Can I Wear My Earrings In Water?

At Crystal Heaven London, we understand the importance of jewellery that doesn't turn your ears green or leave them irritated. Luckily, we don't work with any metals that will cause that unsightly green residue but we still get asked if this will happen and whether our jewellery can be worn in water. We've crafted this guide to help you understand the best practices to ensuring your jewellery remains as shiny as the day you bought it ✨

As we sell a variety of different high-quality metals within our collection, each one can differ in their ability to be worn in water so here's everything you need to know!

Sterling Silver

Our silver colour Sterling Silver earrings are rhodium plated which are less likely to tarnish compared to untreated sterling silver earrings. Rhodium is a rare and highly durable metal that belongs to the platinum group and perfect for creating a protective layer which enhances the appearance of the jewellery with a shiny finish and also acts as a barrier that helps prevent tarnishing and protects the underlying Sterling Silver. While rhodium plating provides resistance to water, it's still advisable to remove your earrings if you swim in a chlorinated pool every day for example but the occasional swim won't harm your jewellery.

Sterling Silver (gold plating)

Our gold colour Sterling Silver earrings are adorned with thick micron gold plating which will last years when looked after. However, when it comes to swimming, it's best to err on the side of caution as chlorinated water in swimming pools and saltwater in the ocean can accelerate wear on the gold plating over time. While gold plating provides resistance to water, it's still advisable to remove your earrings if you swim in a chlorinated pool every day for example but the occasional swim won't harm your jewellery.

14k Solid Gold

14k Solid Gold jewellery is renowned for its durability and resistance to tarnish, making it a suitable candidate for every day wear. 14k gold, with a high gold content, is more resistant to tarnishing and corrosion than 9k gold for example.

Implant Grade Titanium

Titanium is not only lightweight and hypoallergenic but also highly resistant to corrosion. This makes it an excellent choice for water activities. You can confidently wear your Implant Grade Titanium while swimming without worrying about damage.

316L Stainless Steel

316L Stainless Steel is designed to withstand tough conditions, including exposure to water. It is highly resistant to corrosion and tarnish, making it suitable for swimming. Feel free to wear your stainless steel pieces in pools or the ocean.

FAQ's

What is tarnishing in jewellery?

Tarnishing refers to the gradual darkening or discolouration of jewellery over time. It occurs due to a chemical reaction between the metal and substances in the environment, like oxygen and sulfur compounds. Tarnishing is a natural process and can be influenced by factors like air quality, moisture, and exposure to chemicals, leading to the need for regular cleaning and maintenance to restore the original lustre.

Does your Sterling Silver and Gold plated Sterling Silver tarnish?

All silver jewellery can naturally tarnish, so we've made ours as resistant as possible. If you prefer to wear Silver coloured earrings, Sterling Silver is a naturally silver/white colour, so it doesn't typically need to be plated. However this means you would be wearing a bare metal with no protection or plating, so to ensure our Silver earrings are durable and resistant, we add a rhodium plating as a layer of protection along with an e-coating so that outside factors can't easily tarnish the Silver base metal.
For this reason, it makes sense that Gold plated jewellery is also protected against tarnishing because the base metal of Sterling Silver is covered with a thick Gold plating and e-coating. The only way Gold plated jewellery will tarnish is if the Gold plating is significantly worn which is why we use a thick layer so it's made to last.

How can I maintain my Gold plated jewellery?

Avoid exposure to chemicals: Remove your gold plated jewellery before applying lotions, shampoo, perfumes, or engaging in activities that involve exposure to chemicals.
Minimise friction: Avoid wearing gold plated jewellery during activities that may cause friction such as sports.
Proper storage: Store your gold plated jewellery in a dry, cool place, preferably in our gift pouches to prevent scratches and minimise exposure to air.
Gentle cleaning: Clean your gold plated jewellery with a soft, damp cloth to remove dirt and oils. Avoid abrasive cleaning methods as they can damage the gold layer.

What's the difference between tarnishing and green skin?

Tarnishing
As explained above, tarnishing is a natural process and can occur with high quality metals such as Sterling Silver when the surface of the metal reacts with moisture, and exposure to chemicals over a prolonged period of time - it's not solely linked to wearing jewellery in water. Tarnished silver often appears dull and may have a dark coating on the surface which can be buffed off with a silver polishing cloth.

Green Skin
Green skin is a chemical reaction that occurs when a low-quality metal such as brass reacts with the acids present in a person's skin, combined with factors like moisture and air, this causes the metal to oxidise. This results in a greenish residue being left on your skin, especially from earrings that have prolonged contact with the skin. Alloy-based costume jewellery is highly likely to cause green skin and irritation which is why it's important to choose jewellery made from high-quality metals for your piercings as it's likely you'll be wearing them every day - no one wants to remove their flat-backs before showering or sleeping! Unfortunately there's no way to reverse the effects of green skin which has damaged jewellery.

TL;DR: Tarnishing is where the surface of the metal turns dark, whereas green skin is where the skin and jewellery turns green.

Can I shower in my jewellery?

As the water we all shower with can vary across the world so can the chlorine content, however, the amount of chlorine in shower water is typically lower than the levels found in swimming pools. For this reason we'd recommend the following for each different metal:

Sterling Silver (rhodium & gold plated): You can wear your jewellery in the shower but avoid soap and shampoo/conditioner (this can wear down the plating) and remember to dry your earrings after you get out. Basically, just remove them before your everything shower!
14k Solid Gold: You can wear your jewellery in the shower every day, you don't need to remove it. Just remember to avoid soap and shampoo/conditioner coming into contact with your jewellery if it contains crystals or gemstones.
Implant Grade Titanium: You can wear your jewellery in the shower every day, you don't need to remove it. Just remember to avoid soap and shampoo/conditioner coming into contact with your jewellery if it contains crystals or gemstones.
316L Stainless Steel: You can wear your jewellery in the shower every day, you don't need to remove it. Just remember to avoid soap and shampoo/conditioner coming into contact with your jewellery if it contains crystals or gemstones.

TL;DR:

You can wear Sterling Silver, 14k Solid Gold, Implant Grade Titanium and Stainless Steel jewellery in water, just remove them if you're washing your hair and dry them off after. Do not allow metals such as brass, copper, or zinc-alloy near water as they can turn your skin green.

By following these guidelines, you can enjoy your jewellery for years to come!

Is your jewellery waterproof?