What Jewelry Is Safe To Wear In The Water?

When it comes to wearing jewelry in the water, it's important to know which pieces are safe to wear and which ones should be avoided. The last thing you want is for your favorite piece of jewelry to be damaged because you wore it in the pool or ocean.

In general, our primary suggestion would be to remove any valuable jewelry you care about prior to getting in the water. While water alone won't damage many types of jewelry, there are other things jewelry can get exposed to when swimming such as chlorine, sunscreen, and even direct sunlight that can fade or damage your jewelry. 

But, if you must go for a swim with your jewelry, let's discuss what is generally safe to get in the water. 

First, let's talk about solid gold jewelry because that's mostly what you'll find here at Nova Lita. Gold jewelry is one of the safer choices for water wear because it's extremely durable and won't tarnish or rust. You can generally wear our solid gold pieces in the pool, ocean, or even in the shower without any issues if it's a short period of time. If you are wearing a delicate or a lower karat gold piece, keep in mind that exposure to chlorine could weaken aspects of the jewelry, such as the prongs and settings.

Gold-plated jewelry (which we don't sell here!), on the other hand, is not a great choice for water wear. The gold plating is a thin layer of gold that is applied to a base metal, and it can wear off over time. So, it's best to avoid wearing gold-plated jewelry in the water.

Sterling silver is another popular choice for jewelry, but it's also not the best option for water wear. Sterling silver can tarnish over time, and exposure to water can speed up that process. If you want to wear your sterling silver jewelry in the water, make sure to dry it thoroughly afterwards to prevent tarnishing.

A lot of our jewelry here at Nova Lita also includes beautiful gemstones. The safety of those gems in the water completely depends on the type of gem. Gemstones like sapphire, tourmaline, quartz, diamond, peridot, and ruby are all generally safe to wear in the water. These gemstones are generally quite durable and can withstand exposure to water without damage.

Other gemstones like pearls, opals, and turquoise are sensitive to water and could fade in color, crack, or otherwise be damaged with prolonged exposure. Try not to ever wear those in the water when you go swimming or shower.

Keep in mind, even if jewelry is water safe, we never recommend steaming them or putting them in an ultrasonic cleaner without checking with us first to ensure it's safe!

In summary, if you want to wear your jewelry in the water, stick with solid gold, and durable gemstones like diamonds, rubies and tourmaline, and avoid gold-plated jewelry, and sensitive gemstones like opals and pearls. And once you get out of the water, always take care to dry them off thoroughly, and have them checked by a jeweler if you notice any damage or changes.

Happy swimming!