Should I wear my engagement ring on holiday?

Is one of the most common asked questions when we take rings in for cleaning and the answer isn’t always straight forward as you might think.

Summer is a season of sunshine, celebrations and adventure. From seaside holidays and destination weddings to garden parties and evening dining al fresco, it’s the perfect time to enjoy wearing beautiful jewellery. Bright sunlight brings gemstones to life, yellow gold glows with warmth, and colourful designs feel perfectly at home against sun-kissed skin.

However, summer can also be one of the toughest seasons for fine jewellery. Sand, saltwater, chlorine, sun creams and travelling all present risks that can leave jewellery scratched, damaged or even lost.

With a little extra care, your jewellery can remain as beautiful at the end of summer as it was at the beginning. Here are our favourite tips for choosing jewellery for the season and protecting your treasured pieces wherever your travels take you.

Solitaire Oval Diamond Ring in 18ct Yellow Gold

Jewellery That Shines in Summer

Summer is all about colour, light and effortless style. It is often the season where people become a little more adventurous with their jewellery, scaling back on clothing they have more room to choose larger gemstones and pendants, colourful designs and playful motifs inspired by nature.

Yellow gold is perhaps the ultimate summer metal. Its rich warmth complements sun-kissed skin beautifully and pairs perfectly with vibrant gemstones. White gold and platinum offer a crisp, contemporary look that feels wonderfully fresh against bright summer clothing, while rose gold provides a soft romantic warmth.

When choosing gemstones, summer is the perfect excuse to embrace colour. Bright blues, vivid greens, sunny yellows, fiery oranges and vibrant pinks all pop in natural sunlight.

Some wonderful choices include:

• Aquamarine and blue topaz for refreshing ocean-inspired blues.
• Peridot for its vibrant lime-green sparkle.
• Citrine or yellow sapphire for warm golden sunshine tones.
• Spessartine garnet or fire opal for citrusy orange.
• Pink sapphires and tourmaline for cheerful summer watermelon colours.
• Turquoise for its unmistakable Mediterranean feel.

Natural pearls are another timeless summer favourite. Their soft lustre pairs beautifully with linen, flowing dresses and relaxed holiday wardrobes, while evoking memories of the sea and coastal living.

Hexagonal Topaz Pendant in 9ct Yellow Gold

Green Tourmaline Pendant with a Feature Edge in Yellow Gold

Tourmaline and Diamond Drop Pendant in 9ct White Gold

Cushion Shape Sapphire & Diamond Pendant in Yellow Gold

Coastal Inspiration Never Goes Out of Style

Many of our favourite summer jewellery designs take inspiration from the coast itself.

Starfish, shells, turtles, coral textures and ocean-inspired designs capture everything we love about British beaches and Mediterranean escapes alike. Organic textures, softly polished gold and scattered diamonds often resemble treasures washed ashore by the tide.

These nature-inspired pieces are wonderfully versatile, carrying memories of holidays and happy moments long after summer has passed.

Large Diamond Starfish Pendant in Yellow Gold

Starfish Diamond Stud Earrings in Yellow Gold

Diamond Set Wide Band ‘Wave’ Ring in 9ct Yellow Gold

Sand: One of Jewellery’s Biggest Enemies

Many people assume water is the biggest danger to jewellery during the summer, but surprisingly it’s often the sand.

Beach sand isn’t soft when viewed under a microscope. It is made up of tiny fragments of quartz, glass, feldspar, mica and other minerals that have been broken down over thousands of years by weather and erosion.

Quartz alone measures 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it harder than many popular gemstones. While diamonds remain the hardest natural gemstone, many others—including pearls, turquoise, opal, peridot and softer coloured gemstones—can be scratched by sand.

Even precious metals are vulnerable. Tiny grains become trapped between jewellery and skin, acting much like fine sandpaper. Over time this can dull polished surfaces, wear away fine details and leave countless tiny scratches.

If you’re heading to the beach, it’s always best to remove rings, bracelets and watches before building sandcastles, playing beach games or simply relaxing in the sand.

Diamond Starfish Pendant in 9ct White Gold

Saltwater and Swimming Pools

Swimming while wearing jewellery is another common cause of damage—and unfortunately, loss.

Cold water causes our fingers to shrink slightly, meaning rings that normally fit perfectly can suddenly become loose. Every year countless engagement rings, wedding rings and treasured jewellery pieces disappear into the sea, never to be recovered.

Pools present different challenges. Chlorine is a powerful chemical that, over time, can attack the solder joins within jewellery. While this doesn’t usually cause immediate damage, repeated exposure can gradually weaken these joins, increasing the risk of stones loosening or settings failing later on.

Saltwater can also leave deposits on jewellery and contribute to dullness if not cleaned afterwards.

Our advice is simple: before swimming, remove your jewellery and store it safely. If you prefer to accessorise while on holiday, consider wearing lower-value fashion jewellery rather than your most treasured heirlooms or engagement ring.

