08 Jul DON’T LET SUMMERTIME FUN RUIN YOUR JEWELRY!

Saltwater and chlorine can wreak havoc on your precious metals and shiny gemstones, but we have some tips to make sure your jewelry stands up to the sand, sun and swimming all summer long. 

Do you like to wear a few staple pieces, be it your engagement/wedding ring combo, or that necklace you got as a special gift to you? It’s very common, as most of us tend to have items we wear on a regular basis. While they may provide a sense of security (like you’d feel naked without them) it also brings along an element of responsibility to protect and maintain your rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings if you plan to wear them around the water. 

So here are some memorable tips as you lay out by the pool or spend the day at the beach, to help your jewelry stay brilliant and shiny:

You might not like the sound of this one, but our first tip to keep your most prized possessions safe from summer damage, is to remove them. Before beach, before sunscreen, before pool, before it all! Basically, we’re telling you, it’s not worth the risk. Salt water can leave a yucky residue, but worst case scenario can cause millions of microscopic scratches on diamonds or gemstones, causing them to appear dull over time. No matter how your CCC’s started, the more time you spend in the ocean, your clarity take a dive too! 

Another drawback to the water is that, while stronger metals like gold and platinum will hold up just fine, your sterling silver will most definitely falter. Tarnish and damage will haunt you if you decide to subject this classic metal to chlorine or saltwater. So keeping in line with number one: remove all pieces if you can, for a day at the beach or pool (hot tubs included). 

Now, the next question we might expect to hear if we were reading this along with you would be, “But, what if I already HAVE worn my jewelry in the water?!” Well, don’t fret. While this is not the ideal scenario, if you clean your pieces soon after chlorine or saltwater exposure, you can mitigate damage and clean/polish some pieces, good as new. For sterling silver jewelry, we recommend a chemically treated polishing cloth that is designed to remove tarnish and help bring back its original shine. Same goes for your gold and platinum, while these are easier to clean (visit our blog on DIY at-home cleaning tips) you still want to make sure you take care of all your pieces as soon as possible. 

Our last word: By cleaning your jewelry routinely, you can preserve the condition of your most important pieces. Due to the regular daily exposure of lotions, sweat and body oils that can build up over time, it’s smart to establish a regimen of cleaning and care. And if you happen to notice some of your clasps rusting, settings looking a little loose, or your gems don’t shine like they used to, bring them into Hemming Jewelers, and have a professional take a look. We would be happy to help clean or inspect anything you’ve got.