Can you walk into the shower with your diamond necklace still around your neck? It’s a good thing that you’ve thought about this question because so did we.
The almost controversial topic of wearing your jewelry while you’re in the shower has awakened two views among people. We’re here to clear the doubts and give you an answer.
When asked “can you wear diamonds in the shower?” Some people hold the opinion that this is harmless for the gem, while others remove their jewelry before stepping in.
Today, we’ll be talking about taking your diamonds in the shower with you, whether this is something you can or can’t do, and whether water can damage your gem.
We’ll make sure to throw in some tips as well. Stay tuned.
Jewelry In The Shower: Yes on No?
Technically, there’s no “ban” on wearing your jewelry in the shower.
You can shower with your necklace or earrings; however, this does not mean you should do it with every piece of jewelry. Naturally, jewelry that is of greater value and sentimental importance to you, you will not wear everywhere.
As such, you will not carry them in the shower with you for fear of damaging it. This is the opinion of most people, it is correct, and we whole-heartedly agree with it.
However, there’s more to this topic than just a plain “yes” or “no.” While some jewelry pieces can endure your long hot showers, others won’t.
Wearing Diamonds In The Shower
Let’s get back to the original question: “Can you wear diamonds in the shower?”
The overall answer is simply no. Diamonds do not fall under the category of jewelry pieces that can be worn in the shower.
In short, your diamond won’t fall apart. It’ll survive, but you’ll be able to see some significant consequences and visible damage to your gem after a while.
After some time has passed, say more than half a year, and you’ve constantly showered with your gem, it will get damaged. One might ask “How can this happen to a diamond?”
Well, you will be able to notice this through a color change, especially with diamonds that were already poor-quality when they were purchased.
The focus is not only on the color, though, but also on the brilliance of the diamond.
This is due to your soap and all other soapy products that you use while showering. Consequently, the soap you use daily leaves residues on your diamond, and this affects its “sparkle.”
Is that all? Well, yes. The good news, though, is that your diamond’s integrity won’t be damaged after you’ve showered with it, so, no worries there.
The moral of the story here is, that if you’ve recently purchased a diamond and are thinking of showering with it, don’t do it. Be it earrings or a necklace, leave it outside your shower.
Related Read: Can You Wear Diamond Earrings Every Day?
Swimming With Diamonds?
No way! Bear in mind, that this doesn’t have to do with either the integrity of the brilliance of your diamond. It’s a matter of responsibility and safety towards your gem.
You shouldn’t go swimming with your diamond because it’s way too dangerous. Your gem is an expensive part of your jewelry collection, and you can’t afford to lose it in the water.
So, besides the fact that it shouldn’t be taken to the shower with you, you shouldn’t take it with you to open waters either. This includes public pools, the sea, and so on.
There’s a great chance that turbulent waters could tear it away from you.
Related Read:
Other Types of Jewelry In The Shower
We’re pretty sure that diamonds are not the only jewelry that you have in your jewelry collection. That’s why we’d like to go through a few additional types of jewelry that you can/can’t wear in the shower.
Solid Gold Jewelry
It’s allowed – you can wear your gold jewelry in the shower.
Whether it’s rose, yellow, or white gold, it’s okay. The important thing is that it won’t harm the metal, however, you may notice that it will lose its shine after a couple of months of showering with it.
If this bothers you too much, you can always take it to get professionally cleaned and restore its shine.
Gold Plated Jewelry
This is a no from us, and here’s why we think so.
Unlike solid gold jewelry, gold-plated earrings and necklaces are made from base metal, which is usually silver, and the layer of gold in which it is covered is extremely thin.
This makes it a bad candidate for water. Your jewelry will get chipped and scratched. After a while, the disappointing result you’ll be left with is a lack of color and gold on your jewelry.
Sterling Silver
Again, it’s a no from us. Sterling silver and water are not a good combo…
The main reason for this is that exposing sterling silver to water and moisture constantly will cause it to tarnish, which will permanently damage your piece.
Additionally, strong chemicals found in dishwashing soaps, salt, and chlorine can also have a detrimental effect on this jewelry.
Platinum Jewelry
Yes, you can shower with your platinum jewelry.
As you may or may not have known, this jewelry is known for its brilliance and shine. So, a bit of water won’t damage it. Although it’s not prone to any serious damage, after you’ve showered with it for quite some time, you may notice that it will get a bit darker in color.
Learn More: Platinum: Everything You Need to Know and More
Pearl Jewelry
Never! You should never wear your pearls in the shower.
You might think that it’s natural and okay to do so because this jewelry comes from the ocean, but it’s not true. Any type of strong chemicals (soap, salt, oil, acidic products) can damage the surface of your pearl jewelry.
