Summer is full of invitations to pool parties and garden soirees.  Many of you spend time cooking and entertaining friends and family during the warm season, which comes with more challenges in keeping your engagement ring in top shape.  We asked jewelry designer and expert Sylvie Levine  of the Sylvie Collection to give us some useful tips to share with you. They work for Summer and all year long.

“The real secret is to follow some hard and fast rules and never deviate from them no matter how much you want to flaunt that gorgeous ring of yours. It is crucial to take proper care of your engagement ring to ensure that it shines on your hand for years to come. When a jewelry piece has the potential to become a family heirloom or is close to your heart for sentimental reason, you must do everything in your power to protect it and have it checked by an expert occasionally.”

1 – Sunbathing

Most beauty products and sunscreens have chemicals in them; especially sulfates and sulphites, which can harm the metal of your engagement ring and can affect the brilliance of your diamonds adversely. The priority should be protecting your skin during a day at the beach or pool, so leave your ring somewhere safe. Some green beauty products are not as harsh on your jewelry but even with the most natural ingredients, lathering a lot of lotion will dirty your jewelry and harm it overtime.

2 – Swimming

Summer brings with it the opportunity to swim in pools and beaches, but chlorine and salt can make the surface of precious stones and diamonds dull and cause the metal to deteriorate. Moreover, you also stand the chance of losing your precious and priceless diamond engagement ring in the water. One more reason to leave your ring at home.

3 – Cleaning The House

Using cleaning chemicals can harm your engagement ring. We are not saying that you shouldn’t keep your home clean and hygienic, but putting on a pair of gloves while handling cleaning chemicals might be the right thing to do.

4 – Doing the Dishes

Liquid dish soap can dissolve, discolor or damage the metal band of your diamond engagement ring or the precious stone. Make it a point to take your rings off before you do the dishes!

5 – Operation of Heavy Equipment

If you have a job or a hobby that requires you to operate heavy machinery or do intensive manual work, it is better to leave your engagement ring at home. Such activities can cause breaks, cracks, and other sorts of damage to the band or the stones, causing it to become loose in its setting or split or crack. Keep this in mind when you have to move and carry heavy furniture or boxes.

6 – Gardening

Wearing gloves while gardening can eliminate any risk of the dirt or soil damaging a diamond engagement ring or making it dirty. You could also lose your ring if you are not using gloves.

7 – Sleep

It depends on the shape and size of your engagement ring, but it is always a good idea to not wear any jewelry while sleeping as it can cause harm to your partner’s face during the night, especially if the stone is large.

8 – Exercise

Activities like pole dancing, yoga, Pilates, weightlifting, cross fit or running can cause cracks in the stone and can scratch the band. While it is okay to wear your engagement ring during cardio, leave your ring at home during any of the above-mentioned activities.

9 – Oven-Cleaning (Special Mention)

Oven cleaners are harsh and filled with chemicals that can harm the ring. If they can burn your skin, they can definitely do much worse to the metal band and stone of your ring. Don’t bother covering up your ring with gloves while oven cleaning, remove it completely.

10 – Cooking and Baking

Although you can wear your wedding band or engagement ring for most cooking and baking activities, when you have to get your hands dirty while kneading the dough and pushing the mixture into the tart shell, do not wear your diamond engagement ring to avoid any mess or food particles being stuck in the ring.

All these are great tips but sometimes clever design will help protect your ring in many situations. Which is why it’s very important to go to a reputable jewelry store and as much as possible pick a designer ring. “I always keep the active woman in mind when designing. We are all real women, and whether we are moms, daughters, teachers or models, all of us need to feel comfortable tackling our everyday lives without having to worry about the quality of our diamonds being compromised. The best tip I can give our Sylvie brides is to never stop living your life and have as many outdoor adventures as you can! You can also consider just wearing your band when you’re at the pool as an alternative.” To learn more about Sylvie and her collection, click here.

Browse the Sylvie Collection gallery on Engagement 101