Life in a pandemic sure is strange. There are many weddings being postponed and those that are going ahead have far smaller crowds. If you got married before the pandemic you are likely considering yourself very lucky, and you are right. Yet there is a price that you are paying and you may not even realize. Whether you got married 2 years ago or 20, you are probably still wearing a wedding and engagement ring. These beautiful pieces of jewelry are an important symbol of your love and commitment. Yet during the pandemic, they are facing a new threat and it is not COVID-19!
While the pandemic roars on we are all doing our part to remain safe. If you are currently in a lockdown then you are likely staying home, keeping your distance, and wearing a mask when outside. Even if you are not in a lockdown at this present time you may still be keeping a safe and respectful distance and hand sanitizing all the time. It is this last protocol that may have your rings in danger.
New studies have shown that hand sanitizer contains chemicals that are very bad for your rings and the stones inside them. By using hand sanitizer a lot each day you are actually risking dulling the color of your ring. Not only that but the fixing that holds that beautiful diamond in place may come loose with a lot of sanitization.
It is a difficult issue as in reality not a lot can be done about it. To fight the pandemic we need to continue to hand sanitize, this is the most important step. Hand sanitizing can reduce the risk of spread by a huge amount and this could be the key step to returning our lives to normal soon. Always hand sanitize.
Some people argue that you should take off your ring before sanitizing your hands or washing them. It appears like good advice when you first hear it, but it doesn’t work. If you take off your rings, use hand sanitizer and then pick up your rings you are likely picking up a ring that had the same bacteria you just washed off your hands. This means the sanitization you just did is now pointless. So the constant on/off idea simply doesn’t work out.
On the other hand, what you could do is decide to stop wearing your rings until this pandemic is over. If you chose to wear a rubber ring instead (something that a lot of trade workers and doctors choose to do) this would still show your commitment but also protect your ring in a time of hand sanitization. That may not sound like fun and if you recently got married you probably don’t like the idea of taking your ring off but there is one massive upside to this.
If you do take your rings off for a while, which is the smart choice for the pandemic and your jewelry, then you can always celebrate the day you put them back on. Imagine the atmosphere in the air when the pandemic is finally over once and for all and life returns to normality. You will obviously go out for a celebratory dinner and in the perfect moment, you and your partner can place your rings on each other’s fingers once again. It would be a beautiful moment to mark the end of a very tough time.
Whatever you decide to do it is important to be safe and smart. While we all love our jewelry you must not stop sanitizing. The restrictions and guidelines that are currently in place are for your safety and are there with the aim of getting people back to normality as soon as possible.
