Should you wear your rings during the Corona crisis?

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 Bonebakker Jeweller, 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 RIVM (Dutch Institute for Public Health) and WHO (World Health Organization).

We are, however, qualified to talk about jewelry.

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 other rings during the corona crisis.

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 RIVM 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.

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

*As mentioned, the regular cleaning that is recommended by the RIVM will not be sufficient to properly ensure that your 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.

* 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.

* If you are wearing gloves, some rings like engagement rings will tear right through them.

* The frequency of cleaning (recommended by WHO and RIVM) will harm your ring. Your ring is not supposed to be over-cleaned. The chemicals and aggressive friction will wear away at the prongs and filigree.

Clean your rings thoroughly, find a safe location and store them there until the pandemic is over.

This pandemic will pass. Stay safe, and more importantly stay positive.