Slay on vacay with this essential guide to engagement ring care in the sun.
When planning a romantic getaway, three L’s come to mind: Location, Location, Location. This makes sense as without a suitable destination, you’d still be, well, at home! But there’s a fourth L that no travel checklist is complete without: Luster. As in, how to keep your engagement ring looking at its lustrous best while you and bae are off galavanting around the world.
Engagement Ring Care: Precious Cargo
The first thing to do before taking your sparkler on vacation is to make sure it’s covered by your insurance policy. You do have one, right? Good. Just checking. Whether it comes under your home insurance or its own separate policy, make sure that you’re covered for theft, loss, or damage while away. If not, you may need to adjust your policy to include overseas travel. It’s advisable to take proof of ownership with you on your trip in case you’re stopped at customs. A copy of the receipt or the insurance policy should suffice.
Engagement Ring Care: Off with the Ring!
When you finally receive the ring of your dreams, it’s hard to imagine ever wanting to take it off. But there are certain situations when it’s necessary to de-jewel.
Handle with Care
Unless you’re Mariah Carey, traveling often involves hauling your own luggage around. The stress this puts on your ring can stretch the band and even bend or break the delicate prongs. That’s why you should take extra care when lifting anything heavy.
Swimming in Sparkle
Although the beach is a romantic destination for newly engaged couples, it’s less than ideal for the engagement ring itself. If the sea is cold enough to shrink your fingers, your ring could slip right off. If you stay on dry land, grains of sand could get caught between the ring setting and the diamond. This won’t harm the stone per se, as diamonds are pretty tough, but that doesn’t mean you should put it through needless wear and tear.
What about putting your engagement ring in an airtight plastic bag, I hear you cry? This might seem like a clever hack, but the lack of oxygen together with the heat from the sun may cause the metal to fuse with the plastic. You’d be much better off leaving your diamond ring in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, such as your hotel room safe.
Losing your ring in a swimming pool is less risky than the open sea as it would most likely turn up once the pool has been drained. However, harsh chemicals in the water like chlorine can severely discolor/corrode gold and silver over time. Only platinum is durable enough that it can withstand most chemicals.
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Keep It Clean
Sunscreen. Great for your skin, not so great for your bling. By all means, slather it all over yourself (sunburn is not a sexy look), but for the love of sparkle, remove your ring first! The same goes for lotions and perfumes, which can cause your precious stone to cloud up.
Fake It, Don’t Break It!
If the thought of taking your engagement ring on vacation seems too daunting, why not switch it with a fake one? Get one that closely resembles your sparkler’s setting style and diamond cut for a fraction of the price. It’s a relatively inexpensive solution that could end up saving you sleepless nights and potential financial loss.
Engagement Ring Care: Your Passport to Sparkle
Do you give your most precious jewel enough TLC when traveling? Let us know your engagement ring care regimen in the comments below or on our social channels: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or Twitter.
Discover additional ring care tips in our blog post 7 Things to Do After Getting Engaged.
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