Diamonds are forever. However, sparkling, shiny diamonds can fade into dull, boring ones without attention. Proper care and maintenance will ensure your diamonds will glimmer beyond compare for years to come. We have a few guidelines that’ll help you show off your ring bling every day for years to come.

Insure Your Ring

One of the best things you can do to care for your ring is insure it. Of course, nothing can ever replace the emotional and sentimental value of your engagement/wedding ring. Insuring your ring just means if it’s ever lost or damaged, the cost is covered. Your significant other can go get you the same kind or invest in an upgrade.

Routine Inspections

Your wedding ring is probably one of the most important things you’ll wear. Regular inspections at your local jeweler will keep its health top notch. Yes, rings need annual check-ups just like you do! To the naked eye your ring might look just fine, but have problems under the surface. A jeweler can ensure there aren’t any chips or cracks in the diamonds and ensure your gemstones are firmly held in place. You can easily get these things fixed before they cause further deterioration of your diamonds or lead to a missing jewel in your setting.

Let The Ring Rest

You won’t spontaneously combust and your marriage won’t fail just because you take off your diamonds at times. You should take the ring off during any times that might present stress to your gems. Little things like carrying heavy luggage on a trip or washing dishes can mess with the setting or the diamonds. Let your ring rest at times so it isn’t always bullied by the outside world. You may feel naked, but you’re extending the life of your ring.

Clean Your Diamonds Regularly

You’ll be amazed at the shine a jeweler can bring out in your ring and most jewelers will steam clean your ring free of charge. Make sure you get it cleaned regularly to keep it sparkly. If you want to try to copy this cleaning technique at home, you can rinse it with warm water and dish detergent. Don’t scrub it with anything but a soft toothbrush. Some people swear by soaking your ring in gin or vodka to get the same effect.

Don’t Apply Body Creams When Wearing Your Ring

Diamonds become dull when slathered with heavy creams. As you rub lotion on your body or cream on your face, the residue can leave your diamonds looking sad. This residue may even discolor ring if you aren’t careful. Take your ring off and sit it in a safe location as you apply lotion to ensure it won’t get damaged.

Be Careful

Don’t be a daredevil on a daily basis when wearing your ring. Don’t be careless and leave it on during times it might get damaged. Whether throwing the football to your kids or wrestling with your dog, be careful not to chip the band or loosen the stones. Try not to punch the wall in anger or use your hand as a hammer hanging artwork. Swinging a tennis racket, spiking a volleyball, or lifting weights can easily knock stones our of their place.

Remove Your Ring When Preparing Food

Cooking can be messy. From kneading dough for bread, rolling meatballs between your hands, and rubbing spices on meat, food particles can get stuck deep within your diamonds. You don’t want raw meat stuck in your ring for days. Simply remove your ring and place it in a safe location when cooking. Make sure to put it back on after you get done so it doesn’t get swept away in the garbage disposal with the leftover remnants of food.

Store Diamonds Properly

It’s important that diamonds are stored properly when they aren’t on your finger. You may never take your ring off, but if you do, put it in the proper location. You should store diamonds in a jewelry box lined with cloth. This helps avoid scratches and any damage to the setting.

Don’t Swim With Your Ring

Swimming in cold water can shrink your fingers. This means the ring can become loose and fall off if you’re not careful. Harsh chemicals in pools and spas may also easily discolor your metal. Platinum is tough to taint, but sterling silver and white gold doesn’t stand a chance next to these chemicals. This doesn’t mean you have to remove your ring when taking a bath, but be careful of the sudsy bubbles that might dull your diamonds.

Remove Your Ring When Cleaning

Harsh chemicals can harm the diamonds as well as the metal in your ring. If you clean your home with solvents that contain bleach they can react negatively. They won’t destroy the ring, but they can leave diamonds cloudy and dull. Always remove your ring or wear gloves when cleaning to prevent this from happening.

