Questionhi thomas, we have just got married and my wife is concerned that she could be damaging her engagement ring and wedding ring. she works as a swimming instructor and can be in the pool upto 20 hours a week. being a newlywed obviously she wants to wear her ring all the time but doesn't want to risk damaging them. we bought platinum thinking it was the strongest material but now we are concerned. both rings have diamonds set in them. what do you think?
AnswerSteve, with all the current talk about chemical damage and specifically chlorine damage to jewelry, your question is timed perfectly. I am glad the word is slowly getting out about the effects of chlorine, bromine and other "pool" chemicals and household bleaches.
Platinum in this regard is the best choice you two could have made. I have not seen the first report of platinum jewelry damaged by pool chemicals and chlorine in particular. Platinum is also an extremely safe metal for stone setting. Over years of wear, the metal tends to burnish down and flatten whereas gold tends to wear away. Sure, eventually the settings may need work but that should be many years from now.
The only concern I would have is if any of the rings are assembled with white gold solders and not welded with platinum solders. White gold solders can be affected by the chemicals. This would be where perhaps a setting is joined to the ring band, etc. The jeweler who sold you the rings should be able to answer that question.
Even with platinum essentially not affected by pool chemicals, I would rather your wife not wear the rings in the pool day in and day out. I believe there will be no chemical damage but would not want a ring to need every good set of underwater eyes to find it on the bottom of the pool!
Steve, your and your wife should be ok with the pool. Folks with white gold..not fine at all.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas. August 6, 2008 6:48pm
