You look at the ring that you bought a year ago and see a lot of tiny scratches, and they are so annoying. Of course, the first thing that comes to your mind is to have the ring polished. But did you know that polishing can also be bad for your jewelry? Let’s see why.
How Jewelry Polishing Works
So what happens when you take your ring to the jeweler to have it polished?
You should have your jewelry polished no more than once or twice a year.
Most often, jewelers use some kind of abrasive material to smoothen the surface of your piece.
Usually, this is done by using a machine that has a rotating polishing wheel.
In the process of making your ring smoother, a microscopic layer of metal is removed from the piece until its surface becomes more even.
The Problem with Polishing
The biggest issue with polishing is that it basically works by wearing down your jewelry.
It is true that the metal removed in the process is just a tiny amount, and one polishing session cannot do damage to it.
However, after your jewelry has been polished a number of times, the effects accumulate and the structure of your piece of jewelry becomes weaker.
When it comes to rings, the most affected area by polishing is the setting since it is made up of small parts that are often very thin.
For example, if you have a prong setting, the prongs themselves will get thinner and shorter every time you have your ring polished.
This will happen to the other parts of your setting as well, and after some time, its construction will become progressively weaker.
As the setting of your ring gets worn out, the gemstones that it holds will become loose. After some time, they will be at a greater risk of falling off your ring.
Of course, all that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have your jewelry polished. You just shouldn’t do so too often.
Related: Click here to browse a vast collection of beautiful jewelry.
How Often Should I Have My Jewelry Polished?
Generally, polishing your jewelry every couple of months is a bad idea.
You should have your jewelry polished no more than once or twice a year. If you do it more often than that, you will start noticing the adverse effects of polishing.
You should get used to the fact that your jewelry will always have some scratches, especially if it is made from a softer metal such as gold or silver.
If you want your ring to last longer, consider getting one made of a more durable metal such as platinum.
Platinum also scratches but at a much slower pace than gold, and even when it does, it doesn’t lose as much material, so polishing out scratches in platinum jewelry is not as detrimental to it.
Consider Jewelry Polishing Kits
If you want to have your jewelry polished more often, consider buying a jewelry polishing kit. Check out this jewelry cleaning kit, which includes a polishing solution, as well as this polishing cream and tarnish remover.
Using it on your ring is not the same as professional polishing, but buffing your piece with a polishing cloth will restore some of the original luster of your jewelry. Click here to see a good polishing cloth.
