I sometimes see women at our aquatic center wearing jewelry into the pool, so I wonder what the water is doing to their jewelry. Will the chlorinated water harm the gemstones or the metals? What about the stringing materials? Everything I've read about jewelry care suggests keeping your jewelry away from chemicals, sweat, perfumes, and sometimes even water. This calls for some research!
Here's some jewelry -care advise from the International Gemological Association:
Always:
So there you have it. Chlorinated swimming pools and hot tubs can damage your jewelry.
Here's some jewelry -care advise from the International Gemological Association:
Always:
- Apply lotion, cosmetics, hairspray and perfume before dressing in jewelry.
- When undressing, wipe each piece with a clean soft cloth to remove oils and perspiration.
- Store in a fabric-lined box, separately or individually-wrapped in tissue to prevent scratches.
- Never wear jewelry when doing physical work such as housekeeping, gardening or exercise.
- Never expose jewelry to household cleaning products.
- Never expose jewelry to chlorine swimming pools or hot tubs.
- Follow the instructions appearing on the label or box.
- Clean in a secure location, not the rim of a sink where a piece may slip down the drain.
- Use only a soft brush, never sharp or hard objects, to remove dirt or particles.
- Clean your jewelry often; lotions, soaps and skin oils alter the optical properties of diamonds and gemstones, causing them to look dull.
- Seriously soiled jewelry should be cleaned professionally.
- Clean diamond jewelry with a soft brush dipped in warm water and mild detergent; rinse under running water.
- Never expose pearl jewelry to chemicals or solvents and store each piece in a soft bag.
- Don't expose colored gemstones to chemicals, solvents or ultrasonics without knowing their specific cleaning requirements.
- Have your jewelry cleaned and checked by a professional for worn mountings, loose prongs and general condition at least once per year.
- Have white gold re-plated, platinum re-polished and prongs re-tipped as necessary to maintain original condition (generally every 24 months or so).
- Have frequently-worn pearls restrung as necessary, with a knot between each pearl to prevent loss if the string breaks.
- Some colored gemstones should not be exposed to sudden temperature changes; know your pieces and their needs.
- Select daily-wear jewelry that is in harmony with your lifestyle and schedule of activities.
So there you have it. Chlorinated swimming pools and hot tubs can damage your jewelry.