You’ve probably heard that the best way to keep your pearls clean and shiny is to wipe them with a damp cloth – and you should stick to that.
How To Clean Your Gems?
If you’re not supposed to shower with your gems, how are you supposed to clean them?
Of course, cleaning your diamonds involves using water as well as many other products, so let’s get into the verified methods you can stick to.
Soap + Water
The first method, and a simple one at that, involves using soap and water.
You’ll be doing this at some point, so the first thing you should do is prepare the surface for cleaning your gem.
You’ll need some soap, a small bowl, and a cloth.
First, make sure that the soap you’re using doesn’t have any toxic substances in its composition. Next, fill your bowl with lukewarm water, pour a couple of drops of soap into it, and stir for a minute.
Place your diamond in the bowl and let it soak for about 15-20 minutes. Take your diamond out, and rinse it with cold water. After rinsing, carefully wipe it with a cloth.
That’s it, your diamond is clean.
Baking Soda + Water
Some people also use baking soda to clean their gems.
The process is identical to the one we’ve mentioned a second ago. Of course, you shouldn’t forget to rinse and wipe the diamond carefully, without leaving any residue.
Non-Chemical Solutions?
For those of you who are worried about their diamonds getting damaged by harsh chemicals, you’ll be happy to hear about the non-chemical solution to cleaning your diamond.
What do we mean by this? Although soap and water will surely do the trick, you can go shopping for a diamond cleaner or polisher. These products are specially made for cleaning your gems.
However, pay attention before buying. Some of them contain harsh chemicals after all. Always read the back!
Getting It Professionally Cleaned
If you’re not 100% certain of any of the options we’ve outlined above, that’s also okay. You can still go the old-fashioned way, and get your diamond professionally cleaned.
This means taking it to the jewelry store (preferably to the one in which you bought it) and having it cleaned there.
Of course, this might be a bit costly for someone with a tighter budget, but you won’t have to worry about your diamond degrading in quality or losing its sparkle.
The jewelry store will give you a date on which you can pick it up, and that’s it.
How Often Should I Clean My Diamond?
This question is ground for a debate between gem owners themselves.
Although some might advocate that you should clean your diamond every second week, we believe that it’s going a bit over the top.
To keep your gem clean and shiny, you can have it cleaned twice a year.
Besides diamond engagement rings, you won’t be wearing this type of jewelry daily, so there’s no need for you to be so strict regarding cleaning.
You can have it professionally cleaned twice a year, and you’ll be satisfied.
Read More: How to Clean Diamond Ring With Toothpaste?
Storing Your Diamond
Since the emphasis on today’s topic is how to protect your diamonds from potential damage, there’s one additional topic we’d like to go over before putting a full stop to this article.
How to store your jewelry properly? Here’s what we have to tell you about “storage.”
Store It Separately
Regardless of how many pieces of jewelry you currently possess in your collection, you should store them separately. Why?
Because necklaces, for example, can very easily get tangled with the rest of your jewelry. Also, they can scratch the surface of your diamond ring, for example, which creates an additional problem.
The shapes of many different drawer complexes and “jewelry trees” allow you to do this simply and protect your jewelry from getting tangled.
Store It Out Of Sight
Next thing – storing your jewelry out of sight.
Although you’re proud of your collection and you want everyone to appreciate the beautiful pieces you own, you must store your jewelry, especially diamonds, out of sight.
Choose a cupboard or drawer in your dresser with a key that only you will have, and keep your diamonds there, under a lock. You have to be very careful with things like this because you’re protecting yourself from theft.
Store It In A (Silver Cloth)
Many people do not put too much emphasis on this and leave their jewelry in plastic boxes and bags. However, this is not the way you should store your gems.
To maintain their quality and protect them from any possible damage, it would be best to keep your gems wrapped in silver cloth.
You can get them in any jewelry store. Of course, you can consult your jeweler if you’re skeptical. They’ll advise you on the best way to store your diamond earrings or ring.
See Also: Why Are Diamonds Wrapped In Paper?
Final Thoughts
That’s a full stop on the topic of can you wear diamonds in the shower. The final answer is no – you’re not supposed to wear your diamonds in the shower, and we’ve given you a pretty good reason for it.
If you shower with your diamond for a long time, it’ll start to lose its color. This is especially true for poor-quality gems, as they’ll lose their original color and even sparkle much sooner.
The same goes for other types of jewelry, such as pearls and gold-plated jewelry. The point is, before going into the shower, take off your diamond ring. Do the same before going for a swim.
Although you’re not supposed to shower with it, you can clean it with water and soap, water and baking soda, or you can get it professionally cleaned – your choice.
The last thing we’d like to add is that you should store your gems separately, out of sight, and most importantly, wrap them in silver cloth to maintain quality.