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Kourtney Kardashian just spilled some seriously chilling, never-before-heard tea on this week's episode of The Kardashians (available now for streaming on Hulu). The Poosh founder revealed that every newly engaged woman's nightmare came true for her: she broke her diamond engagement ring from fiancé Travis Barker.
When Kris Jenner asked to see the ring again, Kardashian confessed that it needed to be repaired before explaining that she did "probably one of the worst things I've ever done in my whole life."
"I was sitting on my floor folding sweatshirts. And I took the ring off and I put it next to me on the floor, like, thinking it would be safe right next to me," she said. "So, then I had to get something up above in my closet, and when I stepped down, I stepped on the ring."
She continued, "I was like hysterically crying in my closet for like hours. And then I called Travis and I was like, 'I did something really, really bad.'"
Of course, it's pretty much every woman's — and man's — worst fear come true. But Kourt said Travis wasn't too worried. "And he handled it the best," she recounted to Jenner. "But it gave me a nervous breakdown. I was like, 'This is the most beautiful thing in my entire life and how could I have done that?'"
In the conversation, she added that she felt extra guilt given the amount of time and thought that Travis had put into selecting the perfect sparkler. "Travis picked it out, he designed it He looked at so many stones and that this was me in a stone, and I thought that that was really special.
This is every fiancé/fiancée's nightmare, but there are things you can do to avoid this situation altogether. We spoke with a jewelry expert for tips and tricks on keeping your new bling in tip-top condition.
While it should go without saying, Angie Marei, founder and designer of Marei New York, tells us it's imperative to be extra careful and gentle with this special piece of jewelry. "Even though fine jewelry is made of metal, precious metals are delicate materials and should be worn with extra care," she tells InStyle. "Diamonds are highly durable gemstones but also require to be worn and treated with care as they can break, chip, or crack on harsh impact."
And if you decide to go with the trendy-yet-classic option of super-dainty, thin metal, you'll want to be even more on-guard. "Whisper-thin engagement settings are very trendy right now, but I find that many settings in this similar style are made so delicate and fragile that any amount of pressure will break or bend the metal," she says. "I advise you to go with an engagement or wedding ring setting with a little more weight, because it will be sturdier and more durable for everyday wear."
But it's actually easy to prevent this catastrophe from happening in the first place. Marei says when it doubt, take your jewelry off. "Avoid wearing your engagement rings while cleaning, gardening, or performing sports activities, such as hitting the gym, lifting weights, doing yoga, swimming, or rock climbing," she suggests. "Take off your ring before going to bed. Sleeping with your engagement ring on may cause damage such as bending, warping, bending, and breakage of your jewels."
But accidents do happen. If you find yourself in this predicament, don't panic and don't be too hard on yourself. Marei advises taking the ring back to the jeweler right away. Of course, there will probably some kind of cost associated with the repair, though it all depends on the piece, extent of damage, and what, if any, insurance you have on the piece.
"The cost will depend on how badly damaged the piece is, the time and expertise needed to repair it, and the replacement of gemstones if required," she says. "If the damage is irreparable, the jeweler may suggest creating a new setting for you and re-setting the gems into the new piece."
In general, Marei advises having the ring inspected at least once a year to thoroughly clean and repair any minor damage.
Barker proposed back in October 2021 with a stunning oval-cut solitaire set on a white gold, pavé band. The Blink-182 drummer got down on one knee on the beach amidst a beautiful display of roses before celebrating with the rest of their families later that evening.
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