Ten Tips To Care For Your Jewellery On Holiday

Holiday season is upon us, and who doesn’t want to be on a sandy beach, dripping in jewels with a piná colada in hand? Sound good? Well, before you overpack your suitcase with the inevitable ‘just in case’ pieces, take a few minutes to read our top tips on how to plan, pack and protect your jewellery on holiday.

No summer outfit is complete without a shimmering necklace, statement earrings, or a show-stopping watch. However, ensuring your jewellery travels safely can be a challenge and you need to protect your jewellery from the sun, sand, and sea!

Lorna Haddon, Head of Diamonds and Jewellery, shares her top tips on how to keep your treasured pieces sparkling.

1. Plan your looks

The excitement of going on holiday can leave many jewellery lovers at a loss as to which precious pieces to take with them. Packing lots of jewellery together can cause damage in transit, so it helps to plan out your looks ahead of time to save any nightmare entanglements. If you know you’re going on a more active, adventurous holiday, it may be best to leave your prized pieces at home, so you don’t risk losing or damaging them.

Tip: Want to refresh your jewellery game ready for your holiday? Get some top tips on what’s hot right now with our Summer Holiday Edit. Think beachy anklets and get ready to glow in gold.

2. Pack with care

To make sure your jewellery is kept intact on your journey, it’s best if all pieces are placed carefully in a secure bag, or a travel jewellery box. Besides, who wants to spend their time untangling necklaces when you should be lounging on a sunbed?

Be sure to keep the box that your jewellery comes in - they’ll be a saviour when it comes packing your holiday jewellery if you don’t have a travel jewellery box.

3. Suncream before sparkle

Suncream is essential when you’re going to be sat in blazing sunshine, but it can unfortunately dull your jewellery’s sparkle. The lotion can get stuck into the crevices of chains and prongs, which make the stones and metal appear flat and greasy. It can also remove the plating of any gold plated jewellery, so make sure to lather up well before you put on any jewellery and take it off in between top ups!

Tip: Our How To Clean Silver Jewellery At Home and How To Clean Gold Jewellery At Home guides include the best tips and advice to safely cleaning both your plated and precious metal pieces. Keep your jewellery looking sparkling and fresh with these simple steps.

4. No swim zone

Cooling off in the sea or taking a quick dip in the pool is refreshing, but chlorine and sea water can damage and discolour jewellery – especially sterling silver pieces – so remember to remove before you dive in the water. If jewellery does come into contact with salt water or chlorine, just rinse it off with clean water – but don’t forget to check that your watches are waterproof before submerging.

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5. Save from sweat

The heat on a beach holiday will more than likely make you sweat, which can also make jewellery tarnish. Be sure to remove any pieces when taking part in activities or when sunbathing (who wants funny tan lines anyway?), and get your jewellery back on when you’re off for a beach stroll (cue the perfect Instagram photoshoot) or when you’re off for lunch or a cocktail or two.

6. Sweet dreams

Watching the sun set with a cocktail or two is blissful, but don’t forget to remove any jewellery before bedtime. The last thing you want is your jewellery catching on any clothing or bedding – or annoying you in your sleep!

7. Sand can scratch!

Spending a day at the beach is a perfect way to relax, but sand is not your friend when it comes to jewellery. Be very careful with certain gems when coming into contact with sand grains, as they are abrasive and can cause damage. Our jewellery cleaning products will help to prevent and keep your jewellery in tip top condition.

Discover our range of cleaning products to help keep your jewellery sparkling on holiday and beyond. They’re the perfect size to pop in your handbag and clean on the go, whether you’re cleaning this must-have Silver Sparkle Twist Anklet or one of your other dazzling pieces. Our Cleaning Jewellery Guide is where you’ll find all you need to know about keeping your jewellery in its best condition.

8. Be wary of insect repellent

There is nothing worse than being bitten on holiday, and while mosquito and insect repellent is a hero against insect bites, repellent sprays can damage watch straps and jewellery, so remove before application or clean precious pieces thoroughly after applying.

Tip: Our Jewellery Cleaning Guide is here to help with all the tips and advice you need to keep your jewellery looking its best.

9. Travelling time zones

Changing the time on your watch when you land in your holiday destination always adds to the excitement, but if you have a clever GMT watch then you won’t need to worry with your dual time zone display.

If you do have to change the time when travelling to a different time zone, be sure you push the crown back in on your watch to avoid damaging the mechanism. Your watch also won’t be waterproof or covered by insurance if the crown isn’t positioned correctly, so double check before taking a dip!

Tip: For more advice on how to care for your watch properly, our Watch Care Guide is here to help.

10. Protect your prized pieces  

No-one wants any holiday disasters, so make sure to store your jewellery in a safe place to avoid ruining your holiday. However, accidents can still happen, so it can be a good idea to invest in insurance, such as Beaverbrooks’ jewellery and watch insurance policy from as little as £8 per month.

Pop into your local Beaverbrooks store to ask for further details on watch and jewellery insurance and one of our friendly experts will be happy to help.

Feeling inspired to update your holiday jewellery looks? Our Summer Style Guide is your one stop shop to ensure you sparkle in the sun in style. From boho anklets to glow-worthy gold jewellery, find the perfect pieces to enhance your summer looks.