How do you do daily life with an engagement ring!?

[BakeOffRewatch]

DH got me a fancy ring yesterday, I didn’t get one a decade ago as we couldn’t afford it. I absolutely love it but didn’t wear it today because - well, wasn’t sure if I should! I’ve googled but I’m not a glamourous newly engaged person having brunch with my girlfriends, I am changing nappies, it’s a pandemic and I’m washing hands thoroughly.

I really want to wear it every day, but I have questions such as what do you do at work when you go to the loo? The articles say don’t ever take it off in public? Do you sleep with it on? Put it on as soon as you wake up? Keep it in its ring box? Carry a ring box around in handbag? How do you make sure your hands are washed thoroughly under the ring? Cleaning and hoovering, do you take it off or wear gloves over? Any other tips I should be conscious of?

My MIL works in a jewellers and tells me off all the time...
But I wear mine constantly, never take it off. It needs cleaning and rhodium-ing once a year and I guess maybe it wouldn't if I took better care l? Who knows.

The big diamond did come flying out when I was putting a wash on once and caught it on the washing machine rim as I pulled my hand out... thank god I found it!

I wear my wedding ring most of the time, but my engagement ring, although stunning is just too much to wear for work. I wouldn’t want to get it dirty either. I have a healthcare business, and getting bits of people in my ring makes me want to vom!

I never take it off, same with my other 3 rings. I'd lose them otherwise.

I wear mine all the time apart from in the shower and when I put hand creme on. It has three large diamonds but I would never not wear it.

I also never take mine off - do all sorts with it on.

Sleep, shower, hand cream, bathe the dog, etc, etc.

IMO you'd be more likely to lose it taking it off all the time than you would be to damage it by keeping it on.

If it's diamond...they're one of the hardest substances on earth.

I wear mine for everything but I clean it every couple of weeks because the gunk builds up around the prongs.

It's 2 carat on a platinum band and I don't find it too heavy, it's a round brilliant shape and hasn't been a problem.

I'm getting a 3 Carat cushion cut made as it's more of a modern shape, bit worried about getting gloves on - we'll see!

I’d love to see a pic,op.

I never take my engagement and wedding rings off unless I'm decorating or doing some cooking which gets my hands particularly messy. They shouldn't be so tight that soap and water can't get under and around them!

Took it off through both pregnancies in case my finger swelled, otherwise leave it on all the time.
Bake in it, garden, bathe, cream on my hands everything.

What's the point in having something lovely if you don't wear it?

You can get a sort of wristband that has a zip in it and it’s designed to put your ring/s in so that you don’t lose them. Can’t remember where I saw it though.

I’m so glad I made this thread! Thank you for all the replies. I find chatting on mumsnet a lot more helpful, you’ve made me feel much more confident about wearing it during daily tasks. I’ve just put it back on. I don’t want it to be something that sits in a box, it is very meaningful and I want it to be part of everyday and in photos with DC and pass it on to them. I want to get past that fear @Voice0fReason mentioned, only day 2. I’ve got a lot more sentimental after having the baby, and these material things do matter a bit more. I weep every time I look at the under 1 month sleepsuits! And toddler was going “woooow” at the ring yesterday, but they also sit in front of the Christmas tree and do that. At the time, I couldn’t care less about jewellery or the wedding. I come from a culture where it’s a huge deal, so I went the other way. DH gave me a £300 gold chain at the time, and on the day of my wedding my DGran said “is that all for my granddaughter? Well I guess it’s too late now”. Funnily enough I always get loads of compliments on that chain, it’s quite unique and delicate, treads the ethnic/professional workplace line well, which is what I asked him for at the time, something I could wear everyday at work.

I didn’t even think about insurance, will call them next week. Or DH will, as he refuses to tell me how much it cost. I’ve always been the main earner and pedantic planner so not knowing this is really weird.

Thank you @Goodluckanddontfuckitup (apt username for this thread!), my wedding ring still doesn’t fit a year on post-partum. Part of the reason he probably got me one. I never took my wedding ring off since wedding until third trimester.

What’s your MIL’s advice @fruitloopier?

Some more Qs - washing long hair? Guess I’ll learn to work with it like @Doesntfeellikexmas said.

Have you needed to take it off for security like the airport?

I only take my wedding and engagement rings off to sleep, otherwise I just leave it on all day. When I first got my engagement ring I would take it off every time I washed my hands but that quickly got tedious.

For those who wear it while you sleep - do you worry about scratching your DH’s face?

@BakeOffRewatch

For those who wear it while you sleep - do you worry about scratching your DH’s face?

I don't wear mine to sleep.

But why would your hands be near dhs face when you sleep?

