DON'T Wear Your Ring in Salt Water Rose gold is especially sensitive to salt water as it will corrode much faster than traditional yellow or white gold. Salt water can also damage the overall appearance of your diamond by dulling the stones and causing them to become less shiny.
It's not just chlorine that can damage your gold jewellery and diamonds; saltwater can damage them too. Salt causes erosion of soldered gold, silver or platinum elements. As a result, the precious metal may weaken meaning your jewellery could potentially break. The diamonds can also get blemished by salt.
The salt in ocean water will corrode metals and leave them weakened and tarnished. Saltwater poses a particular risk for jewelry made with blue or rose gold, both of which are gold alloys. Blue gold uses iron and rose gold uses copper, both metals that salt will quickly corrode.
"Chlorine will interact with your metal and can potential damage your prongs. Loose prongs increase your chance of losing your diamond and/or making it susceptible to damage," Lutz ays. This is especially true if your ring has any amount of nickel in it, which our pro explains can be affected by daily wear as well.
Luckily, precious metals (like platinum and gold) as well as diamonds and most gemstones should be fine if they come in contact with beach sand. Although you don't have to be too worried about any irreparable damage to the ring's metal or stones, sand does pose a potential risk to your bling in another way.
Take Your Engagement Ring Off When Traveling
If you're going to the beach, definitely avoid wearing it. The sand can damage the setting of your engagement ring and you risk potentially losing it in the ocean. In any case, you can always hide your engagement ring in a safe or a jewelry box while you're out having fun!
Typically, solid gold, gold-filled, platinum, or sterling silver jewelry can handle a bit more water. Be careful with plated jewelry, as plating can wear off, and what's left underneath can tarnish over time. Brass jewelry is better to avoid mixing with water, though it can be cleaned.
Despite its ruggedness, diamond can lose its sparkle with oil or dust deposited on it. To maintain the sparkling of this indestructible gemstone is a tough job, but a possible one! So, how would you keep your diamond engagement ring from losing its sparkle? Diamonds are magnets to oil and grease.
Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.
Give a gentle weekly cleaning.
You can find lots of suggestions on how to keep your rings clean, from toothpaste to special cleaning liquids. But the simplest option is to wash them in warm water with a few drops of mild dishwashing detergent then gently scrub with a baby toothbrush.
The best thing to do is to wash your jewelry as soon as possible after the exposure. The longer the sand and salt sit on the metal, the more damage they can do. It's best to clean them off as quickly as you can. To do this, try a combination of water and gentle soap.
If your ring is vulnerable while sleeping, then you definitely shouldn't wear it while playing contact sports (or sports like tennis, baseball or golf) or while doing exercises that involve handling or lifting weights—especially if you're wearing a pavé engagement ring. Free weights can scratch, chip or loosen stones.
Our favourite trick is to use non-whitening toothpaste and a q-tip to remove 'salt stains'. Gently rub the jewellery and quickly rinse with plain water. This trick is very effective in removing minor imperfections and can help reduce the effects of saltwater contact on the tarnishing process.
Protect Your Ring When Going for A Swim
The best way to protect your ring from damage and potential loss in the pool is to remove it and store it safely. You should buy a ring holder or a small jewelry case to store your rings on the go.
A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763º Celsius (1405º Fahrenheit), it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining.
However, care needs to be taken for your stone pool surrounds of a saltwater pool as stone is porous and salt is a corrosive agent that can be particularly damaging if it penetrates the stone. If salt penetrates the stone it will crystallise and expand causing pitting, spalling and possibly cracking of the stone.
Because of diamond's perfect and easy cleavage, it is vulnerable to breakage. A diamond will shatter if hit with an ordinary hammer.
A piece of diamond jewelry is surely a prized possession, and you wouldn't want your jewel to look dull or lose its sparkle, right? While you can wear diamonds every day, a little care will keep them shine forever.
The short answer is no. Toothpaste is not a good option for cleaning your ring. Toothpaste contains scrubbing particles to polish your teeth, but these particles are often harder than the metals in your ring, especially gold or white gold. Using toothpaste on your jewelry could cause scratches or pitting in the metal.
Why You Should Not Wear Your Ring in the Shower. Even though a shower is essential for cleansing your body, it is actually dangerous for your diamond ring. Soaps contain ingredients that clean your skin through micro-exfoliation. Soaps and shampoos strip your skin or hair of dirt and other pollutants.
A diamond that has not been cleaned for a while can look milky due to a buildup of film and dirt on its facets. Cloudy diamonds can also have diminished transparency from inclusions or other characteristics intrinsic to the crystal from which they are cut.
Even a moderate amount of dirt, grime or otherwise unpleasant sediment and “film” can have a severe effect on the sheen and shine of that precious stone in your precious ring. And over time, things like hand lotions, powders, soap, hairspray and more can really build up on and dull your diamond's glitter and glimmer.
The 'Um's: Platinum, Palladium, Titanium, and Aluminum
"You can live your everyday life and not worry about taking off your jewelry when showering, working out, or taking a dip in the ocean—the pieces won't tarnish," describes Oliveira of jewelry made from the strong and sturdy metals.
“It happens when your jewelry is exposed to water, sweat, chemicals like hairspray or perfume, and air,” she explains, “but not all metals react to these chemicals.” Tarnish-proof jewelry pieces are made from metals like solid gold, titanium and stainless steel, which as Okubo explains, “keep their natural state, even ...
Instead, opt for tarnish-free jewelry like stainless steel, solid gold, or titanium, which provide long-lasting and wearable options for waterproof accessories that fit your lifestyle and aesthetic.