How to Care for Your Jewellery & Watches in Summer
News
Published: Jul 1, 2026
Summer Jewellery Care: Protecting the Pieces You Love
Summer is a season of celebration. From sun filled afternoons and seaside escapes to destination weddings, anniversaries, and evenings spent with the people we love, this is the time of year when our favourite jewellery often becomes part of our most meaningful memories.
Yet summer also brings elements that can affect the brilliance, beauty, and longevity of fine jewellery and watches. Heat, sunscreen, chlorine, saltwater, travel, and everyday outdoor activities can leave their mark if your pieces are not cared for properly.
At La Mine d’Or, we believe every piece tells a story. With a few thoughtful jewellery care habits, you can protect the pieces you love and allow them to shine beautifully through every summer celebration.
How Heat Can Affect Your Jewellery
Fine jewellery is designed to be treasured for a lifetime, but prolonged exposure to heat can affect certain gemstones and delicate materials. Pearls, opals, emeralds, and some treated gemstones may be especially sensitive to extreme temperature changes and direct sunlight.
- To protect your jewellery in summer, avoid leaving pieces in hot cars, near windows, or in direct sun for extended periods.
- When you are not wearing your jewellery, store it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. This simple step helps preserve the colour, surface, and natural beauty of your most cherished pieces.
How to Protect Jewellery from Sunscreen, Lotions, and Perfume
Sunscreen, body oils, lotions, and perfume are summer essentials, but they can create residue on jewellery. This buildup may cause diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals to appear dull, even when the piece itself is perfectly clean underneath.
- For best results, apply sunscreen and skincare first, allow the product to absorb, then put on your jewellery.
- At the end of the day, gently wipe your pieces with a soft, lint free cloth to remove any remaining product. This helps maintain brilliance and keeps your jewellery looking polished throughout the season.
Should You Wear Jewellery in Chlorine?
Chlorine can be harsh on precious metals and may affect the structure of certain jewellery over time. Pool water can be especially concerning for rings, bracelets, and pieces worn frequently, as repeated exposure may weaken settings or dull the finish.
- Before swimming in a pool or relaxing in a hot tub, remove your jewellery and place it in a secure pouch or jewellery travel case. This small habit offers meaningful protection and helps preserve your pieces for future celebrations.
Should You Wear Jewellery in Saltwater?
Saltwater can leave a film on jewellery, reducing sparkle and making metals and gemstones appear less luminous. The ocean can also increase the risk of losing rings, earrings, or bracelets, especially when fingers shrink slightly in cooler water or when waves and movement loosen clasps.
- Before swimming in the ocean, remove your jewellery and store it safely.
- For beach days, consider wearing minimal pieces and leaving your most sentimental or high-value jewellery at home or in a secure location.
Summer Watch Care Tips
Watches often accompany us through every summer occasion, from travel days to evening celebrations. However, heat, moisture, sunscreen, chlorine, and saltwater can affect both the appearance and performance of a timepiece.
To help protect your watch throughout the season, keep these care tips in mind:
Avoid exposing your watch to chlorine and saltwater whenever possible.
- Both can be harsh on straps, gaskets, seals, plated surfaces, and polished metal finishes, particularly after prolonged or repeated exposure. Hot tubs should also be avoided, as heat and water pressure can compromise the watch’s seals.
If a water-resistant watch is exposed to saltwater or chlorine, rinse it gently with fresh, lukewarm water as soon as possible.
- Ensure the crown is fully secured before rinsing, avoid pressing buttons or adjusting the crown while the watch is wet, and dry it thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth.
Keep leather straps away from water, sunscreen, perfume, lotions, and excessive perspiration.
- Moisture and product buildup can penetrate the leather, leading to staining, discolouration, odour, stiffness, cracking, or premature wear. If the strap becomes damp, allow it to air-dry naturally away from direct heat.
Avoid leaving your watch in direct sunlight, near a heat source, or inside a hot car for extended periods.
- Excessive heat may affect the movement, battery life, lubricants, water-resistant seals, dial, or strap, while prolonged sunlight may cause certain materials and colours to fade.
When travelling, store your watch in a protective case, watch roll, or soft-lined pouch.