When it comes to budgeting, it seems you’re either an expert or a novice. If you’re the latter you’re probably thinking, “who are all these saving experts and what are they doing that I’m not?” It’s true that there are tons of little details to think of when buying a ring. Purchasing a ring can break the bank, but it doesn’t have to. Let’s look at all the ups, downs, ins, and outs of the ring budget.

The One Ring

Before you budget anything, decide if you or your sweetie really needs this ring to be THE ring right now. It’s important to consider the alternative: getting a ring that’s affordable now and purchasing a different ring later when you’re not broke from the wedding planning. I know a lot of couples who have done this and it’s a real time saver. It can be a bit of a downer when you really just want to get engaged, but you have to wait to afford the ring. I’ve even seen this take years! Instead of killing yourself trying to get that special ring right now, why not buy a filler ring and get the real one later. Decide what’s more important to you, keeping yourself financially stable and getting engaged right away, or having the engagement ring you know you’re going to have forever no matter what it takes.

Know Their Tastes

You’d be surprised what you can get within your partner’s taste. It’s important to have an idea of what you’re looking for before you start. This is a great jumping off point for the budget because once you have a style to keep your eye on, you can get an idea of what prices are out there for that specific type. Keep in mind that not every woman wants a diamond. There are some really beautiful and affordable alternatives to diamonds that are becoming popular like pearl, or another gemstone like a ruby or emerald. If your gal is a true blue “diamonds are my best friend” type, consider the cut and size. It’s likely that whatever number you’re seeing that scares you can be cut down, literally.

Think about what shape of diamond she’s looking for. If she likes a couple designs find out which of the two costs less. That way you can get more bang for your buck, and more diamond for your shape. If she only likes one style consider cutting back a bit on the quality and size of the diamond. There are a lot of stores and jewelry sites that will allow you to pick a specific diamond, so you determine the quality. Weigh what’s more important when it comes to the overall look. Would your sweetie prefer you get the bigger size and not care as much about the quality? Is the shape extremely important or would she be open minded to something a little different?

Start Early

It’s like Christmas shopping, if you wait till the last minute your wallet will be sorely hit. This is because you’re trying to do too much all at once. Any good budgeter knows that the key to affording something is to know how much you’re going to spend and to plan ahead. If you start paying for the ring right away, I’m talking as soon as you know you’re going to propose, you’ll be in much better shape. Suddenly her perfect and expensive ring doesn’t seem so out of reach, especially if you choose from a store that has seasonal sales. Small payments are key. In fact, you may even be able to pay off the ring by the time you propose! Let’s face it, weddings are pretty pricey. You don’t want the ring to hold you back later on.

Be Realistic

Here’s the thing: the biggest budgeting problem that many people face is having eyes bigger than their wallet. Don’t be unrealistic. Know what you can spend. I know you want to get the perfect ring, but it won’t be perfect if you can’t eat for the next month. Once you know what price range the ring you want is in, sit down and go through your real-world budget. After all your expenses and bills, what’s left in your paycheck that you can reasonably extend towards ring payments? Try talking to the jeweler about payment options. Once you know what kind of pay scale is reasonable for you, you can begin to set up the right kind of plan for yourself. The more you plan this out and the more honest you are with where you’re at financially, the better off you’ll be to get the ring of her dreams.

Making a big purchase can be a scary thing, especially if you want to surprise your partner. Throw in the chance that you’re not the financial guru of the two and it’s even worse. But don’t worry! If you figure out the ring boundaries, start early, and are honest with your budgeting, you should be fine. Let planning become your favorite word and you will become the ultimate ring-budget champion.

Your wedding ring is something that will stay on your finger for decades as a sign of your forever love. Getting the ring you cherish means choosing the perfect one. Traditionally, the groom usually picks out a bride’s ring before he proposes so it can be helpful to drop some hints about what you like, or have an open discussion about it if you’d like to be more involved in the decision. To make sure you know what to look for, here’s a guide to customizing a wedding ring to ensure you get the design that’s perfect for you.

