Many people love wearing their engagement rings, but there may be times when it isn’t appropriate. If you’ve only recently received your precious engagement ring, you may be wondering if you should always wear it, even at work.
You can wear your engagement ring to work as long as your job doesn’t put it at risk of damage, whether from chemicals or physical force. Otherwise, it’s safer to keep your engagement ring at home or find ways to protect it.
In this article, I’ll explore when you can and shouldn’t wear your engagement ring to work. I’ll also feature tips on how you can keep your ring safe and protected in the workplace.
How To Keep Your Engagement Ring Safe at Work
Your engagement ring can easily get damaged, which is why it’s not good to wear it all the time. There are certain situations in which wearing your engagement ring at work is not suitable. These include the following:
You Work Heavily With Your Hands
If your job requires you to use your hands a lot, your ring’s metal and stones can easily become scratched or chipped. Examples of careers that include lots of work with your hands include being a/an:
- Hairdresser
- Electrician
- Massage therapist
- Carpenter
- Construction worker
- Mechanic
- Warehouse worker
Wearing a ring in a job that requires you to use your hands a lot could cause injury in other ways. You could, for example, get the ring stuck on something that could damage your finger.
A ring avulsion is a type of injury you could experience, which is when your ring gets pulled with a strong force, and it can lead to finger amputation.
You Work With Harmful Chemicals
There are many chemicals that can damage or dull your ring. Chemicals such as bleach are very harsh and can therefore damage your ring by scratching or tarnishing it. But even those you consider to be gentler products, such as moisturizers and soaps, contain chemicals that cause a film to develop on the ring, masking its shine.
It’s not just your ring you should worry about but also your health. If you work with chemicals regularly, such as in a lab, you shouldn’t wear any ring on your fingers because harsh and corrosive liquids can get underneath the ring and cause skin irritation.
You Work With Heated Items or Surfaces
Metal conducts heat, so a metal engagement ring will be dangerous to wear if you’re working around anything that becomes too hot, such as a stove or a welding torch. This could cause the metal of your ring to become very hot and burn your finger.
So, whether you work as a chef in a kitchen or you’re a welder, you should ensure you don’t wear your ring.
Similarly, if you’re an electrician, you should avoid wearing your engagement ring to work because the metal can conduct electricity and give you a shock.
You’re in the Pool Regularly
If you spend many hours working in a chlorinated pool, such as if you’re a swimming teacher or swimmer, you shouldn’t wear your engagement ring. The chemicals in the water can damage your ring by making its diamonds and stones become dull.
On the other hand, the salt in seawater can also cause your ring to become damaged by corroding it. It dulls the stones in your ring’s design, which will make it lose its beautiful shine.
What To Do With Your Engagement Ring at Work
While leaving your engagement ring at home is the safest bet to keep it in excellent condition and prevent accidental injuries in the work setting, there are ways that you could protect your ring while still wearing it.
- Remove your ring when washing your hands. This will prevent soap from making the shank and diamond become dull over time. Just make sure you put it in a safe place instead of leaving it on the counter and avoid accidentally dropping it down the drain.
- Remove your ring when using harsh chemicals. This will prevent the stones or diamonds from getting damaged. Avoid keeping your ring on even when wearing gloves in a lab. Your ring’s stone might tear the glove’s thin layer and expose your skin to harsh chemicals.
- Keep your ring in a locker or safe. This will prevent you from misplacing it as you move from one activity to another. But, even better is to keep it on you by purchasing a RingHero Wristband, available from Amazon. It’s a patented wristband that has a hidden zippered pocket. By wearing it on your wrist, you’ll always remember to take your ring with you.
- Consider a non-metal ring band. If you work with your hands or with electricity, such as if you’re an electrician, you should consider purchasing a non-metal ring that you can use instead of your real engagement ring. A silicone ring is non-conductive and will break if it gets caught on something, so it will protect you against injuries and shocks.
- Wear your ring around your neck. If you love wearing your engagement ring all the time but you don’t want it to get damaged on-site, consider wearing it on a necklace around your neck instead of on your finger.
- Avoid wearing a ring that’s too tight. If your finger gets injured or gets swollen, a very tight ring can make it more difficult for doctors to remove it, which puts the health of your finger at risk. If your ring is too tight, have it adjusted by a professional jeweler. Signs your ring is too tight include if you can’t turn the ring on your finger.
Final Thoughts
You love your engagement ring, but if you regularly work with your hands or dangerous equipment at work, it could easily get damaged. This is why you need to protect it. The best way in which to do this is to keep it at home so that it maintains its shine and beauty.
However, if you do need to wear it, make sure you protect it by:
- Removing it when you wash your hands.
- Removing it when you use harsh chemicals.
- Storing it in a wristband or in a locker when you’re at work.
If you found this article useful, make sure you save this pin below to your Jewelry board.
