You just got your engagement ring and your wedding ring, how do you protect them from getting scratched?

Never wear it. Keep it in a box forever and ever and ever. Do not look upon it. Don’t touch it. Avoid direct eye contact with it.

Ok, that’s not fair, but it is true. The only way to ensure that your rings never get even a little scratched is to not wear them, but since that isn’t an option, what else can you do?

Here is a small dose of truth – your engagement rings and wedding rings, whether silver, gold or platinum* will get scratched, dinged, and worn over time, even a short period of time.

Prefer to watch and/or listen about how and why your rings get scratched? I made a video about this too!

Why would your wedding or engagement ring get scratched at all?

This happens because precious metals, while strong, are also flexible, and are not rigid. You actually don’t want them to be, because a rigid ring that gets caught can have a harsher affect on your finger than one that bends.

Even the process of making a ring puts dings and scratches into the metal that have to be removed in the process.

As a jeweler, in order for me to make a ring from metal, I may start with a solid rod of 14 karat gold. From there I heat it to make it more malleable, then I bend it using steel tools. Sometimes, if I’m not careful, this puts a ding in the metal that I have to remove. Then I form it round and solder it closed. That solder seam often needs to be cleaned up, this time with silicone abrasive tools or sandpaper. Then it has to be given a final polish – again with either silicone abrasives or sandpaper.

The point of me telling you this is that these tools may not look like they can have a scratching or abrasive effect, but they do.

Sandpaper that you can pick up at the hardware store can scratch your rings. Even in my studio, I use a plastic mallet to shape metal. Yup – even soft plastic can form or misshape your rings. Lots of surfaces can cause small scratches or even dings if you hit it just right (or just wrong as the case may be).

How to protect your wedding ring from getting scratched

Did your jeweler give you any care instructions when they sold you your ring? That’s a good place to start learning to properly care for your rings. It is also the mark of a decent jeweler.

Gardening, lifting weights, lifting heavy things at all can all scratch and even bend your rings. So if you plan to do these things, find a safe place to temporarily store your ring during those activities.

And as jewelers, we do encourage you to use some caution to keep your rings looking nice, but also to keep them in good structural condition.

I remember maybe 25 years ago my mom took her wedding and engagement rings in to have the shanks thickened up. After years of wear, they were starting to get worn down and a little bit thin. They had been purchased in the 60s so this was to be expected. But this also happens because gold and silver will get tiny scratches that over time can thin out the metal. It is very normal to have rings that need to be re-shanked after years of wear, so remember to factor that in when buying your rings, or start off with thicker rings.

What to take into consideration when buying your wedding and engagement rings to prevent damage

If you are truly going to be worried daily about your rings getting scratched, dented or misshapen during their lifetime, consider what kind of ring you might want to have from the start.

For instance, an eternity band is far more likely to have issues with stones popping out if you wear it while weightlifting. And that is a pricey repair job, so consider having a plain band instead of an eternity band.

A cathedral setting for your engagement ring will be tall and likely to catch if you need to wear gloves for your day job. Consider getting a lower bezel setting instead.

If you are concerned about your two rings scratching each other while wearing them at the same time, consider having your jeweler solder the rings together.

Basically, from the time that you are thinking about your wedding and engagement rings, take your lifestyle into consideration.

Will your engagement ring get scratched over time?

I know that you bought your engagement ring or wedding band hoping that it would stay the same for the lifetime of the ring, but your relationship will change and become more precious over time, your ring will too.

So what can you do? Accept it.

Easier said than done, right?

Accept and love that your engagement and wedding rings will get scratched over time.

Each and every scratch is a moment in your life, an experience, the passing of time. If your jewelry is scratched that means you are wearing it, expressing your style and living your life. Let your ring grow with you.

Have any questions I didn’t answer here? Drop it in the comments!

*It’s a bit of a misunderstanding to say that platinum doesn’t scratch. And yet, this is a myth that still exists in the jewelry industry.

If you scratch gold, you remove a tiny amount of metal which thins the gold over time. Platinum on the other hand is very dense and therefore is more likely to get displaced, but not removed. So it will look like it has been scratched, but there will be little to no metal loss.

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