Setting and Styles

Choose what style of ring fits you best. There are many different kinds of rings. Vintage, modern, and classic are just several to choose from. Many brides love the solitaire style while others love a three-stone setting. A classic setting is called the prong setting. The prongs grip the stones inside your ring. Many brides love the classic look because there is minimal metal so diamonds or other gemstones seem to shine even more. A bezel setting has a modern look and is easy to maintain. This setting encircles the stone with a thin rim that holds the stone(s) in place. Another setting similar to this is the halo setting. This style adds a circle of diamonds around the center stone making it seem larger and brighter. Many vintage settings have scrollwork patterns or intricate details for a one-of-a-kind look.

The Four Cs

You’ve probably heard of the 4 Cs. Many brides swear it’s the first step to creating the perfect wedding ring. The 4 Cs refer to the cut, color, clarity, and carats of your gem. Diamonds are the most popular stones for the focal point of wedding rings. The cut is usually round, marquis, emerald, pear, or princess. You need to decide how much light you want entering the diamond that is then reflected back making the ring shine. The best cuts allow the light to be dispersed along the top making it shimmer with brightness. Diamonds actually come in different colors; however, the best color for a diamond is actually no color at all. This helps the light to pass through the easiest resulting in the brightest reflection. The clarity of a diamond refers to its amount of flaws. Diamonds range from totally flawless to simply imperfect. Most diamonds do have some imperfections, a totally flawless diamond is very rare to find. A diamond’s carat value is simply how much it weighs. Ask yourself if you want, and can afford, a 10 carat ring or love the pretty, classic 1.00 carat ring. Two diamonds can actually be the same weight in carats, but their value can be vastly different because of their cut, color, and clarity. Most brides choose a carat ring in the range of 1.00 to 3.00 carats.

Gemstones

Many brides choose the traditional diamond, but there’s other great options of gemstones for your ring. A gemstone with a bold color can give your ring the pop and unique look you want. Many brides choose their birthstone while others choose the stone of their anniversary. Some brides simply choose a stone they love with no significant meaning. Rubies, emeralds, and sapphires are some of the most popular choices.

Metal

You might be surprised to learn the color of your wedding ring is an important choice. It isn’t just silver or gold these days. Yellow gold is actually the most popular choice for the metal in wedding rings. Many brides also choose white gold. If you want something different, look into rose gold or a two tone metal with white and yellow gold mixed together. Sterling silver is also a classic choice for many brides and tungsten is gaining in popularity.

Commissioning a Family Ring

Sometimes a bride gets to wear a ring that has been passed on from generation to generation. The excitement of a great grandmother’s ring or their mother’s engagement ring can be just as great as getting a new ring. This type of ring has a deep meaning. Many times instead of using the entire ring a bride will commission it into their own design, keeping the stone or setting, but customizing it to fit their dreams for a ring. This way the bride gets the exact ring she wants with an added sentimental effect. Most jewelers will work with you to keep all of the history of the ring intact while adding the perfect touches.

Engraving

One of the best ways to customize your ring is with an engraving. Many brides choose their wedding date, a Bible verse, or their new initials. The engraving is usually on the inside of the band. The best thing about engraving a ring is that it doesn’t have to be done when you buy it, you can choose to engrave the ring years down the road. One thing you need to remember when getting a ring engraved is to ensure the engraving is done with deep cuts so it doesn’t wear easily over the years.

Are you and your spouse active people? Or do you have physically demanding jobs? If so, it may be worth considering switching to QALO rings instead of traditional wedding bands. While metal bands and diamond engagement rings are beautiful, they can pose problems for individuals who actively use their hands for work or play hard during their spare time. Until relatively recently, there were few alternatives for active couples. QALO, however, has taken the wedding ring market by storm. Their rings are made from medical-grade silicone and are function as symbols of love and commitment just as well as traditional metal ones.

