shape
carat
color
clarity

CS that I can wear safely at the beach!

mellowyellowgirl

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
6,266
It’s winter now so beach time (we don’t go in summer because it’s crowded but we go in winter) and I need safe stones to wear to the beach!

Some of the more questionable ones that I want to check on:

Tsav
Spess
tourmaline
Spinel

Yay or nay?

Do I just keep wearing diamonds, sapphires and jadeite?
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
4,337
So we're most worried about sand at the beach. Sand is predominantly comprised of quartz. Quartz has a hardness of 7. Tsav, spess, and tourm are all around 7 as well, give or take .5. So they're a little risky, IMO. Spinel is a solid 8, so I'd worry less about that. But truthfully, I'm probably the worst person to respond to this post, because I baby my gems like newborns.
parent.gif
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
cheap but nice pearls ?
what do you do at the beach ?
lie on a sandy towel, sit on a lounger, or swim in the sea ?
 

Starstruck8

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
614
There's also the issue of what the sand does to the metal. Sand is nasty stuff. With a bit of wind, it will get everywhere and scratch the polish off the metal in no time at all. I just wouldn't wear valuable jewellery to the beach. Except maybe my wear-everywhere star sapphire, because the gold is already worn to a matt-ish patina.
 

LilAlex

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Messages
3,687
I think a lot of jewelry gets lost at the beach. Maybe distraction + sunscreen? Or else it's just a super-fun place for folks with metal detectors to poke around.

My wife lost my vintage Vuarnets (original owner!) to a sneaker wave but that's another story.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
There's also the issue of what the sand does to the metal. Sand is nasty stuff. With a bit of wind, it will get everywhere and scratch the polish off the metal in no time at all. I just wouldn't wear valuable jewellery to the beach. Except maybe my wear-everywhere star sapphire, because the gold is already worn to a matt-ish patina.

thats a good point
i once saw a picture of a 4X4 completly stripped of its paint after a trip around the Wellington south coast like it had been sandblasted, but it was just a really windy (even for Wellington) day
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
I think a lot of jewelry gets lost at the beach. Maybe distraction + sunscreen? Or else it's just a super-fun place for folks with metal detectors to poke around.

My wife lost my vintage Vuarnets (original owner!) to a sneaker wave but that's another story.

had a customer at my old job who metal detected in his spair time
one day a lady from Auckland rang wanting to know if we knew who the builder was who did metal detecting in Kapati
She had been visiting family and they had gone to Waikanae beach for an easy walk

lucky we did know who it was , and he found the rings on his second sweep of where she said they should hopefully be
it was one of those classic ruby set ER with the two eternity bands,
the couple got in their car and drove back down the island that night to retreave them

a lot less people visit that beach than a beach in Sydney
 

mellowyellowgirl

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
6,266
I’ve lost a full diamond earring while body boarding (I know I know what was I thinking).

Maybe I’ll just wear the batch that I don’t care for. Like that dastardly zircon which will no doubt survive because I hate it!
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
I’ve lost a full diamond earring while body boarding (I know I know what was I thinking).

Maybe I’ll just wear the batch that I don’t care for. Like that dastardly zircon which will no doubt survive because I hate it!

that's what i do with gifts or something of mum's i inherited i might not like
use it till it breaks
but you are right, the unlikable lives for ever
mum got a horrible little crystal milk jug and sugar from one of dad's sisters, mum never cared for it
the jug had a crack so i threw it out but the sugar bowl went to Tibby
He thought he was so posh
well the bl**dy thing out lived Tibby
that thing gets knocked all around the floor and it still lives
 

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
1,072
First thought: how nice that spess ring of yours will look on the beach! All bright and fresh, and bringing summer vibes!

Second thought: how sad that spess ring of yours was forever lost to the sand and the waves.

Nuh-uh. Go with the zircon you hate, it's the safest bet.
 

Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
12,533
I say nay. Too many bad things happen to jewelry at the beach or at the pool. Unless like in the case of your zircon you secretly want something to happen. :Up_to_something:
 

BeachBerries

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 9, 2023
Messages
41
Silly question ... but how does stainless steel hold up against sand/beaches? My brother recently and suddenly passed, and I have a new ring I never take off except for showering that has his fingerprint on it. I bought a stainless one because I thought it was the most scratch resistant I could get out of the bunch of offerings (and they were not cheap but this ring is worth it to me). My brother was only 47 and left me 3 kids. The ring has his fingerprint around it. Pretty artfully done, and I learned a lot about fingerprints. Anyway, I live at a beach and am wondering if I need to put this in my purse ringer holder when I go for walks there to prevent scratches.

Similarly, how would black jade hold up? have been wearing a jade ring as well with my memorializing fit. Side question #3 - does a jade band ring scratch other rings by just being beside them on an adjacent finger? What about stacking say with silver, gold, stainless?

Thanks for any reply! I'm sorry I'm such a noob!
 

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
1,072
@BeachBerries Stainless steel has a hardness of about 5.5-6.3 (as per google), so in theory sand would scratch it overtime. However, I imagine you don't spend your time digging in the sand when you go for walks, so you should be fine. I'd definitely put it away if spending longer time there, like sunbathing and such.

Btw, not entirely related, but I'd also look to have an archive of the files/images that were used to make this ring. Anything could happen and this way at least you'll have the ability to remake it.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
4,337
Silly question ... but how does stainless steel hold up against sand/beaches? My brother recently and suddenly passed, and I have a new ring I never take off except for showering that has his fingerprint on it. I bought a stainless one because I thought it was the most scratch resistant I could get out of the bunch of offerings (and they were not cheap but this ring is worth it to me). My brother was only 47 and left me 3 kids. The ring has his fingerprint around it. Pretty artfully done, and I learned a lot about fingerprints. Anyway, I live at a beach and am wondering if I need to put this in my purse ringer holder when I go for walks there to prevent scratches.

Similarly, how would black jade hold up? have been wearing a jade ring as well with my memorializing fit. Side question #3 - does a jade band ring scratch other rings by just being beside them on an adjacent finger? What about stacking say with silver, gold, stainless?

Thanks for any reply! I'm sorry I'm such a noob!

Just wanted to say I'm so sorry to hear of your dear brother's passing... what a lovely way to honor him. ❤️
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
Silly question ... but how does stainless steel hold up against sand/beaches? My brother recently and suddenly passed, and I have a new ring I never take off except for showering that has his fingerprint on it. I bought a stainless one because I thought it was the most scratch resistant I could get out of the bunch of offerings (and they were not cheap but this ring is worth it to me). My brother was only 47 and left me 3 kids. The ring has his fingerprint around it. Pretty artfully done, and I learned a lot about fingerprints. Anyway, I live at a beach and am wondering if I need to put this in my purse ringer holder when I go for walks there to prevent scratches.

Similarly, how would black jade hold up? have been wearing a jade ring as well with my memorializing fit. Side question #3 - does a jade band ring scratch other rings by just being beside them on an adjacent finger? What about stacking say with silver, gold, stainless?

Thanks for any reply! I'm sorry I'm such a noob!

im so sorry to read about your brother
but the ring is a beautiful memorial
i have never heard of engraved finger prints
i understand why you would want to keep these safe
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
What if you get tan lines? The image of the zircon ring —or anything else blocking the sun —will go on and on...:cool2:
Having said that, it may be fun to wear some Barbie costume Jewelry.
Wishing you a padparadscha sunrise and sunset.

IMG_3232.jpeg .

i came here just now to 'recommend' fum play time jewlery tounge in cheek of course, it wouldnt work for me with the tiny wee but fat podgy fingers
but one could have some fun
this shop is kinda like NZ walmart
1714337320699.png
 

Crimson

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
708
Silly question ... but how does stainless steel hold up against sand/beaches? My brother recently and suddenly passed, and I have a new ring I never take off except for showering that has his fingerprint on it. I bought a stainless one because I thought it was the most scratch resistant I could get out of the bunch of offerings (and they were not cheap but this ring is worth it to me). My brother was only 47 and left me 3 kids. The ring has his fingerprint around it. Pretty artfully done, and I learned a lot about fingerprints. Anyway, I live at a beach and am wondering if I need to put this in my purse ringer holder when I go for walks there to prevent scratches.

