Summer is the time to show off your warm-weather wardrobe and soak in the sun. A dainty necklace or two with a few tasteful rings complete the effortless summer look. Unfortunately, the summer just seems to be harder on jewelry as a whole. To start with, metals tarnish the fastest with humidity. Second, there’s more chance for jewelry to end up in pools, the ocean, or caked in sunscreen. We’ve put together a few tips to help you keep your jewelry looking fresh and sparkly in the summer heat.
Avoid wearing vulnerable pieces to the beach. Although it’s tempting to show off our favorite gold earrings, bracelets, and rings at the beach, it’s best to keep those pieces at home. Gold is a very soft metal, making it susceptible to nicks, scratches, and warping. Between the sand blowing around and sunscreen cooked into cracks and crevices, your valuable jewelry would be in danger of serious damage.
You should also keep pieces embedded with softer gemstones at home because stones like emerald or opal are porous and are easily damaged by salt in the air and the water. Your favorite stones will rot from the inside out!
Keep your jewelry out of the pool. With warmer temperatures comes the overcoming need to lounge in the pool. Do yourself and your jewelry collection a favor by taking it off before you dive in. Chlorine is corrosive to most metals and stones, leading to discoloration, dulling of shine, and cracking.
If you’re planning on getting sweaty, remember to take off your jewelry. Whether it’s a game of beach volleyball, a run on the beach, or maintaining the lawn in the hot sun, your sweat is a serious threat for your jewelry. Depending on your body chemistry, this can take a toll on your necklaces, rings, or bracelets. If you forget, just make sure to clean off your jewelry with mild soap, water, and a soft cloth so the sweat doesn’t sit on the surface.
No one is asking you to forgo wearing your best and brightest while enjoying the warm summer weather, but as a good rule of thumb, make sure to take it off before getting wet and clean and polish when the day is done. These best practices will ensure your pieces last longer than the too-short summer months!