More Comfortable Alternative

One of the major reasons that brides and grooms are switching from metal bands to silicone ones is comfort. Regardless of whether you’re active or not, silicone offers a softer and more pliable alternative that many people have come to prefer. Here’s an analogy: traditional bands and engagement rings are like an expensive pair of dress shoes or heels, whereas QALO rings are more like your favorite pair of sneakers or sandals. While it’s nice to dress up for special occasions, doing so everyday can be extremely uncomfortable. Seriously, sometimes you just want to dress down. That’s exactly what QALO rings are designed for.

Easy Customization

Many couples are looking for ways to personalize their commitment to one another by customizing their wedding bands. Luckily, QALO offers custom engraving services just like any traditional jewelry provider. You can request up to 12 characters worth of engraved messages, names, initials, or dates when placing your ring order. The process is easy and it adds very little time to the overall processing time.

Safety First Mentality

More than comfort, however, is the concern of safety. Not only do QALO rings offer a comfortable alternative to metal bands, they are also safer for individuals with active lifestyles or professions. These rings are specifically designed for hard-working, active hands using medical-grade silicone. Whether you work in a factory with heavy machinery or enjoy obstacle course racing, QALO rings are a much safer option. This also makes them ideal for people in service or first responder fields. In fact, QALO offers specially designed and colored ring lines for firemen, police officers, and those in the military.

Endless Design Options

If you’re worried about limited QALO design options, you can stop right now. As a company, QALO currently offers a huge variety of ring lines and types. You can choose from over 30 different colors and styles and additional designs are added all the time. They even have sparkled rings for both men and women. There’s absolutely no reason your silicone ring has to be plainly styled. In fact, due to the lower price point, you could order multiple versions to suit a variety of fashion choices.

Affordability and Easy Replacement

Another key reason to consider opting for QALO rings instead of traditional weddings sets is affordability. Weddings rings can be extremely expensive, the average men’s band costing around $600 and the average women’s band and engagement set costing around $7,300. The price of a QALO ring, on the other hand, starts at only $19.99. That’s an enormous difference. And what’s more? Replacement is easy and inexpensive. It’s not uncommon for both men and women to lose their wedding rings at some point during their marriage. Replacing traditional bands and engagement rings can be hard, if not impossible, while ordering a replacement QALO ring takes minutes and won’t drastically impact your budget. If you and your spouse have already exchanged vows and invested in traditional rings, it may be worth purchasing QALO rings as a couple merely to keep your nicer ones safe from damage or loss.

Top-Quality Customer Service

QALO was founded by two close friends, Ted and KC. Their initial goal was to create a wedding ring that would better suit their active lives. Together, they accomplished their mission and established an incredible business culture that is both professional and friendly. QALO isn’t merely a brand; it’s a community and every customer becomes part of it the moment he or she makes their first order. Everyone likes to feel valued. No one wants a bad experience when purchasing items online or otherwise. QALO knows this and works exceptionally hard to make customer service their top priority. With over 5,000 five-star reviews, their dedication to their customers is definitely paying off!

QALO Gives Back

In addition to a focus on customer service, QALO is also dedicated to giving back to the community. They have a number of philanthropic partners including, but not limited to, Barbells for Boobs, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and Alliance for Lupus Researching. When you order one of their special or limited edition rings, a portion of your purchase goes directly to supporting the relevant organization.

We all know the classic engagement story very well: two people meet, fall in love, someone saves up, buys a ring, and surprises their partner with the big question and the ring over dinner/coffee/the middle of the second half at an NBA game/a flash mob/ at home on their living room couch.

But what happens if the partner that you’ve chosen to love forever and ever doesn’t have a clue what your taste in jewelry is? What if you dislike the ring and you feel awkward about mentioning that to your future spouse?

Whether you have a very particular vision of your ring or you just aren’t a fan of surprises, shopping for a ring together is a practical and modern approach to an engagement. Here’s how to know whether or not ring shopping together is the right thing for you.

