- Education
- Care, Repairs & Remodelling
Care and repairs
Jewellery Care and Maintenance: Keeping Your Pieces Wearable for Life
Fine jewellery is made to be worn, but daily wear slowly takes its toll. These guides explain how to clean, store and check your pieces, and what a jeweller can do when something needs attention.
Most jewellery problems start small. A claw wears thin, a band slowly goes out of round, or a film of soap and sunscreen dulls a diamond's sparkle. Good care is mostly about simple habits and regular checks, so you catch issues before a stone is lost or a repair becomes expensive.
Start with our engagement ring care guide, which covers the everyday basics. Then learn how to clean a diamond ring at home safely, and why different gems need different methods. From there, the maintenance guides explain warning signs such as loose stones and worn claws, along with what's involved in rhodium replating, re-shanking and resizing.
The final group covers bigger changes: remodelling inherited pieces, setting a loose diamond, upgrading a stone or adding an engraving. GemTrove has worked with Australian jewellery owners since 2008, and these guides reflect what our Graduate Gemologist, Raj Sood, sees at the bench every week.
Start here
A simple path through the basics
- Engagement Ring Care GuideBegin with the everyday habits that protect your ring's metal, setting and stones.
- Can You Wear Your Ring in the Shower, Pool or at the Beach?Find out which daily activities are fine and which are best done with your ring off.
- How to Clean a Diamond Ring at HomeLearn a safe, simple routine for restoring sparkle between professional cleans.
- Loose Stones and Stone TighteningRecognise the early signs of a loose stone and know when to see a jeweller.
- Ring Resizing: What Determines Whether a Ring Can Be Resized?Understand which ring designs and metals can be resized, and why some can't.
Care, Repairs & Remodelling
Everyday wear and storage
Care, Repairs & Remodelling
Cleaning your jewellery
Care, Repairs & Remodelling
Maintenance checks and repairs
Care, Repairs & RemodellingRhodium Replating ScheduleCare, Repairs & RemodellingWhy Rings Go Out of Round
Care, Repairs & RemodellingWhen to Repair vs Replace a BandCare, Repairs & RemodellingRe-Shanking a RingCare, Repairs & Remodelling
Resizing and fit
Care, Repairs & Remodelling
Remodelling, upgrades and personalising
Care, Repairs & RemodellingJewellery Remodelling: What Can Be Reused Safely?
Care, Repairs & RemodellingHow to Redesign an Old Ring Into a Modern Engagement Ring
Care, Repairs & RemodellingSetting a Loose Diamond Into an Existing RingCare, Repairs & RemodellingUpgrading Your Diamond
Care, Repairs & RemodellingDiamond Girdle Engraving: Names, Dates and Custom MessagesEvery guide
All 24 care, repairs & remodelling guides
Show all 24 guides
- Engagement Ring Care Guide
- Can You Wear Your Ring in the Shower, Pool or at the Beach?
- Can You Sleep or Work Out in Your Ring?
- Sunscreen, Chlorine and Your Jewellery
- How to Store Jewellery
- Travelling With Fine Jewellery: Practical Risk-Reduction Tips
- How to Clean a Diamond Ring at Home
- Cleaning Gemstones by Type
- Professional Jewellery Cleaning vs Home Cleaning
- How to Clean Silver Jewellery
- Loose Stones and Stone Tightening
- When Do Ring Claws Need Retipping?
- Rhodium Replating Schedule
- Why Rings Go Out of Round
- When to Repair vs Replace a Band
- Re-Shanking a Ring
- Ring Resizing: What Determines Whether a Ring Can Be Resized?
- Should Your Engagement Ring Be Designed for Future Resizing?
- Ring Sizing Beads and Sizing Bars
- Jewellery Remodelling: What Can Be Reused Safely?
- How to Redesign an Old Ring Into a Modern Engagement Ring
- Setting a Loose Diamond Into an Existing Ring
- Upgrading Your Diamond
- Diamond Girdle Engraving: Names, Dates and Custom Messages
Ask a gemologist
Talk it through with a gemologist
Raj Sood is a Graduate Gemologist (GIA) and master jeweller. Bring the stones you are considering, or send the reports, and he will explain the differences in plain language.
FAQ
Care, Repairs & Remodelling questions
How often should I have my engagement ring checked?
A professional check every six to twelve months is a sensible routine for a ring worn daily. A jeweller can spot worn claws, loose stones and thinning bands well before they cause a loss.
Is it safe to clean my diamond ring at home?
Yes, for most diamond rings warm water, a drop of mild dishwashing liquid and a soft toothbrush work well. Avoid harsh chemicals, and take extra care with treated or softer gems set alongside the diamond.
How do I know if a stone is loose?
Hold the ring close to your ear and tap it gently, or watch the stone while pressing it lightly with a fingertip. Any rattle, click or visible movement means it should be tightened before you wear it again.
How often does white gold need rhodium replating?
It depends on your skin chemistry and how hard you are on your ring, but many people find every 12 to 18 months keeps white gold looking bright. Rings worn daily on the hand usually need it sooner than earrings or pendants.
Can every ring be resized?
No. Most plain or simply set bands can be resized, but full eternity rings, some tension settings and certain metals are difficult or impossible to alter without compromising the design.
Should I take my ring off at the beach or the pool?
It's best to. Chlorine can weaken gold alloys over time, sunscreen leaves a dulling film, and cold water shrinks fingers, which makes it easier for a ring to slip off unnoticed.