By Stephanie Hyland, Storage.com
Proposing marriage to your significant other is one of the most memorable and nerve-wracking events that someone will experience during their lifetime. You’ve probably thought about the perfect time and location to pop the question with the perfect ring, but have you thought about where you’re going to keep the ring in the meantime? If your significant other has a curious eye or you live together and share space, investing in a storage locker at a storage facility may be the best way to keep your surprise unspoiled.
When contemplating where to hide an engagement ring, you may think, “Why would I ever store an engagement ring in a big storage unit? I don’t need all of that space!” But a storage locker is significantly different than a storage unit. It resembles the lockers you used in school to store textbooks and a coat. Some storage facilities even offer smaller lockers that resemble a safety deposit box.
Adrienne Fay, Director of Marketing at Borsheims, says if you’re going to store an engagement ring in a storage locker, you need to ensure the ring is not only protected, but also shines like the day you purchased it for your loved one. A storage locker is a great place to store any and all paperwork that came with the purchase or insurance policy on the ring as well. By keeping the ring and its paperwork in one organized location, popping the question is all you’ll have to worry about.
Find the Right Insurance Policy For Your Engagement Ring
Whether you purchased an engagement ring or you’re passing down a ring that has been in your family a long time, you want to make sure your investment and family history are protected. Having an insurance policy on your ring is the first step to protecting this symbol of your commitment.
“An engagement ring can easily be stored in a storage [locker],” says Fay. “As soon as you finalize payment on an engagement ring, you own a symbol of your everlasting and undying love. You also own all of the liability associated with it. Insure your purchase for its appraised value right away, either through your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, or a specialized carrier.”
After you insure your ring, it’s important to see if the storage facility where you’ll be storing it offers additional coverage you may benefit from, as well as what situations or emergencies will be excluded on an insurance claim should anything happen to the ring. “Does their policy cover a tornado wiping out your storage unit? Does yours? These are helpful tidbits to know,” Fay adds.
Al Gardes, Director of Operations at Elmwood Self Storage in Harahan, La., agrees with Fay about becoming very familiar with the type or any coverage you can get from the storage facility where you’ve chosen to store the engagement ring. He adds that the insurance offered for storage units will depend on the dollar amount of coverage you would like; however, some will exclude jewelry.
“It’s extremely important to check the policy coverage on the insurance for your storage,” Gardes says. “The third party insurance [Elmwood Self Storage] offers on storage rentals has a specific exclusion for jewelry. A homeowner’s or rental policy may have coverage for items in storage, and most policies have a limited amount of coverage for jewelry. A rider could be added to that policy or a special policy could be taken out.”
Keep The Original Ring Box/Bag
Besides making sure you have the correct insurance policy for the ring, make sure you leave it in its original box or a padded jewelry bag to protect it while it awaits its big debut. Storing the ring in its original box while it’s in a storage locker will prevent dust from settling in the small areas of the ring setting, but it will also help you keep track of the original ring box, which you might want to use when you propose.
“Keep the engagement ring in its original box to protect it from dust and dirt,” says Fay. “The sparkly glow a diamond had in the jewelry store will diminish quickly if not kept protected.”
“Keep the engagement ring in its original box to protect it from dust and dirt. The sparkly glow a diamond had in the jewelry store will diminish quickly if not kept protected.”
Adrienne Fay, Director of Marketing at Borsheims
Another benefit to keeping the engagement ring in its original box is to protect it from scratching other pieces of jewelry. This point is especially important if you’re storing the engagement ring with other jewelry that may have been handed down by members of your family in your locker.
“Diamond jewelry can scratch other jewelry, so Borsheims recommends keeping all jewelry stored in its original box,” says Fay. “In lieu of a box, a soft pouch could be used. You can even store jewelry in small plastic baggies in a divided craft/tackle box to keep it protected and organized.
However, Fay urges individuals to never store jewelry in tissue paper in an attempt to protect it. “It’s too easy to mistake that tissue for trash at a later date and throw out jewelry by accident!”
Have Your Ring Professionally Inspected and Cleaned
When you propose to your loved one, you want to make sure that the ring shines as bright as the day you purchased it. Fay reminds ring owners to ask for a polishing cloth from the jeweler when the purchase is made to wipe down the ring every few weeks. “The polishing cloth is treated to clean the diamond and wipe down the metal. Over time, rings can tarnish depending on what the gold was alloyed with,” says Fay.
If you’ve stored the ring in a storage locker for a six months or longer, Fay suggests taking it to a jeweler to have it inspected. “If the engagement ring is going into the storage unit long term, be sure to have it inspected every six months. Take it to a reputable jeweler who can inspect the setting and diamond mounting.”
Fay also urges ring owners to have the ring cleaned by a professional once it has been taken out of the storage locker. “Having the ring cleaned in a sonic cleaner will get off any and all bits of dirt,” says Fay. “Eventually, someone special will be wearing that engagement ring, and it should sparkle like the day it was purchased.”
By reserving a storage locker, not only is your investment protected while it’s housed at an off-site location, but it will also keep your soon-to-be fiancé from stumbling upon the ring or its paperwork by accident. Best of luck on your engagement!
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