You Have a Vision of What Your Ring Looks Like

Engagement rings aren’t just the standard princess cut diamond with a silver band anymore—they can be personalized with different colored stones, unique settings, engravings, and anything else you can imagine. Expecting your partner to be able to pick out your perfect ring without ever discussing it first is a lot of pressure to put on someone. If you have a specific vision of what you want for your engagement ring, then shopping for a ring together can be tremendously helpful. Being surprised is fun, but getting a ring that you love is even better.

You Have Issues with the Diamond Industry

Diamond rings may be beautiful, but they can sometimes have a not-so-pretty story of how they got made. Conflict diamonds, or diamonds that are mined in violent settings resulting in civil wars, worker exploitation, and human suffering, are said to make up about four percent of diamonds in the industry. If you are a person who has great passion and conviction for this subject (and who wouldn’t!), then you might want to be extra sure that your partner isn’t accidentally purchasing a conflict diamond. Therefore, shopping together would be a great solution. When you go shopping for the ring together, you can take the steps necessary to ensure that your jeweler can certifiably prove that your stone is indeed conflict-free.

You Don’t Believe in the Traditional Engagement Setup

Traditional engagements where one partner surprises the other with a ring and a question can be really special—and for some couples it’s the right way to go. However, not all couples are the same or have the same outlook on how they want their engagement to go down. Whether you are in a same-sex couple and you don’t want one partner to feel pressure to ask the other, or you think that an engagement should be a decision made together, sometimes a surprise popping of the question isn’t the right move.

Shopping together for a ring may not be the romantic gesture they show in the movies, but it can be an incredibly joyful (and absolutely) romantic experience. Picking out a ring together is definitely a shopping date you won’t forget. And really, what’s better than shopping for jewelry together and popping a bottle of champagne at your favorite restaurant afterwards?

You and Your Partner Are Buying the Ring Together

The notion that the man is supposed to pay for an engagement ring alone is a vastly outdated idea. Although you might think that giving a diamond engagement ring is some ancient practice—you’d be incorrect. Buying a diamond engagement ring for a proposal actually didn’t start until after the Great Depression when an ad agency called N.W. Ayer & Son launched their now famous ad campaign, “A diamond is forever.” In combination with the slogan, the advertisement instructed young men who were eager to take a wife to save up two month’s salary and purchase their bride-to-be a diamond engagement ring. Diamond rings had gained popularity after the DeBeers Mining Company discovered diamonds in South Africa in the late 1800s.

So because this idea of a man purchasing a diamond ring and surprising their wife-to-be is nothing more than an old advertising ploy (albeit a very effective one), it’s totally okay to change the rules and go in on a ring together. Women are now the breadwinners of 42% of families, and of course, many women are now marrying women, making these outdated rules even more outdated.

An engagement ring is a very expensive item and there’s no reason why your partner should feel pressured to go into the financial commitment alone. Going shopping for a ring together will help you come up with an agreed-upon budget and work out the financial agreement together. Plus, if your partner isn’t paying cash for the ring and has less-than-stellar credit, you can swoop in there and save the day with a lower interest payment.

When it comes to engagement ring gemstone size, how big is too big—or is there even such a thing? Some celebrities sport 15 carats of pure diamond, but while you’re probably not a celebrity, you may still be wondering if the large rock look is appropriate for you. We can all agree that a ring as big as your head would be pretty impractical, but other than the obvious, what sizes are taboo? Read below for some guidelines on determining what rock size is a perfect fit.

Don’t Break the Bank

Don’t forget you have a wedding to pay for. Check your budget to make sure the ring you’re going to purchase is within your means; when we say within your means, we don’t mean you’ll be fine if you eat nothing but microwave noodles for the next six months. Really think about what matters to you. My cousin had an extremely extravagant wedding and honeymoon. It was all very beautiful, but later on when she had two kids she wished she had toned it down on the budget a bit. Why? Because, priorities change. Try to think ahead. Does the ring’s size really matter that much? Are you going to want the thousands you would’ve spent on the ring for something else, like a house? If money is no issue then that’s great, but make sure to always plan carefully.

