How to Care for Your Jewelry in the Hot Summer Months

Summer is the time of the year when you shine the brightest. It’s when you get the most use out of your favorite pieces of jewelry. But whether it's sunbathing or nightlife it’s also when you have the most repeated exposure to sand, salt, heat, and chemicals that will take a heavy toll on your precious pieces. 

The good news is that there are some very safe and practical ways to care for them so that you'll rarely have to deal with the stress of restoration. It all comes down to three things for you to keep in mind: proper protection, cleansing, and storage.

Preventing Damage

First things first: gold. Being a soft metal, the purer a gold piece is the more vulnerable it is to damage一especially at the beach where exposure to sea salt and sand can cause permanent scratches and nicks. But it’s not just gold; many metals and gemstones have a tough time with salt and humidity, like copper-infused metals, emerald, or opal. To limit the dangers in such scenarios, choosing to wear platinum or low karat gold jewelry can save you from future hurt at seeing a beloved piece of jewelry tarnished by the elements.

You might think that if you don't go to the beach and instead choose to hang out at the pool, then you avoid some complications. But chlorine is the devil. It’s a corrosive substance that affects most precious metals. Therefore, if you care for your jewelry, you will take them off before your swim.

Casual Cleaning vs. Professional

Depending on your taste, your jewelry can be full of intrinsic details or more smooth and raw. You can use a soft polishing cloth or a microfiber towel (a fabric that does not cling) to clean and maybe even use some soapy water to flush out impurities. 

But the truth is that most pieces have sensitive areas where all kinds of lotions, creams, and other chemicals can stick一in the long run, a simple cleansing just won't do. A professional is the answer. 

The best places use specialized machines that clean even the most delicate pieces in the safest way possible. Depending on the location you bought your jewelry, there is often the option of getting it cleaned at the original store. And, on top of that, some professionals will give you an update on your jewelry's current condition and fix any loose elements.

Passing the Test of Time

While not in use, your jewelry is in more danger than you can imagine because of the test of time. Gemstones will fade if stored in a sunny place and, the heat cycle of night and day will even cause deformations on precious metals. Therefore, during the summer, you must use a dark and cool storeroom for your jewelry.

You should also consider storing the different metals and gems with their own kind as they have different hardness levels and can cause damage to each other when kept together.

Where silver is concerned, low humidity is the key. You can use anti-tarnish strips, or other moisture-absorbing materials, to keep it dry and thus protect it from rust. This is good for the rest of your collection as well, so make sure that you control the humidity as best as you can.

But it's not always our fault when a pendant gets damaged by the environment. Sometimes it's just the way they are built. If you're looking for toughness in your wear, contact David's House of Diamonds and speak to one of our jewelry experts about finding a ring that is both beautiful and durable.