It's not just chlorine that can damage your gold jewellery and diamonds; saltwater can damage them too. Salt causes erosion of soldered gold, silver or platinum elements. As a result, the precious metal may weaken meaning your jewellery could potentially break. The diamonds can also get blemished by salt.
Other than the high salt content, water won't damage your jewelry.
Solid gold, gold-filled, platinum, and sterling silver jewelry are the best at handling salt water.
Saltwater Is Corrosive
Metals will corrode in ocean water and become weaker and tarnished as a result. Jewelry made with blue or rose gold, both of which are gold alloys, is particularly vulnerable to saltwater damage.
If your silver is lightly tarnished, the salt bath should take the tarnish right off. If you're cleaning a lot of jewelry at once, you can use more water. For just one piece of jewelry, use less water. If your jewelry has gemstones, make sure they won't be affected by being submerged in a saltwater solution.
DON'T Wear Your Ring in Salt Water
Rose gold is especially sensitive to salt water as it will corrode much faster than traditional yellow or white gold. Salt water can also damage the overall appearance of your diamond by dulling the stones and causing them to become less shiny.
It's no secret that salt is corrosive, and saltwater is no different. Sterling silver that comes into contact with salt water can cause your jewellery to darken and oxidise more quickly than it would normally. It can also leave a residue on your jewellery that will speed up the tarnishing process over time.
After the Beach
Use a soft damp cloth or soft bristle toothbrush to gently wipe off any jewelry you wore at the beach. This will help ensure that any sunscreen, salt or sand residue is wiped off and won't continue to corrode the jewelry and will help maintain the natural shine of the metal and stones.
With 10K 14K or 18K solid yellow gold, there's very little to worry about when it comes to sand or water. Be careful with gold plating, as exposure to water, chlorine and salt all chip away at it over time and you will have to get your accessory re-plated entirely if that's the case.
Baking soda, salt and aluminum foil.
Mix one tablespoon salt and one tablespoon of baking soda and mix with one cup warm water. Pour into the dish. The mixture will create a chemical reaction with the foil and bubble as it cleans the jewelry. Rinse with cool water and buff dry with a clean cloth.
Typically, solid gold, gold-filled, platinum, or sterling silver jewelry can handle a bit more water. Be careful with plated jewelry, as plating can wear off, and what's left underneath can tarnish over time. Brass jewelry is better to avoid mixing with water, though it can be cleaned.
Whether you are frolicking in the ocean waves or doing laps in a pool, leave your gold jewelry at home or in your room safe. Pure gold, also known as 24-karat (K) gold, does not react with salt or chlorine.
Salt is extremely corrosive to silver, so it should always be emptied out of containers. Wash the container in a gentle soap solution and dry thoroughly. If the silver is damaged and corroded, soaking it in ammonia for 5-minute intervals may restore it. If all else fails, it will have to be replated by a silversmith.
Never Wear Your Ring in the Pool or the Ocean
Even if you're in shallow water, your ring will likely be lost forever as it gets swept up in the current and sand. The same rule applies to the pool. The ring can slip right off. On top of that, chlorine can damage platinum, gold, and white gold.
The answer to the question, “Is it safe to wear my jewelry in the pool?” is a resounding, “No.” We do not recommend swimming with your jewelry on for two big reasons.
Salt water can make your diamond look cloudy and the chlorine and chemicals in swimming pools and hot tubs can damage the metal of the ring itself. If you're planning on a swim, maybe leave your ring at home just to be on the safe side.
Sand is less damaging than the salty seawater but keep in mind that when you wear a bracelet or necklace with chains on the beach, the sand can get stuck between them. Therefore, for any type of visit to the beach, you can better secure your jewels in a safe place.
If your jewelry is made of pure gold, there is nothing you should worry about when it comes to getting your jewelry wet. Whether it is a gold necklace, bracelet, ring, or earrings, if they are 10K, 14K, 18K, or 22K, gold will not get affected by water.
10K, 14K, 18K and even 22K Solid Gold is not a concern when it comes to getting your necklace wet. Whether it is a gold link chain such as gold curb chain or a gold rope chain or something else, as long as it is pure solid gold, you can swim with your gold.
Jewelers use ultrasonic cleaners with high frequency sound waves and chemicals, which create bubbles that latch on to the dirt on the diamond. The high frequency sound waves pull the dirt away from the stone and bring them up to the surface.
The short answer to this question is yes, you can (if you know it's sterling silver). Water generally does not damage sterling silver.
However, silver can also tarnish from exposure to chlorine and acids which may potentially be more damaging to the metal, including causing pits to appear. Tarnish can appear as a yellow, brown, black or grey coating on the surface of your silver jewellery, which is sometimes quite patchy.
Tarnish is the oxidization that occurs when air-borne sulfurs and chlorides are present, causing a yellowish cast on the sterling silver.
Sterling silver jewelry can absolutely be worn every day! In fact, many people enjoy the look of sterling silver because it's understated and timeless. Plus, it's easy to care for and can be worn with just about anything.
Sterling silver jewels looks great with your beachwear but don't go in the water with them. They will tarnish and, in some cases, become damaged by exposure to pool and saltwater. Water, in and of itself, doesn't cause the damage.