Did I ruin my ring?

[Tink2002]

I have a large pounded-silver ring that I always wear on my left middle finger - I really NEVER have taken it off since I got it the Christmas before last. It isn't the most expensive piece of jewelry I own (enough though), but my mom and grandmother both have the same one that they wear daily so it's important to me.

Well.... I was cleaning my oven tonight (which, can I just say, is the most miserable disgusting chore ever... two hours later and I still need to make another go in the morning and it still probably won't meet my standards...). I wore some gloves the entire time, not thinking to take my ring off underneath. After I cleaned up the ransacked grubby kitchen and went to wash my hands, I noticed that my normally shiny silver ring has a coppery gold splotchy look to it. I washed it with soap and hot water and nothing happened.

Did I ruin it with some sort of chemical reaction from the oven cleaners THROUGH the gloves? Do you think that I could use cleaner for when things get tarnished to fix it? I don't have the money to replace it right now and I"m SOOOO upset at myself.

[Zippy 1]

Try talking to your local jewelry store and see what they say. If anyone should know how to clean it they would. I thought several years ago that I had ruined a pair of earings cleaning them in cheap jewelry cleaner. My jewelry store was able to fix them to just like new. I hope everything works out for you with the ring. I know how important these things can be!!

[brownie]

Take it in to a jewelry store and see if they can clean it for you. There are jewelry cleaners you can purchase, which should be better to use than soap and water.

[thrillme]

A jeweler can probably polish this out for you very inexpensively if not free. Since it's a "favorite" ring I would go this route first.

If you can't find anyone I know a lot of stores sell silver polish that should help but the jeweler would be likely to do a better and safer job.

[Tink2002]

thanks guys, I think I'll try to bring it in to one of the local jewelers in my hometown when I go home to visit this weekend. It's not like it's irreplacable, but it is important to me as far as sentimental value so hopefully I don't end up having to ask for a new one this Christmas.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Do NOT use a silver cleaner on it until you ask the jeweler! Some Sterling silver you shouldn't use cleaner on, such as David Yurman. It has a special finish and using that kind of cleaner can ruin the finish and once you ruin the finish it's almost impossible to fix it. A lot of times all you need is a polishing cloth that is specially treated and you just rub it on the ring and that may take care of the problem.

[DisneyDog]

So, what happened? How's the ring?