You should not get in the water with precious jewelry due to the risk of loss, corrosion from chemicals and salt, and irreversible damage to softer metals and gemstones. Cold water and activities like swimming also make it easier for rings to slip off your fingers unnoticed.

Metals tarnish because of chemical reactions between their surfaces and environmental elements like oxygen, sulfur (especially in air or from chemicals), and moisture, forming a discolored surface layer. Common factors accelerating this corrosion, or tarnish, include contact with skin oils, lotions, perfumes, sweat, and improper storage in humid or open conditions. The specific compounds that form, like silver sulfide or copper carbonate, depend on the metal and the reacting elements.

Jewelry changes skin color due to chemical reactions between the metals in the jewelry and substances on your skin, like sweat, lotions, or cosmetics. For example, copper alloys can oxidize to form a green stain, while high concentrations of sulfur compounds can react with metals like silver, creating black tarnish that rubs off on the skin. This discoloration is typically harmless and can often be prevented by keeping jewelry clean, removing it during activities that involve moisture or chemicals, and ensuring a proper fit.

Gold is measured in karats, a scale where 24K is pure gold (99.9% gold), and the percentage of gold decreases with lower karat ratings.For example,18K gold is 75% gold, 14K is about 58.3% gold, and 10K is approximately 41.7% gold.The lower the karat, the higher the percentage of alloys, which adds durability but reduces the pure gold content.