How To Protect Your Jewelry From The Elements This Summer

With summer approaching, it's time to start putting away the cold-weather clothing and pulling out all you need: swimsuits, beach cover-ups, short-sleeve shirts, shorts, and open-toed shoes! But one thing we often forget when we head to the beach or lay out in the sun is the impact that it has on our jewelry (and our skin).

Not only does continuing to wear your jewelry in specific environments create the risk of damage, but it can also harm your skin. That's why we have put together some tips to help keep your precious valuables—your jewelry—safe while you enjoy all that fun the sun offers.

Protect Your Jewelry this Summer with These 3 Tips

Summer brings trips to the pool, lazy afternoons at the beach, and hours spent frolicking and playing outside. Unfortunately, all this fun isn't so fun for our jewelry. Our rings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, and everything in between need some added care and thought to protect their value and keep them looking safe all year long.

1. Lock Up Jewelry in the Safe While Traveling

If you plan to hop on a plane or travel long distances away from home this summer, consider leaving fine jewelry at home. Traveling puts you and your wearables at greater risk of theft. Changes in daily habits can make us more forgetful, increasing the risk that we might take off a piece and then forget to put it back on. Let's also not forget the concern of losing rings and other jewelry in the pool—or worse—the ocean. When possible, leave those items at home. 

2. If Jewelry is Coming with You, Wear It 

If you're destined to bring your jewelry, especially when traveling on a plane, the safest thing to do is wear it. You should not check a piece of fine or precious jewelry in your luggage. And even keeping jewelry pieces in your carry-on should be avoided. Accidents—and thefts—do happen.

3. Take Jewelry Off When Applying Sunscreen 

Before applying the sunscreen, remove your jewelry and put it in a safe place that you will remember. For rings in particular, make sure your fingers are dry before putting the rings back on again. Hands can get and stay quite slippery after applying sunscreen. That said, aside from the risk of losing your jewelry, keeping it from coming into too much contact with the sunscreen in the first place is essential. Oils and lotions love to make their way into the crooks and crannies of our beautiful jewelry. This will make your jewelry look dirty but can also inadvertently cause sand and other abrasive substances to harm rings and jewelry.

What To Do For Your Sunscreen-Dirtied Jewelry

Remember how we mentioned that jewelry and sunscreen combined can be dangerous for the skin? It's true. If you accidentally leave sunscreen on jewelry, necklaces, and watches and wear them out in the sun, it can cause a painful rash underneath. 

So, if your jewelry was overexposed to sunscreen and sand this summer, bring it to Bostonian Jewelers. We'll restore your piece to remove harmful elements that can cause further damage.