Proper care and feeding of rings?

[stormkeeper_lovedoris]

Does anyone on my f-list wear a ring? The rings that Doris and I picked out should be ready soon, and I've never worn a ring that had a precious stone in it. I've heard that I should take the ring off when I put hand lotion on. What about when I wash my hands?

When do you take your ring off? What should I be careful of?

Comments

[mmmfishfingers.livejournal.com]

I wear a ring but it doesn't have a stone in it.
My mum does though and she never takes it off. Washes her hands and everything with it on. But hers probably isn't that expensive...

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[mmmfishfingers.livejournal.com]

hope it helped

[sarahetc.livejournal.com]

I take mine off if I put hand lotion on in the middle of the day, but if I put body lotion on after a shower, I don't bother taking it off. The only time I've taken it off are when I've used very harsh cleaning chemicals and even then it was mostly because I didn't want to scratch up the gold, not because of the stones. Otherwise, I wear it all the time-- handwashing, dishwashing, gardening, swimming, everything. I don't think you have any reason to fear the stone would fall out and the only reason not to wear it while you put hand lotion on is that it will dull the setting until the next time you wash it. I find that just having mine on when I wash my hair every day keeps it clean enough.

What sort of metal is the setting?

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Thank you - that was exactly the sort of advice I needed. I appreciate it!

The band is made of platinum.

[sarahetc.livejournal.com]

Platinum is so much stronger than most metals, especially gold. You're set. I'd think you were good to go unless you were afraid of having the band slide off. You were sized in the summer, so keep an eye on the fit when the weather cools, but it shouldn't be that big a variation.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

That's great to hear! And yeah, the guy at the store did warn us that our fingers swell just a bit when it's humid.

[cotume27.livejournal.com]

I take my rings off when I wash my hands or put lotion on or anything that I'm gonna have my hands in something "icky". Mostly because if I get my rings wet, they have the tendency to slide off my fingers. Also, all three of mine have a lot of little places that stuff could get into really easily, and I'm afraid if I got stuff into my spinner ring, that it wouldn't spin as easily

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

But for you then, your main concern is the ring getting wet and sliding off as opposed to the water and soap hurting the stones then, right?

[cotume27.livejournal.com]

Right.

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

Well, your stones are diamonds and sapphires, right? My mom's got a similar ring, and she never took it off except when she was using cleaning chemicals -- that was because she didn't want to dull the gold.

I've had diamond-and-ruby earrings forever, I only clean them periodically, and the stones are absolutely fine. Precious stones like that are tough. ^_^

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. So the stones should be able to handle my hand washing and everything else. Thanks. :)

[yubsie]

I leave my ring on for almost everything. Definitely while washing my hands. The ring's tight enough that I'm not worried about it coming off, and I would be worried about dropping it or something.

My ring's diamond, which means it's a tough little thing (even if it is thermodynamically unstable :p). I actually only take it off when I'm worried about the ring damaging something else. Basically that means I take it off for karate (because getting gauged by a ring in sparring practice is no fun) and when I'm in the lab (because I'm worried about the ring tearing my gloves more than anything else. :p)

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Great - thanks for the info! These precious stones are tough little mothers. :)

[yubsie]

They really are. :p Particularly diamond, being the hardest substance in the world and all. :p Being created by high temperature and pressure makes things tough I suppose. :p

Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

I keep forgetting to ask whether you've ever visited reallifewedding? I love it. People post pictures of their own weddings or weddings they've been to.

Re: Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[yubsie]

Yeah, I've become ridiculously fascinated with other people's wedding pictures. :p

Re: Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Me too - and I'm not even going to have one myself!

Re: Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[yubsie]

It's just so fun to see the whole variety of things people do. :D

Re: Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Yes. And me, I have loved to look at pretty dresses - ever since I was a kid. So I love seeing what the bride, and all the women, wear!

That's why I, of course, want to see as many pics of your big day as you're willing to share. :)

Re: Have you been to <lj user="reallifewedding">?

[yubsie]

But of course! :D

[zooey-glass04.livejournal.com]

My engagement ring is platinum and sapphire (it's pretty similar to the one in this icon)and I wear it all day. I do wear rubber gloves if I'm washing up or cleaning, but I'm not particularly careful about soap, hand lotion and so on. I notice you said to Sarah your ring is platinum, which is a very strong and unreactive metal, so providing you don't pour bleach on it it should be fine. I take my ring off when I sleep, partly because the setting is so high, so it catches on things, and partly because DF has a great hatred of me wearing rings in bed (but you're not properly naked!). Generally I don't put it on until I've washed and put lotion on in the morning, and I take it off when I shower, but mainly to save me polishing it up, ahahah.

The one thing which is worth checking is how the stone will react to water. If you have a precious stone like diamond or sapphire, it should be pretty impervious to most things, but there are certain stones which are more vulnerable. Opal is the main one - they get spoiled if they get too much exposure to wet.

So exciting, omg! Are you going to have a little ring exchaning ceremony? I feel you should do something special and make a little (private) event of it. I felt very strongly about getting a formal proposal for that very reason - I wanted it to be a bit of an event. DF did go down on one knee, although he picked the local scummy pub to do it in, which was - ahem - not quite what I had in mind. He was too excited to wait until he had me somewhere nicer, though, so it was romantic in a DF way ;)

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Great - thanks for the info. I picked sapphires and diamonds for my ring because I did want something that could stand up to a lot of every day use. I hear you on opals. I was also told that emeralds aren't very strong either.

