Summer is upon us and beach season is quickly approaching. If you live in Hawaii like me, beach season is year around!  On another note, even when the weather isn’t warm, we’re (hopefully) showering.  This raises the question : can I get my silver or gold-filled jewelry wet?

The short answer to this question is yes, you can (if you know it’s sterling silver or Gold-Filled). Water generally does not damage sterling silver.  *But* water does cause silver to oxidize (darken) more quickly, and what type of water and the chemicals in it has an impact on how much it will cause your silver to change color.  Here are the dos and don’ts of exposing your silver and 14k gold filled jewelry to water.

Can I shower in my Jewelry?
is generally fine – there aren’t any super harsh chemicals in our tap water that would react significantly with your sterling silver or 14k gold filled jewelry.  The soap and water can even help wash away any residue from your skin and dirt in the air that can also cause your silver to look dull.

Can I go swimming with my jewelry on or dip in the hot tub?
. . . eh.  Swimming pools are usually treated with chlorine, and chlorine reacts with sterling silver and 14k gold-filled.  So depending on how much chlorine is in the pool, you’ll probably have to clean your silver if you’re swimming frequently and I would avoid all harsh chemicals for 14k gold-filled jewelry.

Hot Tubs? 
Try not to.  There’s even more chlorine in hot tubs, and it’s hot.  Chemical reactions generally speed up at higher temperatures, so I’d definitely try to take off your silver or 14k gold-filled jewelry before getting in the pool.  You might notice a definite color change afterwards that could take a lot of cleaning.

Salt Water
Not the end of the world, but possibly the end of your life.  Salt can be corrosive and can also leave residue on your jewelry which should be cleaned off.  If you can, take it off before going in the water.  If you forget, try to rinse it and dry it off with some clean water afterwards.

Hot Springs  
Please don’t.  Hot springs often contain a lot of different minerals, specifically Sulfur.  Jewelers use Sulfuric acid to intentionally oxidize silver jewelry so . . . you could be in for a big color change here.  I’d advise against wearing your silver jewelry in any kind of hot spring.

This is a lot of information I’m not sure what to do with it . . . 

Here’s the moral of the story : water itself does not damage sterling silver, it’s the chemicals in the water that can cause it to change color.  Your silver is going to change color over time, but how quickly it changes depends on how often you wear it and the chemicals you expose it to.  It’s the chemicals in different types of water that can react with the silver.

My advice is to wear your silver jewelry (the oils from your skin help keep it clean), and do the best that you can to avoid exposing it to harsh chemicals.  If you slip up it’s probably not the end of the world – most color changes that occur do not imply “damage,” and can be cleaned at home, and worst case can be cleaned professionally.  If you’re on vacation and not getting in the pool or ocean every few minutes means not you aren’t going to wear it at all, store it in a sealed plastic bag in a dry place.

Hope this helps, and feel free to comment with any questions!