A Guide to Summer Jewelry Care
The summer season presents unique difficulties in wearing jewelry. But with this guide, you can keep your summer jewelry safe and stylish.
Keyword(s): summer jewelry
When it comes to summer jewelry care, there's more to consider than some realize. Summers can be hot and humid; if one's not careful, the weather can do damage to one's collection.
What's the solution? Well, the first step is getting informed, which is what we'll help with today. We'll also discuss some steps you can take to keep your jewelry safe as you enjoy some fun in the sun.
Summer Heat
Depending on where you live, summer can be hot. Consider a city like Dallas, which has seen summer temperatures as hot as 113 degrees! Now that was high, even for Texas, but it helps to illustrate the point.
It's rare that you will need to worry much about the heat while wearing jewelry. Most metal and jewels will do more or less fine while you're out and about on a hot day. The real issues come into play regarding storage.
You probably know that a car sitting out in the sun can get much hotter than it is outside. This doesn't just happen with cars; it can happen with storage units and even homes if there's no AC.
While jewelry isn't going to melt in this kind of heat (unless it's plastic), it can still warp. For the best results, store jewelry somewhere where the temperature is consistent and not too extreme. If you're going to store jewelry in a storage unit or similar location, make sure the space is temperature-controlled.
Summer Jewelry and the Beach
Summer is an active time for many people, with walks on the beach, boardwalk, and more. However, all this activity means you should pay attention.
Be careful trusting jewelry to stay on your person if you're going to be active. Jumping, running, and swimming may cause some jewelry to fall off or even break. If you lose a piece in the wrong conditions, like in sand or the ocean, it may be gone for good.
Luckily, there's still plenty of options for those with an active summer life. Consider, for instance, our anklets. These are durable, quality designs that aren't at risk of falling off if you're active. They also help give off those fun, flirty vibes many ladies aim for with their summer attire.
You may also want to be careful about pieces that are intricate, such as lockets, as particulates like sand might get trapped in them. While occasional sand in a joint may not be a major issue as long as you clean it out, it could cause wear and tear if you're regularly getting sand in a favorite piece.
Be Wary of Salt Water
If you've been on a beach, you've seen how powerful the ocean can be. In fact, most beaches wouldn't exist without the ocean. All those tiny pieces of bone, stone, and crystal that makeup beaches were ground into sand by the waves we love so much.
Now, unless you sit in the ocean for a couple of hundred years, you don't have to worry about your jewelry being totally destroyed. However, the coarseness of salt water can still leave its mark. As waves wash over your jewelry, you can think of it almost like someone rubbing them very softly with some sandpaper.
There are plenty of pieces that can handle this more or less without issue. However, some pieces can be tarnished by the ocean's waves. It's less something to be paranoid about and more something to generally keep in mind as you choose what jewelry you intend to wear.
Moreover, some metals, such as copper, react quite badly to salt water. It can cause the copper to corrode. Unlike many other pieces of jewelry, you should outright avoid bringing copper jewelry near sea salt.
The big worry is related to the section above. The movements of the ocean can sometimes pull jewelry right off you if it isn't secure. More than perhaps anywhere else, losing something in the ocean tends to mean it's gone for good.
Consider the Humidity
Humid weather can be the bane of certain kinds of jewelry. While summer isn't the only season that can see humid weather, summer rains and the foggy days that lead up to them are a known issue in many parts of the world.
Moisture can affect metal alloys, causing them to lose their luster. Additionally, gold jewelry has been known to dirty much quicker when it is humid. This is in part because dirt and dust can stick to even tiny amounts of water very easily.
Silver is perhaps the most affected by moisture, so much so that many suggest storing silver in airtight bags if you expect humidity to be an issue. At the very least, it should be considered essential that you store silver somewhere dry. (Silica packets can be a big help in this regard.)
Some people may worry about wearing jewelry in humid, summer weather. Our recommendation is to only be concerned if you'll be wearing a piece all day and primarily outside. For the most part, humidity is more of a concern when it comes to proper storage.
Summer Weather: Worry but Don't Panic
You can worry about your summer jewelry care routine, but don't panic. Proper storage and some basic precautions if you'll be moving around a lot and/or swimming in saltwater will keep your pieces safe nine times out of ten.
If you're interested in acquiring yourself some beautiful jewelry for this summer or the next, allow us to recommend our Eros Milano of Italy collection. There are a number of beautiful pieces at every price point, each of a quality that makes us proud to offer them on our site.