So exciting, omg! Are you going to have a little ring exchaning ceremony? I feel you should do something special and make a little (private) event of it. I felt very strongly about getting a formal proposal for that very reason - I wanted it to be a bit of an event. DF did go down on one knee, although he picked the local scummy pub to do it in, which was - ahem - not quite what I had in mind. He was too excited to wait until he had me somewhere nicer, though, so it was romantic in a DF way ;)

Awww...he was so into it that he just could not wait! That's kind of neat.

I personally do want to do *something* to celebrate the event. Doris doesn't like big events. But we both love forest preserves, so I was hoping that I could present the ring to her at a secluded spot at a forest preserve and say a few words there.

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

But we both love forest preserves, so I was hoping that I could present the ring to her at a secluded spot at a forest preserve and say a few words there.

How romantic! ::sniffle:: You're so awesome, Marianne. Doris one lucky woman! ::smile::

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon, I am very aware to treasure every minute we have together because one doesn't know when it will be all over. Even the exchange of rings doesn't mean that someday she won't decide to bolt either. :-(

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I totally didn't mean to bring you down, honey.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

You didn't bring me down at all! Really, it's just the reality. A few years ago I was talking with an acquaintance, Ben. He said that even if someone gets married, it still doesn't bring any guarantees about the relationship. There aren't ever any guarantees that any couple will stay together forever.

I feel a huge amount of sadness and empathy over what happened with you and Adam. I realize it could happen to me too. It could happen to anyone. It's just a fact and I always try to stay aware of it, even long before Adam left.

Of course the fact also is that you may someday meet your (male) Doris. Perhaps Adam wasn't the one for you and the universe was clearing him out of your life so you can meet the one.

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

Of course the fact also is that you may someday meet your (male) Doris. Perhaps Adam wasn't the one for you and the universe was clearing him out of your life so you can meet the one.

::shrug:: You know, after all of this bullshit, I'm in no hurry to find "the one". ^_^

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

*nods* That makes sense, totally. And really, many people love being single.

I liked it during much of my twenties. It allowed me to spend a lot of time on my friends and my interests. So perhaps a period of singledom is just what the doctor ordered for you.

[sarahetc.livejournal.com]

I personally do want to do *something* to celebrate the event. Doris doesn't like big events. But we both love forest preserves, so I was hoping that I could present the ring to her at a secluded spot at a forest preserve and say a few words there.

Oh, that will be really beautiful, really special.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Next time I go to the forest preserve I have in mind, I'll have to take pictures so I can show you how gorgeous it is. I can't do it justice with words, other than to marvel at its valleys and wild flowers and marsh and thick forest and the occasional deer I've spotted. The most breathtaking view at this place has a bench overlooking the deep valley. Maybe if we get there and the bench is unoccupied...

P.S.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

I don't know how into weddings in general you are, but since you're engaged, have you seen the LJ comm reallifewedding? It's really fun, people post pictures of actual weddings they've been to.

[nytshd3.livejournal.com]

aww, yay :)

i still think you should have a small party at your house to celebrate :) but then, im always up for celebrating :)

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

I'd really like to. I just can't figure out what to do about the guest list. It's not right if it's all friends from my side. But she has so few friends to begin with, and fewer still who she's out to. I could see our small party consisting of 10 of my friends and family and perhaps her brother and his former wife! (assuming her sister and brother in law aren't going to fly in from California for this, though they are supportive). It's just weird to have it so lopsided, you know?

And there's the fact that I can't see Doris enjoying being the center of attention especially on something that celebrates her gay relationship. :(

[nytshd3.livejournal.com]

i dunno, i think doris is very happy with your relationship in general... have you discussed the idea with her at all?

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

I guess there is no harm in just asking. I may as well. Maybe I'll frame it as, 'Do you want to do something special to celebrate the rings...like have a small get-together or something?'

[invisibleshrew.livejournal.com]

What they ^^ all said!

I've been wearing my rings almost all the time for mumble years now. The few times I've take them off I loop them through a cord and either I or Mediabloke wear them as a necklace for safekeeping.

The only thing I'd add is that it's a bad idea to put hard and soft metals together (so that the harder one doesn't wear away at the softer when they rub together) - so if you wear any other rings you'll want to keep them entirely separate. I wear my much loved cheapie 9ct gold ring safely away on my right hand.

Eeeeee. Rings! Still so excited for you.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thanks for the info on hard and soft metals. I hadn't thought of that. I do currently wear Doris's class ring (don't know what it's made of but I assume it's not too expensive) but it's on my right hand, and the ring will be on my left.

[lvs2read.livejournal.com]

What they all said. *points up* I've had a sapphire/diamond/gold ring that I've worn for 25+ years, through all kinds of rough usage, and it's just fine.

Congratulations to both you and Doris! *hugs*

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :-) *hugs*

I don't know anything about rings.

[razycrandomgirl.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say congratulations! :D

Re: I don't know anything about rings.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon.