Engagement and wedding rings are valuable possessions not just because of their market value, but more importantly because of what they symbolize. After all, you did not invest hundreds or thousands on your ring just so it can become dented, scratched, or broken. If you live in industrialized cities like Reading, you can find reputable jewellery shops like Jacobs the Jewellers that offer all kinds of jewellery repair. However, with a few simple and careful steps you can minimise the amount of time your jewellery may be away being repaired.
In an article for the Huffington Post, contributor Elizabeth Mitchell identified situations where one needs to take off a ring to prevent it from getting damaged. Mitchell advised to do so before working out, moisturizing and even swimming. Whilst this may not always be convenient, it is definitely worth consideration.
Is Platinum Indestructible?
Platinum is the premium white metal jewellers choose to work with. While platinum is often regarded as a tough metal, it is actually ductile and malleable. This means that the metal can be bent or even broken given sufficient force. If it gets caught onto something hard and you accidentally pull at it strongly enough, it can bend. The claws holding the stone can also loosen up or break, causing the gem to fall off. Platinum can also scratch but is certainly the most resistant and hard wearing of the noble jewellery metals.
Chemical Change
If you believe that only pressure can have an effect on platinum, think again. Like other metals, platinum will react with certain substances, just as iron forms rust when exposed to moisture. Because platinum is malleable, it can melt faster than other metals. And while it doesn’t melt when soaked in most acid solutions, it will dissolve in aqua regia, a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. It can also melt in alkali such as sodium hydroxide and limewater. But you probably won’t come across this scenario too often!
Regardless of which jewellery shop in Reading you bought your platinum ring from, it will undergo a certain degree of chemical change when exposed to any of those substances. So if your job involves the use of those compounds, better take off your platinum ring before starting to work. Also, some chemicals like those used in moisturizers and cosmetic products could reduce the lustre of platinum. In the article, Mitchell advised to take off one’s ring when applying cosmetics and moisturizing.
When you ring is broken or its sheen has already faded, go to any of the reputable Reading jewellery shops that offer repair and restoration services, like Jacobs the Jewellers. Such businesses have the experts and the equipment to bring your ring back to pristine condition. Jacobs has an on site jewellery workshop with expert advice to help you bring your jewellery back to its best and smile back to your face!
(Source: 5 Times You Really Should Take Your Engagement Ring Off, HuffingtonPost.com)