Similarly, how would black jade hold up? have been wearing a jade ring as well with my memorializing fit. Side question #3 - does a jade band ring scratch other rings by just being beside them on an adjacent finger? What about stacking say with silver, gold, stainless?

Thanks for any reply! I'm sorry I'm such a noob!

I am sorry to hear of about your brother’’s passing. You have a beautiful way of remembering him,
Jade has a hardness of about 7, and jade rings are usually rounded off nicely. I would not wear a jade ring next to other jewellery. Usually I wear them on different hands or if on the same hand then one finger apart, just to be safe.
 

monarch64

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
19,287
The only jewelry I wear at the beach is earrings. I don’t want all the sunblock and sand gunking up my rings regardless of what stones are in them.

I managed to ruin 2 Gurhan Skittles rings a couple years ago…in a pool at a resort. I could tell their chlorine levels were off but it wasn’t until I went back to my room that I noticed my rings had oxidized to a dark, matte grey instead of a hammered, polished silver. The stones in them were fine—peridot and citrine—as well as the gold bezels, but the rest of the rings were changed forever and not for the better.

Had to throw away my bright red swimsuit as well, the pool water faded it completely. This was a very upscale resort and I will always be mad about that stupid pool water!
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
@Daisys and Diamonds , thanks! They are adorable! I would wear them - especially the butterfly and cupcake :appl::kiss2::appl:

they sure have come a long way since i was a kid and would buy them for my younger sister at xmas
not quite what i was thinking of but would have been a ton of fun

1714371652457.png

a mood ring would have been more my style back then (i had one and my friend's family had a pot bellied stove in the lounge, we had so much fun with the colours )
1714371783738.png
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
The only jewelry I wear at the beach is earrings. I don’t want all the sunblock and sand gunking up my rings regardless of what stones are in them.

I managed to ruin 2 Gurhan Skittles rings a couple years ago…in a pool at a resort. I could tell their chlorine levels were off but it wasn’t until I went back to my room that I noticed my rings had oxidized to a dark, matte grey instead of a hammered, polished silver. The stones in them were fine—peridot and citrine—as well as the gold bezels, but the rest of the rings were changed forever and not for the better.

Had to throw away my bright red swimsuit as well, the pool water faded it completely. This was a very upscale resort and I will always be mad about that stupid pool water!

your poor eyes must have been stinging when you got out
 

Crimson

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
708
they sure have come a long way since i was a kid and would buy them for my younger sister at xmas
not quite what i was thinking of but would have been a ton of fun

1714371652457.png

a mood ring would have been more my style back then (i had one and my friend's family had a pot bellied stove in the lounge, we had so much fun with the colours )
1714371783738.png

@Daisys and Diamonds These are so much fun! That mood ring looks so classy, I want one too. Isn’t it just our younger selves’ version of colour change gems? Inspired by you, I searched and found these! IMG_3270.jpeg
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,987
@Daisys and Diamonds These are so much fun! That mood ring looks so classy, I want one too. Isn’t it just our younger selves’ version of colour change gems? Inspired by you, I searched and found these! IMG_3270.jpeg

they look so much nicer than the kiddies rings we used to get
if i had a job that didnt involve my hands and so much dish washing and cleaning i would wear a mood ring like that just for fun
 

mellowyellowgirl

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
6,266
I ended wearing a carved jadeite ring to the beach but then had to take it off because I had to help dig a giant hole with my paws.

The husband begged me not to wear the zircon because that is his favourite ring, in his favourite colour and he wanted to buy a car like that but couldn’t fit into the car.
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top