Along with romantic proposals and handwritten vows, few things get our hearts pounding like heirloom engagement rings. Passing down rings (or even just the jewels from them) is especially prevalent in the South, where we cherish heirlooms in all forms, but when there isn’t already a diamond in the family, many engaged gals dream of starting the tradition themselves. We love this idea so much that, with the help of our friends at Jewelers Mutual, we’ve rounded up a few tips for taking the best possible care of your engagement ring, in the hopes that your future daughters and granddaughters can love it as much as you do!
Audrey + Ryan | Leslie Hollingsworth
Get your ring insured. This is one of the first things we suggest doing after getting engaged, because if your ring is lost or stolen and you can’t replace it, there won’t be anything to pass down in the first place. A recent survey by Jewelers Mutual found that while 60 percent of people dream of passing down their rings, only 40 percent have their rings insured. As y’all can clearly see, those number don’t add up! Jewelers Mutual was founded by jewelers and remains very involved in the jewelry industry, and with their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sentiment and importance your ring has to you, they’re a wonderful resource for keeping your ring protected.
Visit your jeweler regularly. Since you most likely wear your ring every day, it’s susceptible to quite a bit of wear and tear. At least once (preferably twice) a year, bring your ring in to your jeweler to have it professionally cleaned and inspected. That way, if any of the prongs loosen or become insecure, they can be repaired well before you risk losing any diamonds.
Be careful where you wear your ring. Diamonds may be extremely durable, but that doesn’t mean they’re indestructible. Take your ring off to do any kind of hard manual labor and store it in a safe place. We recommend buying a pretty little box or dish to keep your ring in every time you take it off–Paloma’s Nest is one of our favorite sources!
Keep it clean. Lotions, soaps, and even the oils in your hand can make gemstones look cloudy, so along with professional cleanings, give your ring some TLC every once in awhile. The best at-home cleaning method varies depending on the stone and metal of your ring, so ask your jeweler to make a recommendation.
We’d love to know, do you wear an heirloom ring? Or do you plan on passing yours down?
I have an heirloom ring and it’s one of the most special things to me! The diamond was my great grandmother’s whom I never met but was named after and born on her birthday.
I received her engagement ring for my 21st birthday and wore it as a cocktail ring for a while until I started dating my now fiance and gave it back to my parents for safekeeping when I knew he was the one. We looked at different rings together since I knew that I wanted it reset in white gold. I found the most gorgeous vintage looking setting that he had it the diamond placed in.
Not only are these heirloom gems special because of where they came from but I personally think they are 10 times as gorgeous since they were hand cut at the time of their production. My ring sparkles unlike any of my friend’s rings and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It will definitely continue to be passed down!
I love wearing my heirloom engagement ring and I can’t wait to wear the matching band on May 24th!!! My ring was my grandmothers from 1950!!!
Proud owner of an heirloom sapphire engagement ring from the 1920s. I wouldn’t’ trade it for a million bucks!
Thank you so much for this article! I got engaged back in December and my ring is my maternal grandmother’s ring, which makes me nervous to wear it, but it’s too beautiful not to!
I definitely plan on passing my ring down to either a daughter or granddaughter, thank goodness I have a lot of time to enjoy my ring until then :)