IMO, there’s nothing worse than discovering that new ring you bought has turned your finger green. Praise be, in those instances, for the best tarnish-free jewellery.
Now summer is here, and we all intend on being in the water more often than out (be it in the pool or sea on holiday, or in a cold shower at home to escape the heat), jewellery that won’t discolour, rust or oxidise is an absolute must, isn’t it? Because absolutely no one wants to bother taking off their jewels just to wash their hands or head to an exercise class.
Don’t get me wrong, solid gold and silver jewellery is always worth the investment – and it makes great gifts for her, gifts for mums and gifts for sisters – but there lies the clue: it can often be pricey. The best waterproof jewellery does what it says on the tin and tends to be much more affordable, so if you plan on treating yourself to a few new sparkly accessories for SS25, this is what you should look for.
With so many gorgeous new collections coming in from some of our favourite tarnish-free jewellery brands this season, you’re in for a real treat. Daisy has just dropped its latest collection with content creator, Polly Sayer, and it’s ticking off this season’s fisherman aesthetic to perfection with seashells galore. Thomas Sabo has a new ‘natural beauty’ edit packed full of fluid, wavy (again, with the sea theme) jewellery that’ll be a welcome addition to your jewellery box. And Missoma has a swirly pair of earrings – you’ll want to add to your wedding guest outfits, FYI – that has a removable pearl, so it’s basically a two-for-one buy.
Best tarnish-free jewellery brands, our top picks:
What is tarnish-free jewellery made of?
There’s such a thing as PVD – Physical Vapour Deposition – which is a coating process, often used atop highly resistant and durable stainless steel, and is supposedly 10 times stronger than other methods. Jewellery brands like D.Louise and Hey Harper use it on all of their pieces and claim it’s totally ‘life-resistant’.
It’s a lot different to the technique gold or silver-plated jewellery receives, but, in the same way that you would with those, you can still sweat, shower and spend your summer at the beach wearing PVD pieces without having to worry.
Plated jewellery is still tarnish-resistant, but it won’t stay that way forever. While you absolutely can wear a gold-plated necklace in the shower more than a handful of times without it going brassy, eventually it will start to dull. If you’re someone who literally never takes their jewellery off, even to switch it up, then PVD-coated or stainless steel pieces like the ones below are probably more suited to you.
Which jewellery does not tarnish?
Not all of the tarnish-free jewellery brands we’ve mentioned use the PVD method, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less long-wearing. We’ve tested a lot of them, so we would know, just look out for the pieces marked ‘Tested By’ (read more about how we test here) alongside them for proof on how they’ll go the distance in your jewellery box.
Ruth Bewsey, co-founder and creative director of Daisy told Glamour, “all sterling silver will tarnish, however rhodium plate helps slow down the tarnishing rate. This however adds a darker colour to the silver, which we at Daisy like to avoid. We love our bright silver colour, so you have to just look after it a bit more.”
How to look after tarnish-free jewellery
Although all jewellery brands have different advise on how to look after waterproof jewellery, or what you can and can’t do while wearing them, Bewsey from Daisy adds, “keep silver pieces out of water with chemicals, i.e. don’t shower or bath in your silver jewellery. If you want to keep your jewellery perfect, take it off regularly and give it a clean. I find a silver polishing cloth works the best.” And when it comes to when you’re not wearing your tarnish-free jewellery, she has a top tip “don’t store your jewellery in a tangled mess – give the pieces space to ‘breathe’ Our jewellery cases are great for that.” So, yes, next time you think about chucking your necklaces, rings and bracelets in a heap on the side, store them in one of these chic jewellery boxes instead.
For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
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