Consider Your Hands

Every woman’s body is different, including her hands. Some of us have small hands with slender fingers; some of use have larger hands with short, thicker fingers. The size of your stone isn’t always about cost—it should be about what looks good too!

Large stones will dwarf slender fingers, depending on the cut, can look almost like the candy rings you sported as a child. They can also make short fingers look even shorter. The best way to know what will look best on you is to try on multiple carat sizes in the general style you want. A 2.5 carat stunner might look impressive in the case, but not always on your hand.

Consider Hand Activity

Have you ever tried wearing a ring all the time? Some people can’t stand them; I get annoyed with the feeling after 20 minutes. However, most women say that you do get used to it. Now consider a huge ring. Think about the weight and general bulkiness. Prettiness aside, if the thought of your left hand being weighed down makes you anxious, a large gem is probably not for you.

Also think about your job and hobbies. Will you be held back by a larger ring or be afraid of it getting damaged? If so, you’ll probably end up taking it off and putting it back on a lot. If this thought doesn’t bother you, then that’s cool, but if it does you might want to stick to a smaller style.

What about your everyday life? It can be annoying when a piece of jewelry gets caught on everything. You want your engagement ring to bring you nothing but joy. Will a bulky ring that gets caught on things sometimes and drive you nuts?

Is Flashy Classy or Trashy?

Consider the actual style and look of the ring you’re thinking about. How do you want to present yourself? This is a piece you will be presumably wearing forever, so you’ll want to think this through. The biggest factor in choosing your gem size is personal taste. It’s just a fact of life; some people think a huge ring is gorgeous and impressive and some think it’s just super gaudy.

So what kind of person are you? Do you love to stand out with tons of bling or does the thought of an eye-catching rock make you squirm? If you’re not sure, think about your personal style. Are you the kind of person who’s always dressed up and who always gets a manicure? You might be more inclined for a large ring. Then again, if you’re the kind of person who isn’t too fussy about their looks and loves to rock a more casual t-shirt ensemble, you might be better off with a modest, beautiful ring.

It’s an Accessory

Speaking of outfits, you’ll want to think about your ring in tandem with your style of clothing. Your ring will act as an accessory to every outfit you wear. Let’s say you pick a huge emerald for your ring instead of a diamond. It’s a beautiful ring, but you’ll want to keep in mind that since it’s so big, that green will really pop. This might clash with certain outfit color choices. You may not care, but if you do and you’re committed to your unique ring, you might want to go a bit smaller. That way your ring fits in with your look seamlessly.

Since it’s something you’ll be wearing every day, it is a big decision. Make sure to think about not just who you are now, but who you think you’ll be in the future. Leave yourself some room to love the ring forever. You don’t want to have regrets later you chose the biggest thing in the jeweler’s case. You may leave yourself thinking, “yeah, it’s impressive, but it drives me nuts!” But, on the other hand, downside to a small ring is just that: it’s small. Be honest with yourself if that will bother you, too, and discuss this with your fiance.

Regardless of size, your engagement ring should be all about the love you share. It should be special for the both of you, but you have to wear it forever so it’s important that you love what you’re putting on!

Tungsten wedding bands are having a moment. Whether your guy just doesn’t like the look of a traditional gold band, or he has a job that involves some sort of manual labor, it seems that tungsten bands are increasingly becoming more popular with young grooms—and even some brides who want to forego the traditional gold and diamonds. … read more

Don’t have a “Ring Goals” Pinterest board? Always fast-forward through jewelry commercials? Does the idea of walking into a jewelry store to talk to salesperson make you sick to your stomach? … read more

So you’ve found the one? The yin to your yang; the beginning to your end; the sun to your moon; the woman of your dreams! And now you’re ready to pop the question, but first: the ring. … read more

We’ve all seen that one Instagram photo: the one with a halo diamond engagement ring that has the caption, “I said yes!” Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with this Instagram post—it’s just that we’ve seen it many times over. If you’re not into a traditional Tiffany setting or the halo setting (the Tiffany’s modern equivalent), there are still plenty of engagement ring options for you to choose from. … read more