Pink Sapphire Station Bracelet in 9ct White Gold

Pink Sapphire & Diamond Ring in Platinum

Sun Cream Can Dull Your Sparkle

One of the most common reasons jewellery loses its brilliance during summer isn’t damage at all—it’s simply build-up.

Sun creams, moisturisers, tanning lotions and body oils all leave behind an invisible film that coats gemstones and precious metals. Diamonds are particularly affected, as their sparkle relies on light entering and reflecting through the stone. Once coated with lotions, they can appear surprisingly dull and lifeless.

Fortunately, this is one of the easiest problems to solve.

A gentle clean using warm water and a few drops of a grease-cutting washing-up liquid, such as Fairy Liquid, together with a soft toothbrush, will usually remove oils and restore much of the sparkle. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft lint-free cloth.

For a deeper clean, professional ultrasonic and steam cleaning at your jeweller will safely remove stubborn build-up and leave your jewellery looking as brilliant as the day it was made.

Molten Disc Stud Earrings with Diamonds in Yellow Gold

Large Molten Disc Pendant with Sapphires

18ct Large Molten Disc pendant with Diamonds

Travelling with Fine Jewellery

If you’re taking jewellery away on holiday, spending a little time packing it properly can prevent damage during travel.

Jewellery should never be thrown loose into a wash bag or suitcase where chains become tangled and gemstones knock against one another.

Instead:

• Use a dedicated jewellery travel roll or compact jewellery case with separate compartments.
• Store each ring individually so they cannot rub against one another.
• Place delicate pieces in individual soft pouches or small zip-lock bags.
• Keep necklaces fastened before packing to help prevent tangles.
• Wrap jewellery inside soft clothing, such as socks, for additional padding inside your luggage.

These simple precautions help reduce scratching while also making it easier to keep track of every piece throughout your journey.

Lab Created Orange Oval and Trilliant Cut Diamond Three Stone Ring

Peridot & Diamond Halo Ring in Platinum & Yellow Gold

Mandarin Garnet and Diamond Three Stone Ring in Yellow Gold

Think Carefully About Security

One of the most overlooked aspects of travelling with jewellery is deciding whether it really needs to come with you at all.

Expensive jewellery can unfortunately attract unwanted attention, particularly in busy tourist destinations.

Major cities including Paris, Venice and many popular Mediterranean resorts have well-documented problems with organised theft targeting luxury watches, designer jewellery and recognisable brands. Opportunistic thieves often look for visitors wearing expensive items that can be removed quickly in crowded public places.

Where possible, avoid wearing jewellery that could make you an obvious target. Sometimes leaving an especially valuable piece safely at home is the wisest decision.

If you do take valuable jewellery abroad, remember that hotel room safes are not always completely risk-free. Hotel staff generally have master access procedures for emergencies and servicing, so while safes provide useful protection against opportunistic theft, they should never be viewed as completely secure.

Always remain discreet about valuable possessions and avoid displaying expensive jewellery unnecessarily.

Pear Shape Opal Ring in 9ct Yellow Gold

Pear Shape Opal Pendant in Yellow Gold

Pear Shape Opal Stud Earrings in 9ct Yellow Gold

Check Your Insurance Before You Travel

Many people assume their jewellery is automatically insured wherever they go, but this isn’t always the case.

Some insurance policies exclude jewellery once it leaves the UK, while others may require additional worldwide cover or specify maximum values that can be taken abroad.

Before travelling, it is worth reading the small print carefully or contacting your insurer directly to confirm:

• Whether your jewellery is covered overseas.
• Whether loss, accidental damage and theft are all included.
• Any value limits or exclusions that apply.
• Whether individual items need to be separately specified on the policy.

A five-minute phone call before your holiday could save significant disappointment later. Also, check the date of your last valuation—you do not want to be underinsured as metal prices have increased and your paperwork could be out of date. 

Pearl Slider Necklace in 18ct White Gold

Cultured Freshwater Pearl Pendant in 9ct White Gold

South Sea Pearl Stud Earrings

Pearl Station Bracelet in 9ct Yellow Gold

Enjoy Your Jewellery All Summer Long

Jewellery is made to be worn, admired and enjoyed, and summer offers countless opportunities to do exactly that. Whether you’re celebrating a wedding, relaxing by the coast or exploring somewhere new, choosing the right jewellery—and caring for it properly—will help ensure it continues looking beautiful for many summers to come.

If your jewellery needs a professional clean before or after your holiday, or you’d like us to inspect settings, clasps and claws before you travel, our experienced team would be delighted to help. A simple check today can often prevent a costly repair tomorrow, allowing you to enjoy your summer with complete peace of mind.

Pop in to see us or book a free consultation online and let us check or clean your jewellery. We look forward to welcoming you in our showroom soon.