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Oomiay sterling silver rings resting on lilac micro suede pouches

The Low-Effort Guide to Making Your Jewelry Last

Nobody wants a jewelry routine. You want to put on the ring you love and forget about it until someone asks where you got it.

Good news: most of the wear a gold finish ever sees happens in a handful of predictable moments. Skip those, and you've done most of the work. Here's the whole routine, minus anything precious.

Start with what it's made of

Care can only stretch what's already there. On our Heavy Gold+ rings, that's a real 18K gold layer 2.5 microns thick, a silver barrier underneath and a clear protective seal on top. That's the part we handle before your ring ever ships. (If you're wondering why the thickness number matters, we wrote a whole piece on it.)

The habits below are your half of the deal. None of them take more than a few seconds.

1. Last on, first off

Jewelry goes on after perfume, lotion, sunscreen and hair spray, once they've dried. It comes off first at the end of the day. Those products are the most common thing a ring touches, and the easiest thing to keep off it.

2. Take it off for the shower, the pool and the gym

Our plated pieces are water-resistant, which means hand washing, rain and the occasional splash are fine. Long, regular soaks are a different story. Pools and hot tubs add chlorine, showers add soap and shampoo, and workouts add sweat plus a lot of gripping. Ten seconds to slip your rings off before any of those is the single best thing you can do.

Ten seconds before the shower is worth more than any cleaning kit.

3. Wipe, don't scrub

After a long day, give your pieces a quick wipe with a soft, dry cloth (the pouch doubles as one). That's it. Skip jewelry dips, polishing pastes and toothpaste tricks, which are made for solid metal and can be rough on a plated finish and its protective seal. Skip ultrasonic cleaners too. They shake hard enough to work on hand-set stones, and that's the last thing a hand-set stone needs.

4. Store it dry and on its own

Toss everything in one dish and the pieces spend the night scratching each other. Keep them separate and somewhere dry: the microfiber pouch every piece ships in works perfectly, and so does a lined box with little compartments. A bathroom counter is the worst spot in the house, thanks to all that steam.

5. Give the dangles a night off

Rings with charms and drops are made to move, which is exactly why they shouldn't come to bed with you. Sleeping in them puts strain on the little links and loops. Take them off with your earrings and they'll be ready for tomorrow.

The rest is just wearing it

A hand wearing several Oomiay gold rings while holding a subway pole
Built for the commute, not the jewelry box

That's the routine. No special products, no weekly ritual. Put your jewelry on after everything else, take it off before water and workouts, wipe it, and store it dry.

And if something does go wrong with the finish or a setting, our plated pieces come with a two-year warranty. For anything else, our care guide has the details.

Now go wear it. That's what it's for.

Questions about caring for gold-plated jewelry

Can I shower with gold-plated jewelry on?

We'd take it off. Our plated pieces are water-resistant for everyday splashes like hand washing and rain, but daily showers expose them to soap, shampoo and heat, which wear on any plated finish faster.

How do I clean gold-plated jewelry?

Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid jewelry dips and polishing pastes, which can be harsh on a plated finish and its protective seal, and ultrasonic cleaners, which are too aggressive for hand-set crystals.

Does perfume damage gold-plated jewelry?

Perfume, lotion and hair spray are among the most common things jewelry comes into contact with, so put them on first, let them dry, then put on your jewelry.

Can I sleep in my rings?

It's best not to, especially with dangle and charm rings. Sleeping in them puts strain on the small links and loops that let them move.

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