Can You Swim With Your Engagement Ring?

Yes, you can swim with your engagement ring, but we'd strongly recommend you don't. The diamond itself won't come to any harm. The real risks are that your ring slips off in cold water, and that pool chemicals weaken the metal holding your diamond in place.

So if you're asking "can I wear my engagement ring in the pool?", the advice from Queensmith's gemmologists is to take it off first, whether you're heading for the pool, the sea or the hot tub.

Read on to find out what water can do to your ring, what to do if you've already been swimming in it and how to keep it safe on holiday.

1. The hidden risks: What swimming does to your ring

2. Pool vs ocean vs lakes: Comparing the hazards

3. What to do if you swim with your engagement ring

4. Safe storage and travel alternatives

5. Expert ring care at Queensmith

6. Frequently asked questions

Swimming may be a relaxing activity, but it can wreak havoc on your engagement ring. Here's what to keep in mind before you take a dip while wearing your ring.

In cold water, the blood vessels in your hands narrow to keep your core warm, and your fingers shrink slightly. A ring that fits perfectly on dry land can feel loose in the water, and wet skin makes it easier for it to slide off without you noticing. In a pool, it may end up in a filter or drain. And, in the sea, it's often gone for good.

Diamonds are highly resistant to chemicals, so chlorine won't harm the stone. The metal is a different matter.

18K gold is 75% pure gold, mixed with other metals called alloys that give it strength and colour. Chlorine reacts with these alloys over time. This can dull the surface, and with repeated exposure it can weaken the metal or cause tiny cracks.

The claws are the first place this matters. These small metal prongs grip your diamond, and because they're thin, weakened claws can let a diamond work loose.

18K white gold is usually finished with rhodium plating, a thin layer of bright, silvery-white metal over the surface. Pool chemicals can wear this layer away faster, so the gold's natural warmer tone shows through sooner.

If your ring was made by Queensmith in 18K white gold, rhodium replating is complimentary as part of our lifetime care package.

Sand is abrasive, so it can scratch polished metal, and grains can lodge in your setting. Salt, suncream and lotion can build up in the gallery, the open metalwork beneath your diamond. This blocks light from entering the stone, so it looks dull until it's cleaned.

For other everyday moments when it's best to take your ring off, read 10 things not to do while wearing an engagement ring.

Each place you swim brings its own risks, to the metal and to the chance of getting your ring back.

Forgot to take your ring off before swimming? Don't panic. A single swim is unlikely to cause lasting damage, but it's worth giving your ring some attention straight away

1. Rinse it: Put the plug in first. Hold your ring under clean, lukewarm running water to wash away chlorine, salt or sand.
   
   
2. Clean it gently: Use a drop of mild washing-up liquid and a soft toothbrush, paying attention to the back of the setting where residue collects. Pat it dry with a lint-free cloth. Our engagement ring cleaning guide has more detail.
   
   
3. Check the setting: Look closely at each claw for anything bent or lifted, and run a fingertip around the setting to feel for snags. Hold the ring near your ear and shake it gently. If you hear a faint tick or rattle, your diamond may be loose, so stop wearing it until it's been checked. Take a look at our anatomy of an engagement ring guide to acquaint yourself with the different parts.
   
   
4. Book a professional check: If you swim in your ring regularly, or anything seems loose, bring it in. For Queensmith rings, professional cleaning and annual checks are included in our lifetime care package.
   

The safest place for your ring while you swim is somewhere locked, whether that be a safe at home, or the safe in your hotel room. Don't wrap it in a towel, tuck it into a shoe or leave it on a sun lounger or poolside table.

These are exactly the places rings get knocked into drains, shaken out by accident, or picked up by someone else.

If you'd still like to wear a ring, you can purchase a travel engagement ring. This is a lower-cost ring designed for holidays, so your real ring can stay safely at home. Find out whether one is right for you in our guide to holiday engagement rings.

This is similar to the idea of a "swimming ring" – Jackie Kennedy reportedly had one, and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's engagement ring was said to be a copy of it.

Whichever alternative you choose, or if you decide to take your engagement ring on holiday, make sure your engagement ring is insured before you travel. We recommend specialist insurer TH March, or adding your ring to your home contents insurance.

If your ring has been in the pool or the sea, our team can check it over. Every Queensmith purchase comes with our complimentary lifetime care package, which includes:

• Free professional sonic and steam cleaning whenever you need it

• Complimentary polishing every three years

• Annual jewellery checks and servicing

• Ongoing expert advice

• Complimentary rhodium replating for Queensmith-made 18K white gold

Cleaning, polishing and annual checks are available at both our Hatton Garden and Birmingham showrooms.

Our Lifetime Manufacturer's Warranty covers faults in materials or workmanship. It doesn't cover general wear and tear or accidental damage, such as a claw bent or a diamond lost while swimming.

Repairs are still available. We assess them in house, and they may be chargeable. To keep your warranty valid, your jewellery needs servicing by Queensmith at least once a year.

If you're choosing a new ring and lead an active life, our design consultants can talk you through lower-profile engagement ring settings for an active lifestyle. One example is a rubover setting, sometimes called a 'bezel' setting, where a thin rim of metal surrounds the diamond, so it sits closer to the finger with no claws to catch.

That being said, it's still best taken off before you swim.