Lots of people will tell you that you should never wear fine diamond jewelry to the beach. And, in a way they are right. To sunbathe in? Go splashing in the sea? Maybe not. To attend a beach wedding or seaside picnic date or slightly more sophisticated beachside cocktail hour? It would be a shame to leave that statement piece at home - especially if it's your diamond engagement ring.
We get where you're coming from. The last thing we'd do as diamond lovers - as we do love diamonds, as well as sell them -is to advise you not to show off your precious jewels. That's just what they're for.
The fact is as long as you are mindful of these tips the summer need not be a reason to consign your fine diamond jewelry to a drawer, although you may want to limit its use to special occasions only:
A woman on the beach
Don't Do Water
The one thing you should never do is go into the water while wearing your fine diamond jewelry, and that means no paddles in the sea too. Chlorine - in swimming pools can damage and discolor your settings - gold included - and the sea salt - which is very heavy in the air above the waves - will corrode your settings as well. Diamonds themselves are likely to remain unharmed, but a beautiful diamond ring with a tarnished setting is never a great look.
If you can't leave the jewelry at home - if it's an engagement ring you wear all the time for example - then ensure you have a secure place to store it if you do want to hit the water. There are lots of cool choices these days, and if you want to ensure you don't forget your jewelry, invest in a storage 'pop socket' for your phone, as you know you keep an eye on that at all times!
Sunscreen and Bug Spray
Most sunscreens and bug sprays will not damage your diamonds or their settings, but they will often leave a sticky film that can dull them, so try to apply these when you are not wearing your fine diamond jewelry.
Sweat
Even when you are not at the beach you will probably sweat. This won't hurt your diamond, but it may dull your setting so try to keep a towel on hand to wipe it off once in a while.
Sand
Sand is very abrasive, so making sandcastles while wearing your diamond ring is not a good idea, nor is digging around with the kids in the back garden, as some soils can be quite abrasive as well.
Woman with jewelry in summer
The Importance of Regular (Professional) Diamond Jewelry Cleaning
Even if you don't wear your diamond jewelry that often this summer it's still likely to end up a little grimy by the end of the season. A good cleaning can take care of much of that but make that cleaning a professional one.
DIY cleaning - especially those rather odd 'home remedy' type Internet tips can do more harm than good and while they might be OK for the kind of fun costume jewelry you might choose to wear to the beach instead of your precious fine diamond jewelry. Make sure a professional clean your diamond jewelry and it will look great at the end of the summer, at Christmas, and for years and years to come!
