If the stone is scratched or chipped then the jeweller will have to re-polish and re-facet it. There are many types of ways a stone or piece can be impacted, these include:
Surface scratches – scratches or marks that are superficial to the surface of the gem. Isn’t very deep and is easy to polish out.
Cloudy facets – gems that have been worn down all over which makes the stone seem opaque, these are also surface scratches and can be easily polished out.
Chipped facets – usually deeper scratches or parts of the stone that goes missing. These may be able to be restored depending on the severity of the chip.
Missing facets – where the gem and jewellery become ‘flat’ over time and lose their details and become cloudy. These may be easily restored depending on the severity of the issue.
Your jeweller will be able to establish what the issue is with the piece and the best way to fix it. The cost of these procedures will vary, but it’s always best to visit a trusted jeweller who will make sure that you get the best service possible.
Caring for your gemstone ring is easy. Make sure you check where the gemstone sits on Moh Hardness Scale – this will tell you how hard or soft the stone is. It’s always best practice to take your jewellery off when doing any tough activities such as cooking and cleaning, or you’re doing any other hard work with your hands.
Making sure you clean your ring regularly with warm, soapy water is also good to help it keep its shine and brilliance.
If you continue to love and respect your ring as you did when you were first gifted it, then you should have no problems.
