A common question that we get here at Love & Promise is “how do I know which rings will suit my lifestyle?”. While all rings need to be handled with some TLC, there are a few high and low maintenance options that we offer for everyone’s different style of living. Here are some examples of these types of rings and how to handle them with care:
Women’s Engagement Rings
Higher Maintenance: Heidi
Some rings feature many tiny stones in various locations which may require extra mindfulness when worn. A good general rule of thumb is the more tiny stones there are, especially in locations that receive the most trauma, the more likely the prongs can loosen. Looser prongs mean the diamond(s) can potentially fall out over time. Our Heidi engagement ring as you see here has quite a few diamonds set in the ring located on the basket, prongs, and halfway down the shank. Due to the number of stones, the location of the stones, and height of the basket this would place the Heidi in the high maintenance category.
Another member of higher maintenance styles is the micro pave setting style. For that style, you can think of our Tasha ring. Typically, micro pave designs have an interior structure sort of like a honeycomb where everything is interconnected. If one area gets damaged, a cluster from that section will likely fall out because all the prongs are interconnected and shared. Although this design is super glittery because of the tiny shared prongs and minimal metal, this style requires extra mindful wearing and routine check-ups/tightenings every 3-6 months for optimal care.
All these elements combined will increase the chances of stones loosening and will require more routine check-ups/tightenings to prevent stones from loosening and falling out. We categorize high maintenance for rings that require more frequent routine check-ups/tightenings. The recommended time frame is every 3-6 months with daily mindful wearing.
Lower Maintenance: Delia
For lower maintenance engagement rings, our Delia would fall into this group. It has a dropped setting, a protective basket, and only one center stone. There is no need to worry about any additional stones falling out of place! Another great example would be our Ida. This ring has a lower setting and has no prongs so that means no snagging! A good thing to keep in mind is that the less tiny prongs that are involved in holding tiny stones, the less likely the accidental occurrences will take place! Typically, the lowest maintenance ring designs involve minimal to no prongs. These styles will require routine check-ups/tightenings every 6-12 months to ensure optimal care.
Women’s Wedding Bands
Higher Maintenance: Naomi
Although our series of Naomi bands are one of our most popular designs, they are also the ones that need a little more care and mindfulness. Why’s that? This band is a single, shared prong style with minimal metal. One prong holds two stones so if one prong takes a hit, it’s possible that you will lose two stones at once. Yikes! The same applies for our other single prong eternity band series, such as the Cher or Leona. Remember, the daintier the band, the higher the maintenance. While it may sound very scary, a majority of our customers who own these styles rarely have accidents when the rings are worn with extra mindfulness and are brought in for routine check-ups/tightenings.
Lower Maintenance: Petite Bubbles
When it comes to low maintenance bands, we have quite a few options that fit the bill. If you want something that has stones, our Petite Bubbles eternity band is a popular choice! This style has a bezel setting which means no prongs. If you’re leaning towards a ring with no stones but is not a plain band, our Petite Buddha Beads is the ring for you! The bead style is a touch of unique without being too avant-garde! It’s simply one of a kind.
Men’s Wedding Bands
Higher Maintenance: Gold Bands
For men’s bands, it’s more about the type of metal more so than the ring itself. A higher maintenance metal for men’s bands would be gold because of gold’s softness. Additionally, any matte polish that is applied to the ring will show scratches more quickly compared to a high shine polish. Something to keep in mind is the lower the karat gold, the stronger the alloy is because there is less gold in the mixture – gold measures a 3 on the Mohs scale with 10 being the highest in hardness. So when in doubt, choose 14kt over 18kt as 14kt is stronger! The highest hardness for precious metals is the platinum 950 which measures a 4 on the Mohs scale. A band like our Steve is an excellent example of a classic style band that can last a lifetime when worn with care and mindfulness.
Lower Maintenance: Alternative Metals
Alternative metals on the other hand are on the stronger end. That being said, they are more scratch-resistant and the polish can be maintained more easily. Our hardest alloy offered for example is the tungsten carbide. This metal measures a 8.5-9 on the Mohs scale and is least likely to scratch or get damaged compared to the other alloys. Following that alloy is cobalt, black zirconium, and titanium, which measures roughly a 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Because these alloys are harder, there are fewer options for designs. Ultimately, the hardness affects the crafting process. Our Ricky, John, and Pierre are popular choices at our shop for alternative metal options.
Care
Our top priority is always to arm you with facts and tools that can help keep your rings and jewelry in tip top shape! We recommend having your ring cleaned and stones tightened every 3-6 months the latest for higher maintenance products and every 6 months for lower maintenance products. This will help us stay afloat with the health of your jewelry while reducing the chances of unlikely occurrences! All products come with our “Basics Lifetime Guarantee” which includes a lifetime of free check-ups, tightenings, and basic cleanings; you are only responsible for shipping. If you would like additional coverage beyond our “Basics Lifetime Guarantee”, we can include a complimentary appraisal certificate for your insurance company upon request. For any further questions regarding care beyond our jewelry care page, please feel free to contact us, we are always here to help!
Now that you’re equipped with new information on all that is high vs. low maintenance rings, we feel confident that you will choose a ring that is best suited for your lifestyle! As always for all the latest here at Love & Promise, follow us on our socials, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out our website often to see all that new new that we are dishing out. See you next time Rosettes!
