Looking After Your Jewellery This Summer

Summer in Australia is a naturally busy time in many social calendars, which means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to dress up in your finest and to show off your jewellery.

To make sure you keep your jewellery looking good throughout this scorching season, here are a few tips you can follow.

When you’re at the pool or beach

Heading to a pool party or to the beach? It’s best to avoid wearing your most expensive pieces: anything containing precious metals such as copper and rose gold, or soft stones such as coral and turquoise.

Swimming in a chlorinated pool or in the salty ocean water can tarnish your jewellery. If you must wear something, go for durable platinum/yellow gold or costume jewellery. Also, take care around sand as it can have an abrasive effect on softer metals.

If you do end up taking a dip, just make sure that you either take off your jewellery first, or you rinse your jewellery out in tap water or mild soapy water after your swim to prevent any lingering tarnishing effects.

Also, remember that a dip in cold water can shrink your fingers, allowing a ring to slip off and disappear underneath the waves before you even notice it’s gone!

When it’s hot outside

Many people forget that sweat and your natural body oils can significantly tarnish certain metals, especially after prolonged contact. Thankfully this is easy to avoid. For example, you can wear your necklace over your clothing so it doesn’t directly touch your skin.

If you’re concerned that sunscreen might get onto any jewellery you’re wearing, then give each item a gentle wipe when taking it off.

Most body lotions are safe enough, but if you’re applying an insect repellent or a product containing vitamin C, glycolic acid, or retinol, it could cause your jewellery to tarnish.

Don’t forget that storage of your jewellery in summer is equally important. This means storing it in a secure environment where it won’t be bumped or knocked about and keeping it out of direct sunlight. May we suggest a high quality jewellery box.

Give your jewellery a regular clean

Even if you follow this advice and take the utmost care, some sweat, grime and the like is likely to build up on your jewellery over the summer months. To keep your pieces at their radiant best, give them a clean every so often.

How you clean your jewellery very much depends on its metallic composition, but generally most jewellery can be cleaned very easily by soaking it in warm soapy water and cleaning with a cloth. Head over to our comprehensive jewellery care guide for full cleaning info.

Follow these tips and you’ll be able to accessorise in style all summer long! And be sure to get the hottest jewellery this summer at Bevilles, Australia’s trusted jeweller since 1934.