At the risk of derailing the thread, I sleep with my elbows out, arms up, like a cactus or starfish. And people don’t have control over how they move while they sleep? How does everyone else sleep when bed sharing? Once or twice DH’s hand has landed across my face and woken me up too. I’m in a Boxing Day, watching films, chatting on MN mood though

@BakeOffRewatch

I’m so glad I made this thread! Thank you for all the replies. I find chatting on mumsnet a lot more helpful, you’ve made me feel much more confident about wearing it during daily tasks. I’ve just put it back on. I don’t want it to be something that sits in a box, it is very meaningful and I want it to be part of everyday and in photos with DC and pass it on to them. I want to get past that fear *@Voice0fReason* mentioned, only day 2. I’ve got a lot more sentimental after having the baby, and these material things do matter a bit more. I weep every time I look at the under 1 month sleepsuits! And toddler was going “woooow” at the ring yesterday, but they also sit in front of the Christmas tree and do that. At the time, I couldn’t care less about jewellery or the wedding. I come from a culture where it’s a huge deal, so I went the other way. DH gave me a £300 gold chain at the time, and on the day of my wedding my DGran said “is that all for my granddaughter? Well I guess it’s too late now”. Funnily enough I always get loads of compliments on that chain, it’s quite unique and delicate, treads the ethnic/professional workplace line well, which is what I asked him for at the time, something I could wear everyday at work.

I didn’t even think about insurance, will call them next week. Or DH will, as he refuses to tell me how much it cost. I’ve always been the main earner and pedantic planner so not knowing this is really weird.

Thank you @Goodluckanddontfuckitup (apt username for this thread!), my wedding ring still doesn’t fit a year on post-partum. Part of the reason he probably got me one. I never took my wedding ring off since wedding until third trimester.

What’s your MIL’s advice @fruitloopier?

Some more Qs - washing long hair? Guess I’ll learn to work with it like @Doesntfeellikexmas said.

Have you needed to take it off for security like the airport?

Her advice is to wear it for show only, when going out and about. But I don't do that because a) I want to wear it and b) I would forget to put them on again!

Jewellery is made to enjoy! But yes to insurance and regular cleaning (as they will check all the settings are still secure) and rhodium if applicable.

... name change fail

I never used to take my rings off (I always wear rubber gloves for washing up and cleaning), but at the start of covid with all the increased hand washing I developed contact dermatitis on my ring finger. I had also just got an eternity ring, which was probably an equal factor as it has several holes underneath for soap to accumulate in and irritate skin. I’ve worn the rings on and off since then but currently haven’t been for months, and I’m pregnant now so they might be tighter anyway. I might try to wear engagement and wedding rings for a bit once they fit again, but I think the dermatitis is for life now. (Unless anyone has successfully cured it? I’ve tried some strong steroid creams but it always comes back a few weeks later. I’m tempted to try always taking the rings off for hand washing?)

What a strange thread. Have you never worn a ring before? I wear mine all the time, infact I dont think I would get them off now. I have never managed to scratch anyones face. I just wash my hands as normal but then it wasn't an expensive or fancy ring so I've never been too worried about it.

@BakeOffRewatch

At the risk of derailing the thread, I sleep with my elbows out, arms up, like a cactus or starfish. And people don’t have control over how they move while they sleep? How does everyone else sleep when bed sharing? Once or twice DH’s hand has landed across my face and woken me up too. I’m in a Boxing Day, watching films, chatting on MN mood though

I sleep on my side curled up with my arms tucked into my chest, no danger to DH from rings. Mine's a flat setting so not scratchy anyway, that was something I was definite about when I chose it.

I don’t wear mine all the time.

I wear it MOST of the time except for:

Baking/kneading bread
If I’m wearing gloves (cold weather or gardening, as I’ve known more than one person lose a ring when pulling a glove off)
In the shower or bath
Having a day of mainly cleaning
Holidays - sun cream and after sun and swimming. I leave it at home in a secure place. I still wear my wedding band.

When at home I only ever leave it in one (designated in my head!) place to save any ambiguity.

Sorry to hear about your hand skin troubles @BlairWaldorfLovesShopping. Have you tried wearing moisturising gloves overnight every night? There’s these Body Shop ones, other places do them as well www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/body/accessories-tools/moisture-gloves/p/1096202. With an extra strength moisturiser like their hemp one, or the working hands one in boots. www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/hands/hand-moisturisers/hemp-hand-protector/p/1086899 www.boots.com/okeeffes-working-hands-jar-96g-10224416. Putting the cream on whilst doing washing up in gloves helps create a sauna mask effect too. I have poor circulation and if I don’t keep it up my hands crack and bleed. I’m not sure about contact dermatitis specifically.

No I have never worn a ring with a stone before. Only gold bands. No need to partake in the thread if you think it’s strange. I’m enjoying people’s posts and memories of their engagement rings.

@BakeOffRewatch

At the risk of derailing the thread, I sleep with my elbows out, arms up, like a cactus or starfish. And people don’t have control over how they move while they sleep? How does everyone else sleep when bed sharing? Once or twice DH’s hand has landed across my face and woken me up too. I’m in a Boxing Day, watching films, chatting on MN mood though

I sleep on my side or front. I do talk, walk and move about but never end up with my hands on dps or exh (the only men I have shared a bed with) face.

Such a rarity, I can't imagine it being a huge concern

I take mine off all the time. I don't like wearing my rings in bed, or when I go for a run and definitely not when I go swimming in case a stone washes out.

I take mine off to make pastry and pasta etc. At first I took it off to sleep as it disturbed me but slowly got used to it. I don't take it off to wash my hands, tbh the soap cleans it, and still can clean under it!