You found your forever person, he went down on one knee, popped the question and you said yes. A wedding band, an actual band and a reception later, it is time for your honeymoon with your partner. If you are a water baby, and you are headed straight for the beach, we know you’d want to look just as bougie in the water as you do on dry land. And we get it if you do not want to remove your recently acquired bling when you get into the water.
Remember when Kim Kardashian lost her diamond earring and her cool when she thought she had lost it in the water on an episode of KUWTK? You don’t want that happening to you, right? So, what are the things you have to keep in mind when you want to wear jewelry while you are in the water? What are the metals that are best suited and what gemstones wear well in water? These and many more questions are addressed here.
Whether you lead an active lifestyle, participate in sporting activities or just like wearing jewelry every day even while you do the dishes, it helps to understand what metals and gems work well under such circumstances. Angara brand jewelry offers a range of choices that are water-safe, and here we list a few key things to keep in mind while buying waterproof jewelry.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
If you want to go swimming with rings on your fingers, it would help to know that your fingers shrink ever so slightly whilst in water and this may cause your ring right off your finger. With bracelets and necklaces, make sure the clasps are done up securely. You do not want to be hit by a wave and find that your bracelet or necklace has come undone! So be careful while wearing jewelry in water, or if you want to play it safe, remove all jewelry before you go for a swim.
Jewelry made with pure metals like gold, silver and platinum are not affected by sand and salt water or chlorinated pool water. Harder gemstones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds can also withstand saltwater and the abrasive effects of sand and chemically treated water. However, softer gems like opals, pearls and amethysts can get damaged and plated jewelry will wear away in salt, sudsy or treated water.
As a general rule, clean your jewelry regularly, especially after you have exposed it to chemically treated water or salt water. Store your jewelry in a cool, dry place, wrapped in fabric and avoid storing it in airtight containers or ziplock bags. Get your jewelry regularly serviced and looked at by a jeweler to check for loose stones, prongs, clasps or worn-out joints.
Gold
Pure gold is safe to be worn in water. Whether you are showering, swimming or in the ocean, pure gold is not affected. However with prolonged exposure to water, its shine may fade. Bear in mind we are talking about pure gold. The thing about gold is, pure gold is hardly ever used for making jewelry as 24K gold is very soft and will lose form easily. To make gold stronger, other metals are mixed to make gold alloys that are much stronger, that is 14K and 18K gold. However, the fact that other metals are present in the gold alloy means that these are susceptible to corrosion upon exposure to salty ocean water, sudsy shower water and chlorinated pool water.
Silver
As is the case with gold, so it is with silver as well. Fine silver refers to 99.9% pure metal. This is soft and can easily lose form, so jewelry is not fashioned out of it. Sterling silver is the alloy form of pure silver, which has 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. Water has no damaging effect on sterling silver, but prolonged exposure to water and the salt or chemicals in it may cause the silver to oxidize and appear darker. Showering with sterling silver jewelry is generally considered safe, as you will not be exposing the metal to harsh chemicals. Just make sure you do not use abrasive products or harsh scrubs on the metal. Swimming pool water is treated with chlorine and this may pose a problem for sterling silver jewelry, so make sure you wash and clean the silver after a swim. Salty ocean water can corrode the silver and leave a residue on it. Make sure you wash, clean and dry your silver jewelry after a swim in the sea.
Platinum
Platinum is one of the rarest of metals found in nature, and is coveted for its value. It has a gray-white color that is resistant to tarnish and corrosion, which makes it the perfect metal to wear in water. It is also resistant to many chemicals and heat and is suitable for people who lead very active, outdoorsy lives. It is durable, which means that it will retain its form and strength even after many years, making it a valuable heirloom piece.
The Mohs Hardness Scale
The Mohs Scale is a standard scale from 1-10 used to measure the hardness of minerals. The harder the stone or mineral, the higher the number it has on the Mohs Scale. As a rule, anything below 5 on the Mohs Scale must not be exposed to water for prolonged periods, as they have low tolerance for water, and might get damaged. Gems such as pearl and coral lie below a rating of 5 on the scale and hence are susceptible to damage by water. Amethyst, citrine, aventurine, quartz and tourmaline are mid-range on the Mohs Scale. Ruby, sapphire, topaz and emerald score impressively, but the hardest mineral, scoring a 10 on the scale is diamond.
While a diamond is safe to be worn in water, whether it is in the ocean, a pool or even a hot tub, oils and chemicals in water can form a layer on the stone and dull its fire.
