How to Care for Your Jewelry in the Summer
Between extremely hot temperatures, trips to the beach or pool, and increased exposure to moisture, the summer season can take a toll on your jewelry. However, by taking some extra precautions, you can keep your delicate pieces clean and damage-free. Keep reading to learn practical tips for caring for your jewelry this summer.
Protect Your Jewelry on Hot Days
Depending on where you live, the summer season means you and your jewelry are facing numerous hot, humid, and sunny days. While you may love sunshine, too much direct sunlight and heat can damage your precious gemstones. With repeated exposure, UV rays can cause gems such as amethyst, kunzite, and topaz to become significantly less vibrant. Direct sunlight can even bleach delicate materials such as pearl and ivory, or darken amber gems.
Regardless of the UV rays, high heat is dangerous for jewelry. Extreme temperatures or sudden changes in temperature can cause gemstones to dry out, crack, or become discolored. On extremely hot days, it’s often best to leave your best pieces of jewelry at home in a cool, dry place. It may be difficult, but keeping your jewelry’s exposure to heat to a minimum is the best way to prolong its shine.
Plan Ahead When Traveling with Your Jewelry
If you have plans to travel this summer, you’re likely going to bring some of your favorite jewelry pieces along. Before taking off, it’s worth considering what jewelry you need to take—is it essential to bring your diamond necklace and engagement ring, or will a less expensive replica suffice? Sometimes it’s best to pack a few versatile pieces and leave your most sentimental or valuable pieces safely at home. For the jewelry you do travel with, it’s smart to insure it ahead of time or have it covered within your homeowner’s insurance. Then, you can wear what you want on your trip without needing to worry.
When traveling, it’s essential to pack your jewelry properly to prevent it from getting damaged, lost, or stolen. To prevent jewelry from getting scratched, we recommend packing each piece of jewelry in its own case or box. A soft cloth or jewelry organizer provides cushioning and keeps your pieces from getting tangled together or scratched. If you’re flying, pack jewelry in your carry-on bag, since checked luggage is more likely to be handled roughly or go missing. For added security, consider investing in a portable jewelry case with a lock.
Keep Jewelry Away from Chlorine Pools
Hot summer days often mean more time spent at the pool, which can lead to increased exposure to chlorine. Before jumping into the water, always remove your jewelry and put it in a safe spot. Chlorine damages the metals in jewelry, leading to discoloration and weakened gold, silver, and platinum alloys. This can even remove the finish and polish of gemstones over time, causing jewelry to look dull and worn down.
In addition to making jewelry look lackluster, pools and hot tubs can also cause rings to break or fall off. Chlorine wears down jewelry glue over time, causing gems to fall out of pieces that use adhesive. It’s also possible to lose rings while swimming in a pool, since cool water can shrink your fingers just enough for rings to slip off.
Ultimately, it’s best to give your jewelry a break during swim days. If you accidentally wear your jewelry into the pool, there’s no need to panic. Simply take it off as soon as possible, rinse it with fresh water, and dry it thoroughly. If you’re still concerned about potential damage, check out our expert jewelry repair services at Michael Herr.
Don’t Mix Jewelry with Sunscreen and Lotions
Wearing sunscreen in the summer is essential, but fine jewelry and sticky sunscreen do not mix! First of all, it’s best to keep your jewelry dry, since liquids can cause moisture damage. Additionally, liquid products such as sunscreen and perfume typically contain chemicals that can tarnish or damage jewelry. They often cause a film to build up on stones and metal, which causes your jewelry to look dull (or even gross). With continuous buildup, sunscreen and other liquids can cause more serious damage by wearing away at porous gems.
When applying sunscreen, moisturizer, hair spray, perfume, lotion, or any other liquid product, keep jewelry separate until your skin has fully absorbed it. We recommend completing your typical routine, then adding your accessories as a finishing touch.
Be Wary of Beach Day Hazards
Trips to the beach are a classic summer activity, but it’s important to keep an eye on your jewelry. Sand and saltwater are both unforgiving to jewelry stones and metal. Grains of sand can scratch up metal and gemstones or get stuck in the crevices of your ring prongs or necklace clasps, which can cause damage and make cleaning difficult. Saltwater can also harm jewelry by wearing out the finish of gemstones and causing metal to corrode over time. Sterling silver is known to tarnish over time with prolonged exposure to saltwater and sweat, since these salts speed up silver’s oxidation process.
In addition to facing damage, it’s easy for jewelry to fall off during beach activities and get lost in the sand or water. For these reasons, it’s best to leave your prized possessions at home where they’re safe.
Clean Your Jewelry Frequently
With all the buildup that summer elements can cause, regularly cleaning jewelry at home is more crucial than ever. To remove residue from sunscreen, sand, or sweat, use a mixture of warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush. Soak your jewelry in the soapy water to loosen any dirt, then gently brush the jewelry. Lastly, rinse with clean water and dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Routine cleaning will keep your jewelry sparkling all summer long! For a deep clean, take your jewelry pieces to a professional jeweler like our team at Michael Herr.
Following these practical tips will keep your jewelry in great shape this summer season. If you still experience damage from the summer elements, there’s no need to worry—our expert jewelers at Michal Herr Diamonds & Fine Jewelry are here to help. For jewelry repair, cleaning, or buying a new piece of fine jewelry, Michael Herr is your one-stop shop. Shop our website, contact us, or visit our store today to get started.