The Danger of Gloves and Rings – Three Stories

Gloves and rings don't always mix. Here are three stories from my clients about how gloves and rings didn't mix for them. At the end I'll share - Three Things You Can do to Reduce the Danger of Gloves and Rings.

Sharon’s Story – How a Nice Afternoon of Gardening Turned into a Near Disaster

Sharon’s Friday afternoon started out pleasantly. Her son was bringing his college girlfriend to visit the next day and Sharon wanted the house and yard looking beautiful. Donning a sunhat, gardening gloves, and dirt-caked sneakers, she stepped into her backyard to tend to her garden. Somewhere between the roses and agapanthus, something went amiss.

The Panicked Realization

Designs like this look stunning but may not be the right choice for people who work with their hands.

When Sharon went to wash her hands, they felt strangely naked. Looking down at her fingers, she saw only a sun-tanned outline where her beautiful wedding set had been.

In a panic, she began mentally putting the pieces together – a ring set that was too loose, a glove that was too tight, sweat-slicked fingers, removing her gloves in the garden… The ring had slipped right off! Sharon headed back to the garden.

A Frantic Search

Enlisting the help of her husband, Sharon went looking through her yard. After two hours of scanning the ground and sifting through dirt, Sharon was still ringless.

A Scruffy-Faced Savior

When Sharon’s son Jack showed up the next day with an unexpected beard and a cute new girl on his arm, he quickly learned of the previous day’s tragedy.

With a calming voice, he suggested, “Mom, couldn’t you, like, just rent a metal detector or something?” Sharon acted immediately, kissing her son on the cheek and striding toward the computer. Within an hour, Sharon had a new appreciation for metal detectors and her ring was back on her finger.

Within a week she'd called me and she now has a properly sized wedding set.

Gloves Can Protect Your Hands, But May Endanger Your Rings, Barbara's Tale

Barbara's ring. Thankfully it stayed inside of her glove after slipping from her finger.

Sharon’s story isn’t unique – gloves can  cause problems in other situations too.

Another of my clients, Barbara, had a chilling experience when she lost her wedding ring during a ski trip. She was about to return to the black diamond slopes in search of her beloved and lost diamond ring when her husband thought to check inside her snow gloves. There it was! Her cold hands had shrunk just enough to let her ring slip off while she skied.

"I Don’t Want to Just Leave My Ring at Home – What Can I Do?"

Because of the unity they symbolize, wedding rings are meant to be with us more consistently than any other object. If gloves are a part of your career or daily life, leaving your ring at home or in a work desk may not be appealing (and might be risky!). But fret not – there are several practical solutions!

Redesign Your Ring - Nancy's Story

This Stand up Sapphire and Diamond Ring was Catching on Nancy's Gloves.

Nancy came to me when she became fed-up with her stand-up engagement ring getting caught on her nursing gloves.

Smooth Bezels and Low Set Gemstones Won't Catch on Gloves With This Design

We were able to come up with an elegant, low-profile design that kept the ring’s prongs from catching on the latex. When Nancy got her redesigned ring back and returned to work the next day, everything fit like a glove!

Wearing Your Ring on Another Piece of Jewelry

Hang Your ring on a Necklace.
Keep Safe Ring Holder from Linda Anderson

If you’re not interested in redesigning your ring, consider attaching it to another piece of jewelry while you work, such as a necklace.
Some people even recommend safety-pinning rings to work uniforms or attaching them to a name-tag, though, depending on the work you do, this may be a risky option.

If your work allows for it, you might also consider trying different gloves. Wearing something slightly larger, or something made with a different type of material could reduce the friction between your glove and your ring.

Above all else, be mindful of any problems you have with your ring slipping. It’s much less expensive and less stressful to tighten or re-design a ring than it is to replace it once it’s lost!

Three Things You Can do to Reduce the Danger of Gloves and Rings

1. Get your rings sized snugly. A properly sized ring tends to stay on your hand just fine when gloves are worn.
2. Know that the cold of the ocean and snow can shrink your fingers, so be extra mindful of your rings when your hands are extra cold. Consider not wearing your rings in the ocean. Put a bandaid on your knuckle in front of your wedding ring when you go skiing to keep your ring from slipping off in your glove.
3. Re-design a smoother and lower profile for your daily wear ring if you work in gloves regularly.

May your rings always stay with you,
Calla Gold