It's that time of year! Time for vacations to beautiful destinations and fun in the sand and sun. We're going to take a few minutes to answer a few questions and give you some tips on how to have fun, while caring for your most precious accessories!
Q. Is it ok to wear my jewelry in the pool or spa on these hot summer days?
A. NO. While it may seem relatively harmless and you won't immediately see signs of damage, wearing your jewelry in a chlorinated pool or hot tub is not advised. Over time, exposure to chemicals found in pools and spas are corrosive to precious metals and will effect the integrity of the metal over time. So while we absolutely think that you should take a dip in the pool every chance you get, but please, slip off your jewelry before proceeding.
Q. What about salt water? Can I wear my rings in the ocean?
A. While not as harmful as chemicals found in pools and spas, it's still not ideal to wear your jewelry into the ocean for a number of reasons. One reason being the effect of cool water on your hands and the risk of your rings sliding off. Most people think it won't happen to them, but I hear the story of a ruined vacation far more than I would like. Save yourself some heartache and leave your precious jewelry in a secure location before you head out to the beach. Another being that both salt and sand are corrosive to metal. While your diamond won't be damaged by exposure to sand or salt, it's possible that prolonged exposure can cause weakening of the metal. Sand and salt combined with sunscreen can have the effect of sandpaper if your jewelry pieces are exposed to them and not properly cleaned.
Q. OK. What about our new saltwater pool? It's not chlorine.
A. As we said above, salt is corrosive to metal. When I spoke about this subject with a local pool company, I was informed that even saltwater pools have some chlorine in them. Remember that time you accidentally poured bleach on your shirt to come back the next day and find a hole? While metal is more durable than your favorite tee shirt, it's not invincible and over time harsh chemicals can break down precious metals. Your jewelry deserves better than that.
Q. I forgot to take my rings off when I applied sunscreen, now they look all dull. What can I do?
A. Warm water and a soft brush can help you out in a pinch, but feel free to bring your jewelry in to let us clean and inspect them. Cleaning and inspection is always free no matter where you purchased your jewelry. While sunscreen, lotions and tanning oils are not necessarily as damaging to your rings, they do tend to collect under stones and give them a murky appearance. Not only do they look dirty, but as you know, sunscreen, lotions and oils are sticky and can collect sand and other abrasive substances that can damage your rings and jewelry.
Q. I just returned from vacation and I wore my rings in the pool AND the ocean, I applied sunscreen AND I'm pretty sure there's sand stuck in there .. NOW WHAT?
A. No worries, we all forget sometimes. Bring them by and we'll get you fixed up. Each metal reacts differently to chemicals and salt. Yellow gold can be cleaned and polished if scratched, white gold can be cleaned, polished and rhodium plated to bring the sparkle and shine back.(which you should be doing around once a year during regular maintenance anyways). Rose gold on the other hand, contains high contents of copper which can react with the salt in the ocean and even cause tarnishing or discoloration. While rose gold can be cleaned and polished, as well, it's better to be mindful and remove your jewelry before any possible effects.
So enjoy these beautiful sunny days and vacations, soak up the sun, relax in the sand, or take a dip in the pool, but let your smile be your sparkle and leave your jewelry somewhere safe so you can enjoy it for years to come.
Q. Is it ok to wear my jewelry in the pool or spa on these hot summer days?
A. NO. While it may seem relatively harmless and you won't immediately see signs of damage, wearing your jewelry in a chlorinated pool or hot tub is not advised. Over time, exposure to chemicals found in pools and spas are corrosive to precious metals and will effect the integrity of the metal over time. So while we absolutely think that you should take a dip in the pool every chance you get, but please, slip off your jewelry before proceeding.
Q. What about salt water? Can I wear my rings in the ocean?
A. While not as harmful as chemicals found in pools and spas, it's still not ideal to wear your jewelry into the ocean for a number of reasons. One reason being the effect of cool water on your hands and the risk of your rings sliding off. Most people think it won't happen to them, but I hear the story of a ruined vacation far more than I would like. Save yourself some heartache and leave your precious jewelry in a secure location before you head out to the beach. Another being that both salt and sand are corrosive to metal. While your diamond won't be damaged by exposure to sand or salt, it's possible that prolonged exposure can cause weakening of the metal. Sand and salt combined with sunscreen can have the effect of sandpaper if your jewelry pieces are exposed to them and not properly cleaned.
Q. OK. What about our new saltwater pool? It's not chlorine.
A. As we said above, salt is corrosive to metal. When I spoke about this subject with a local pool company, I was informed that even saltwater pools have some chlorine in them. Remember that time you accidentally poured bleach on your shirt to come back the next day and find a hole? While metal is more durable than your favorite tee shirt, it's not invincible and over time harsh chemicals can break down precious metals. Your jewelry deserves better than that.
Q. I forgot to take my rings off when I applied sunscreen, now they look all dull. What can I do?
A. Warm water and a soft brush can help you out in a pinch, but feel free to bring your jewelry in to let us clean and inspect them. Cleaning and inspection is always free no matter where you purchased your jewelry. While sunscreen, lotions and tanning oils are not necessarily as damaging to your rings, they do tend to collect under stones and give them a murky appearance. Not only do they look dirty, but as you know, sunscreen, lotions and oils are sticky and can collect sand and other abrasive substances that can damage your rings and jewelry.
Q. I just returned from vacation and I wore my rings in the pool AND the ocean, I applied sunscreen AND I'm pretty sure there's sand stuck in there .. NOW WHAT?
A. No worries, we all forget sometimes. Bring them by and we'll get you fixed up. Each metal reacts differently to chemicals and salt. Yellow gold can be cleaned and polished if scratched, white gold can be cleaned, polished and rhodium plated to bring the sparkle and shine back.(which you should be doing around once a year during regular maintenance anyways). Rose gold on the other hand, contains high contents of copper which can react with the salt in the ocean and even cause tarnishing or discoloration. While rose gold can be cleaned and polished, as well, it's better to be mindful and remove your jewelry before any possible effects.
So enjoy these beautiful sunny days and vacations, soak up the sun, relax in the sand, or take a dip in the pool, but let your smile be your sparkle and leave your jewelry somewhere safe so you can enjoy it for years to come.