Should You Sleep With Your Engagement Ring On?

Once you've said "yes" to your partner's proposal and have slid that oh-so-sparkly engagement ring on your finger, the only time you might really think about taking it off is when you hit the gym—which, by the way, you absolutely should, especially if you're lifting weights. But what about when you hit the hay? Is it okay to catch some zzzs with that gorgeous ring on your finger, or should you give it a rest during the evening hours? We talked to a few jewelry professionals to evaluate the pros and cons of wearing your ring to bed.

According to Richard Wubnig, director of sales at Gerald Peters, a fine jewelry store in Staten Island, sleeping with your engagement ring on is not a good idea. "An engagement ring is a fine piece of jewelry and should be treated as such," he says. "It's easy when you're asleep for your ring to get caught in things—such as your hair or on your sheets—and this can cause the stone to loosen in the setting."

Torsten Flaegel, the owner of Yaf Sparkle, an independent jewelry boutique in the heart of New York City's Lower East Side, offers an alternate perspective. In his opinion, the biggest pro (to wearing your engagement ring while snoozing) is that you can't lose it when you're actually wearing it—particularly when you're sleeping away from home. Different, new, and temporary settings—that makes sense, right? "I see nothing but pros, as an engagement ring and wedding band are made to be worn at all times. It seems to be bad luck to take it off frequently," he says.

There are two cases that Flaegel acknowledges the constant wearing of your engagement ring could be detrimental: "If you choose a stone other than white diamonds or the other precious stones—such as sapphire, emeralds, and rubies—then you might want to find out the hardness of your stone on the Mohs scale. Opals, for example, are rather fragile, and it might make the wearer feel more comfortable to put it away safely [at night]. The other case is simply if your ring is too tight and you tend to experience swelling in your fingers overnight."

If you're a big tosser and turner between the sheets, taking your engagement ring off is probably a wise idea, notes another expert. "There's always a chance that it could snag on your bedding and could potentially not only damage your bedding but one of your ring's prongs," says private jeweler Dan Moran, founder of Concierge Diamonds, Inc. in Los Angeles. "Sleeping and putting your body weight on your hands in this way can slowly put pressure on the ring and cause it to lose its shape, risking accent stone loss," he warns. One other thought from Moran: "Large center stones, or stones with edges (like square or elongated cuts), can scratch you or your partner at night."

While the decision is ultimately up to you, the takeaway among our diamond experts is that safety and precaution should be the priority. Wubnig and the other diamond experts at Gerald Peters recommend bringing your engagement ring in to be cleaned and checked every six months. This will ensure that all of those precious stones are secure and tight in their setting and that there's no damage to any part of your ring.