Check your rings regularly

As a gemmologist/designer, I find conversation at dinner parties will often turn to jewellery.
I'm always interested in what others are wearing: where it's been made, the history of it, the significance to the owner - and I always have a close look at the condition of it. I think that jewellery becomes a part of your body after a while and you tend to take it for granted. This is a lot like taking your teeth for granted, as they both need regular check-ups and maintenance. I recently looked at a friend's engagement ring and was horrified to see one of the claws holding a very substantial diamond was missing completely. She had no idea, as she hadn't looked closely at her ring for a while, so I suggested that she take it off right then & there. That was a really close call and could have cost her a lot of heartache, not to mention the actual cost of replacing the stone.
As well as regular check-ups of your diamonds and other gems, don't forget to clean them at least weekly, if you wear them every day.