Jewelry care is very important to the longevity of your piece. Of course when we buy jewelry we always want to be able to wear it. However, there are several instances when wearing your jewelry could be harmful to it, but taking precaution will save you heartache and expense later. Here’s a list of 8 times you’d be safer putting your jewelry away.
8 Times to Practice Jewelry Care
- In the pool-Despite the obvious problem of your ring slipping off your finger and getting lost, the biggest reason to not wear your jewelry in the pool is the chemicals. Chlorine leaches out nickel, zinc and silver from your jewelry leaving your gold brittle and weak. It can also cause permanent damage to your stones.
- Showering– We don’t want you to lose it down the drain! Sterling silver will tarnish faster in the shower and certain shampoos and conditioners contain chemicals that can weaken your metals.
- Exercising– Exercise is great for your body, but hard on your jewelry. Take your jewelry off, especially when lifting weights-which can scratch and bend your rings.
- Getting ready – Hair sprays, lotions and make up accumulate on your jewelry causing them to look dull. Save your jewelry for last to prevent unwanted build up.
- Cooking-GERMS! Your hands touch a lot of things throughout the day; public doors, other people, and shopping carts. You don’t want all those germs in the food you’ve prepared. Raw meats can get stuck in your ring and possibly cause irritation to your skin.
- Sleeping-When you go to bed its best to take all your jewelry off. When we sleep we move around making it very possible the prong of your jewelry could get caught on a sheet and bend. If this happens its likely you could lose a stone. Posts can bend on earrings, bracelets and necklaces can get caught.
- Cleaning-Just like chemicals in swimming pools, the cleaners we use in our homes contain chemicals that can damage your stones, discolor your metal, and corrode your gold.
- Gardening-Small rocks in dirt are abrasive, wearing down your jewelry over time.
At Josephs, we recommend putting your jewelry on last when getting ready for the day and taking it off first thing when you get home. It’s a good idea to store your jewelry in a dry safe place to keep it protected.
If you choose to wear your jewelry when you go swimming or doing yard work Josephs offers a wide variety of repair services for any of your jewelry repair needs. See a list of our jewelry services on our new website here.
