Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,
This summer has been a sticker in upstate New York with extremely high humidity rates. Will this type of sticky weather have a negative effect on my jewelry?
Sandra in Manlius, NY

Not as much as you think. In fact, there are some gemstones which actually benefit from humid weather. Take opals, for instance. These translucent gems (like the ring pictured left), while sensitive to heat, actually need a bit of humidity to maintain their water content and prevent cracks. When storing opals in a safety deposit box, many jewelers recommend wrapping them in a damp paper towel to ensure that a base level of humidity is maintained.

On the other hand, sterling silver like this unique horn necklace will tarnish in humid weather, so it is best to wrap your sterling silver in a soft cloth and store in air tight bags when not being worn.

Humidity is not worse for most jewelry than regular heat, but as most gemstones and precious metals cannot withstand extremes in temperature it is best to keep all your jewelry stored separately in soft, dry pouches, except for opals which can be wrapped in damp clothes.

And for your own comfort, may I suggest a jewelry-free dip in the pool?