Most of the world is either quarantined or using excessive care right now. CoronaVirus (or COVID-19) was officially recognized by the WHO as a pandemic and now it’s up to us to do our part to contain the spreading of the disease.

Here at Estate Diamond Jewelry, we understand that we’re not qualified to give advice on COVID-19 or anything medical related. All your medical information should be taken exclusively from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and WHO (World Health Organization).

We are, however, qualified to talk about jewelry. We have been in business for over 40 years and we’ve published a book on understanding engagement rings. We’ve been interviewed by and featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, CNBC, Vogue Paris, Time Magazine, Insider Business, and more.

Should you Wear an Engagement Ring during Coronavirus?

For those who don’t want to read the entire article, we will spare you some time and answer the question right away.

No! You should not wear your engagement ring or wedding band during the coronavirus.

If you came in contact with the disease, your rings will be able to very easily carry the disease. The 20-seconds of cleaning that the CDC requires will NOT be sufficient to ensure that the ring is also clean. See below.

We strongly recommend that everyone removes their rings throughout the duration of the pandemic.

This precaution should be done by everyone who wears rings, even if you’re certain that you do not carry the disease.

Reasons why you Shouldn’t Wear Your Rings During Coronavirus

Here are the reasons why we believe that you should not wear your engagement rings during the Coronavirus:

As mentioned, the regular cleaning that is recommended by the CDC will not be sufficient to properly ensure that your engagement ring is properly cleaned. As expert jewelers, we believe that a ring requires a longer cleaning in order to be free of dirt and grime.

that your engagement ring is properly cleaned. As expert jewelers, we believe that a ring requires a longer cleaning in order to be free of dirt and grime. The frequency of cleaning (recommended by WHO and CDC) will harm your engagement ring . Your engagement ring is not supposed to be over-cleaned. The chemicals and aggressive friction will wear away at the prongs and filigree.

. Your engagement ring is not supposed to be over-cleaned. The chemicals and aggressive friction will wear away at the prongs and filigree. If you are wearing gloves, the engagement rings will tear right through them.

If you clean your hands with your rings on your finger, the pressure of the ring against the skin may leave a part of your skin unwashed.

Where should I keep my Rings During the Coronavirus?

Make sure that you keep your rings in a secure-safe. Keeping them on a shelf or desk is a very bad idea. Your schedule has very likely changed significantly due to the pandemic. This shift in your life will create extra chaos in your life and may cause you to accidently misplace it.

Find a safe location and store it there until the pandemic is over.

If you don’t own a secure safe, here are a few ideas of places where you could keep your rings:

In a Ring Box . This applies to all the other ideas mentioned below. The ring is safest when placed in a hard-shell ring box.

. This applies to all the other ideas mentioned below. The ring is safest when placed in a hard-shell ring box. Ask a friend or family who own a safe to store it for you.

Rent a bank safe deposit box.

If the above ideas are not feasible, your bedroom table or drawers may be your next best idea.

The top shelf of the bathroom vanity.

You can purchase a fake hiding prop. Here’s a list of great ideas.

You can keep it in your pocket or in a purse. There is, of course, a risk that you may misplace it…

Again, the best option is to purchase a secure-safe and place your rings inside throughout the duration of the pandemic.

How to Disinfect Your Engagement Ring during Coronavirus?

Please note that our recommendations are inferred from the CDC website, but are not written clearly in regards to engagement rings.

Until the time that the CDC or WHO provides clear guidance regarding the cleaning of engagement rings, here are our recommendations on how to safely disinfect your engagement ring.

Step 1: Prepare warm water and let the ring soak in the water for 20-minutes. Do not use hot water as you may risk damaging the stones or loosening the prongs.

Step 2: Remove the ring from the water and pour an alcohol-based sanitizer (with 60% alcohol) on the ring. Use a toothbrush to gently scrub the entire ring. Don’t forget to scrub underneath the ring.

Step 3: Let the ring air dry. Don’t use tissues or a blow dryer!

Please note that if your ring contains emeralds, aquamarine, opals or pearls you will want to be very careful before using any harsh chemicals or soaps.

Here’s a list of the rings that are safe to disinfect:

Soap and Warm Water Alcohol and Soft Chemicals Diamond Yes Yes Sapphire Yes Yes Emerald No (Only use water) No Pearls Yes No Ruby Yes Yes Aquamarine Yes No Opals Yes No Moissanite Yes Yes Amethyst Yes Yes

References for Keeping Safe during Coronavirus

Here’s a few online locations to get safe and accurate information regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

Final Thoughts

This pandemic will pass. Stay safe, and more importantly stay positive. Being vigilant doesn’t require becoming scared or obsessive.

Our objective is not to frighten anyone or make a bold definitive statement, but rather to start an important conversation that we hope will lead towards heightened safety practices.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us in the comments below. Please do not ask us medical questions! We aren’t qualified to answer. Please direct all medical questions to a licensed physician.

We’ve reached out to the CDC and to a few medical professionals. We will update this article when they respond.

If you know anyone who can benefit from this article, feel free to share a link with them.