Before we get into the subject at hand, let me say that probably 30% to 40% of our business volume is repairing jewelry. We solder broken chains, re-set diamonds and other gems that have fallen out of rings, put new tips on the prongs holding diamonds in place, etc. etc. Oddly enough, if you follow the instructions in this post, we will get LESS repair business in our store. However, we are trying to do you a solid by giving advice to you that will help keep your jewelry in one piece for a longer amount of time. :-)

We discuss this subject with someone almost every week. CAN you wear your wedding ring and favorite chain or pendant 24/7/365? Sure, you can.

But the real question is SHOULD your wear your wedding ring and/or favorite chain 24/7/365? The answer to that question is probably not. Well, unless you like to pay for repairs on a regular basis. We can deal with chains/necklaces/pendants first. Having a chain break while sleeping is in the top three methods - right up there with taking off a top with the chain on the outside or having a baby or dog break the chain. Have you ever watched time lapse videos of people sleeping? Most of us do not lay in one position for the night. We flip around and move all over the place. All those moves provide lots of opportunities to catch your chain with a finger, thumb, or your entire hand and stretch or break it. We charge $28 to $38 to solder chains back together.

What About Rings?

Well, if you are wearing a solid band, this is not an issue. But most engagement rings and many wedding bands have diamonds or other gems set in prongs. Here is a picture of a freshly set square diamond. You can see how the rose gold tips come up over the diamond to hold it in place:

Are your sheets and blankets going to wreck your ring in one day? Heck no,  but if you rub those tips against a sheet or blanket over and over and over, it will wear them down. When they get worn is when they start catching on things and then they wear away even faster and/or snap right off. 

Notice the square diamond on the left - the gold no longer comes up over the edges of the diamond. The diamond is getting close to coming loose. The round diamond ring on the right has six prongs, but three of them have been worn down completely and the other three are very flat and will catch on fabrics/gloves and peel back. We were surprised the round diamond ring made it to our store with the diamond in place!

One last example - this marquise cut diamond above has lost most of the gold holding it in place. The V-tip at one end is completely gone - probably as a result of wearing the ring facing the same direction all of the time.

Yes, these rings are repairable. Re-tipping varies in cost based on the number of tips and the style. V-tips like you see on the square and marquise shaped rings are slightly more expensive to repair than regular tips. Re-tipping six is around $118.00, but the round diamond in the picture above needed to be completely re-set in a new head because the wear was too severe. Cost of a new head and set depends on the size and shape of the diamond, but you are typically looking at least $180.00 to $220.00 or considerably more for diamonds over 1 carat in size.

To conclude - yes, you can wear your wedding ring 24/7/365. You can put your favorite chain on and never take it off:  As long as you are prepared for the costs involved in repairing either of them not to mention the cost involved if your diamond or other gem comes completely out of the mounting.

See our other posts about wearing jewelry in a pool or hot tub and about wearing your rings to the gym. We answer other jewelry questions here on an FAQ post.