- Avoid placing it loosely in a bag with jewellery, keys, or other hard objects that could scratch the case, crystal, bracelet, or clasp. If possible, secure the watch so it cannot shift or experience repeated impacts during transit.
Consider having the seals and water resistance professionally checked at regular intervals, particularly before summer travel, swimming, or poolside wear.
- A watchmaker can assess the condition of the gaskets, crown, crystal, and case before performing a pressure test to confirm whether the watch still meets its intended water-resistance level.
With thoughtful care, your timepiece can remain as refined and reliable as the moments it accompanies.
“Before You Travel” Jewellery Checklist
A little preparation can help keep your jewellery protected, organised, and looking its best throughout your journey.
1. Choose What to Pack
- Select versatile pieces that complement several outfits, reducing the number of valuables you need to bring.
- Consider your itinerary carefully. Delicate, irreplaceable, or exceptionally valuable jewellery may not be suitable for beaches, excursions, crowded events, or destinations with limited secure storage.
- Pack jewellery in a structured travel case, jewellery roll, or individual soft pouches. Fasten and separate chains to prevent tangling, and secure earrings with their backs.
2. Clean and Inspect
- Gently clean each piece before packing, following the appropriate care instructions for its metal and gemstones. Avoid soaking delicate, porous, treated, antique, or pearl jewellery unless professionally advised.
- Check clasps, prongs, settings, chains, and earring backs for looseness, wear, or damage. Have anything insecure inspected by a jeweller before travelling.
- Allow every piece to dry completely before packing to help prevent moisture, tarnishing, and product buildup.
3. Review Your Insurance
- Confirm that valuable pieces are covered while travelling, particularly if your policy limits coverage for loss, theft, damage, or international travel.
- Ensure appraisals, receipts, certificates, and photographs are current. Store secure digital copies rather than travelling with the originals.
- Record distinguishing details, serial numbers, inscriptions, and gemstone information in case you need to make an insurance claim.
4. Wear and Store It Safely
- Put jewellery on after applying sunscreen, perfume, lotion, hairspray, or insect repellent, as these products can leave residue and dull certain finishes.
- Remove jewellery before swimming, exercising, showering, using a hot tub, or participating in activities involving chemicals, saltwater, impact, or excessive perspiration.
- Return jewellery to its protective case when it is not being worn and use a secure in-room safe when available. Avoid leaving pieces beside sinks or loose on counters and nightstands.
5. Know What to Leave at Home
- Leave behind pieces that are highly sentimental, difficult to replace, inadequately insured, or unnecessary for your itinerary.
- Store jewellery left at home in a secure location, ideally in a home safe or safety deposit box. Keep each piece separated and protected from humidity, sunlight, and temperature changes.
- Avoid publicly sharing detailed travel plans or photographs of valuable jewellery while away, as this may draw attention to what you are carrying and what remains at home.
A thoughtful edit of your travel jewellery collection allows you to enjoy each piece with greater confidence—wherever your journey takes you.
How to Clean Jewellery After Travelling
After days spent in the sun, jewellery may collect sunscreen, sweat, dust, and traces of salt or chlorine. A gentle cleaning routine can help restore its shine.
- For many gold and diamond pieces, warm water with a small amount of mild dish soap can be used to loosen residue.
- Dry carefully with a soft cloth. Delicate gemstones, pearls, opals, and certain fine jewellery pieces require special care and should not be soaked unless recommended by a professional.
- Professional cleaning can help restore brilliance while ensuring your settings, clasps, and stones remain secure.
When in doubt, visit La Mine d’Or for expert jewellery cleaning and care advice.
Protect Your Jewellery All Summer Long
Summer is meant to be enjoyed, and your jewellery should be part of the moments that matter. With thoughtful care, you can protect your favourite pieces from heat, sunscreen, chlorine, saltwater, travel, and everyday wear.
Whether you are celebrating an engagement, an anniversary, a wedding, a family milestone, or a quiet golden hour moment, your jewellery carries the beauty of the occasion. Care for it with intention, and it will continue to shine through every season of life and love.
Visit La Mine d’Or for fine jewellery, watches, professional cleaning, and expert care services designed to help preserve the pieces you love most.
Book an appointment with La Mine d’Or to receive personalised jewellery and watch care guidance.