We often get questions about dinosaur bone durability and how to care for a bone ring. Your new dinosaur bone ring is fairly durable but requires a little special care to keep it looking good. The biggest factor effecting the longevity of your dinosaur bone ring is everyday wear and tear on the metal and the inlaid dinosaur bone. As you go about your normal day you will hit, bump and rub your ring on various objects and surfaces varying in hardness and texture. Keep in mind that sterling silver is the softest of all the precious metals and any object that comes into contact with your ring that is harder than the silver will either scratch or dent it. The same is true for the dinosaur bone inlay in the ring. Although the dinosaur bone in your ring is fairly hard, it is not indestructible and neither is the silver or gold. If you know you are about to perform an activity that could scratch or damage the ring, take the ring off and put it away until you are done. Taking just a few seconds to remove your ring could save you a big headache or repair bill.
It is also a good idea to remove your dinosaur bone ring before swimming in a chlorinated pool or hot tub as the chlorine can damage the finish of the stones and silver or cause the silver to tarnish. You should also consider removing your ring before swimming in the ocean because the saltwater may dull the finish of the silver and the sand is as abrasive as sandpaper! Be aware that any time you swim in a pool, lake, river or ocean where the water is chilly that your finger size will usually shrink and it is very easy for your ring to slip off and be lost. You may want to consider insuring your ring just in case it is lost or stolen.
Every day your ring is exposed to your own sweat and body oils. Over time these can build up and make the ring appear dull or cloud the sparkle of your accent stones (diamonds, sapphires, etc.). Wipe your dinosaur bone ring with a soft cloth every so often to remove the oils and keep your ring looking its best. If it becomes dirty or the accent stones get caked with lotions and oil, take an old toothbrush and some soft soap and gently scrub the ring until the build up is gone. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to remove the gunk! Never put your dinosaur bone ring or any inlay ring in an ultrasonic ring cleaner. The combination of heat, chemicals and vibration will eventually break down the epoxy and the dinosaur bone inlay will fall out of your ring. You should also avoid exposing your ring to harsh cleaning chemicals or oils that could damage the epoxy that holds the dinosaur bone inlay in place.
Eventually your ring will have some dents and scratches in the silver and possilbly some chips in the dinosaur bone. For some people this can be a year or others 10 years or more- it all depends on how you care for it. Your Hileman dinosaur bone ring can be refinished and restored to like new condition by running it back through the polishing process. Return the ring to us and we will have your ring looking like new as soon as possible. If you have damaged some of the dinosaur bone to the point that it needs to be replaced, we can do that as well. We are able to drill out any damaged bone segments with a diamond drill bit and replace them with matching new ones without a problem.
