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You love your engagement ring almost as much as you adore your partner. So it goes without saying you’d never want anything to happen to it. But your honeymoon — in addition to being the best vacation ever — could be just the place for something bad to happen to your engagement ring or even your wedding band.
Why? If you’re taking a tropical vacation, you could dull the shine of your sparkling diamond with sunscreen — or, much worse, your slightly-loose diamond could get swept away while you’re swimming in the ocean. Let’s say you’re traveling from city to city, and hotel to hotel, on an epic adventure across Europe: You could leave your ring behind on a bathroom counter, never to be found again. And if you’re traveling to a high-risk area, your engagement ring could simply get stolen.
But you can’t spend your honeymoon worrying about your ring. And luckily, it’s actually quite easy to keep your ring safe while you travel with these tips from James Allen and Michele Sigler, the happily married cofounders of James Allen.
See More: 5 Things to Know When Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring
1. Inspect and insure your ring.
Before you board a plane, take your engagement ring to be serviced and inspected. Bring it back to the jeweler where your ring was purchased, and they’ll check for any defects, such as a loose stone or an ill-fitting band. As Sigler points out, “it’s better to catch a loose stone before you go than lose it during a trip.” If you don’t already have your ring insured, now’s the time to do it, too. While you don’t want to have to replace your ring, you’ll be glad you can in case it gets lost, Sigler says.
2. Take it off.
Yes, you want to wear your ring. But, “When you’re at the beach or on an excursion such as hiking or snorkeling, you can accidentally damage the setting,” Allen says. And you definitely don’t want that. “We also suggest removing your ring while you’re getting ready, because sunscreen and perfume can cause grime to build up and reduce the sheen of your diamond or gemstone,” adds Allen.
3. Lock it up.
When you remove your ring, don’t just set it anywhere. Sigler and Allen advise that you take advantage of your hotel room’s safe whenever you’re not wearing your rings. Alternatively, if you’re not comfortable wearing your engagement ring at all on your honeymoon, it’s best to leave it at home — also locked in a safe place — and wear only your wedding band on your trip. “It still says, ‘I’m married,’ without risking the much more expensive engagement ring,” says Sigler.