Keep Your Earrings Fresh All Summer
May 11th, 2009 by admin
If you’re something of a beach bunny like me, you’re going to be spending as much time as possible covered in sand and salt water in the coming months. Even if you’re just taking a sunny vacation to your favorite beach spot, looking fabulous is half the fun. A new bikini, a glamorous hat, and…earrings!
Sea air and water aren’t the best for earrings: silver tarnishes quickly, gemstones weaken, and there’s always the risk of losing one in a sand bank.
If you must wear earrings make sure they’re posts or lever-backs to prevent them falling out in a wave. Stick to plain silver, or the hardest of gems like diamonds, sapphires or topaz. Softer gemstones can weaken and crack, and stay away from anything dyed, as the water can break down the dyes.
Base metals and plated metals like vermeil will lose their plating quickly and fine joints may break, so stick to your cheapest pairs. Fine silver won’t tarnish, even in the sea, so wear it where possible. If you’re going with sterling silver or 14k gold-filled earrings, be sure to rinse it at the end of the day, wipe dry with a soft cloth and store them in plastic zip lock bags when you’re not wearing them to prevent further tarnish.
The best thing about wearing real silver is that if your earrings look tarnished at the end of the season, you can take them to your jeweler to have the polished back to their former shine!
