Growing up, I always found myself intrigued by those who wore a lot of jewelry. I loved that particular aesthetic and would always try to mimic the look - even as a child. I’ll never forget the time when I was about 8 or 9 years old, in a department store with my mom waiting to check out. We were next in line and I remember being fixated on the cashier who was probably 20 or 21. She was beautiful - hair and makeup was perfect and her outfit was on point-very stylish. I’m sure she was the diva and the fashionista of her friend group. But what sent me over the moon was the glint of the massive stack of bracelets on her arm (and her long nails). I was entranced. Spellbound. Mesmerized.
Then there was my 7th grade English teacher. She was a sassy but kind teacher who knew how to conjugate a verb and diagram a sentence and she made sure her students knew how to properly do the same. Anyway, she wore a mean stack of thick gold bracelets on her arm that would jingle and jangle loudly as she wrote on the board. Once again I was sent over the moon - entranced, spellbound and mesmerized at the beauty of her jewelry.
Fast forward to today where I am known for wearing a lot of jewelry. I consider myself to be a jewelry maximalist if you will. Any part of my body that I can adorn with multiple pieces of jewelry I will do just that.
My Journey
At first I started off wearing several bracelets on one arm. Then it was bracelet stacks on both arms. I then would maybe wear one ring per finger. Maybe just an anklet. I was still playing it safe - I kind of didn’t want to do too much because what would people say?
But to be honest, I wanted to wear more. At the same time. I also wanted the neck stack - like 5-6 necklaces. And I wanted to wear multiple stacked rings. Like three or four on each hand. And of course my bracelets. On both arms. ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Some may consider it gaudy but what other people are thinking is not any of my business. I'm doing me.
I knew that building multiple stacks of jewelry in each category was going to take time but me being me, I wanted to create the look sooner rather than later. I also wanted quality in gold and brass and perhaps not need to take off all of my jewelry when I went to sleep, took a shower or worked out. I don't think that’s too much to ask.
The Research
I started my search on Pinterest. I would always pin photos and videos of the maximalist aesthetic to my jewelry board. As I would scroll through my Pinterest feed for other types of ideas and inspiration, I continued to come across a few brands that claimed to be waterproof. Thinking it was BS, I would continue to scroll. But I continued to see some of the same brands which piqued my interest. I then decided to order a few pieces to test out how “waterproof” this jewelry would be.
What Makes Jewelry Waterproof?
Jewelry that is not real (gold, platinum, etc) aka fashion jewelry, usually has a type of gold plating over it that, when exposed to water, sweat, perfume and skincare products, will fade and tarnish. This type of jewelry may even turn the skin green. Most fashion jewelry doesn't last long and has to be taken off when doing activities such as showering and working out.
In contrast, most waterproof jewelry has a base of metals that are, generally speaking, naturally resistant to water damage, tarnish and fading. These metals include titanium, stainless steel, copper and brass. Even though copper and brass may get dull and develop a patina, it doesn’t corrode and can be shined up with a cloth or a cleaner designed for that particular metal.
One of the more common ways in which jewelry is made waterproof/tarnish free is through a coating process called PVD which stands for Physical Vapor Disposition. It is a process through which thin layers of metal (titanium, gold or silver) is applied using a vacuum disposition method which makes jewelry durable and shiny. This type of jewelry is also good for those who have sensitivities and allergies because it is hypoallergenic.
How Long Does Waterproof Jewelry Last And How Should One Care For Their Jewelry?
With proper care, waterproof jewelry can last anywhere from 1-3 years. Although this jewelry is more durable than gold plated jewelry, you still need to care for it. Be sure to occasionally wipe down your jewelry with a soft cloth and store it in separate jewelry bags when not wearing those particular pieces.
How To Build Your Collection
Keep it simple by starting with the following essentials as these will be the foundation of your collection. Be sure to invest in quality over time. Mix it up with various stones and metals and have fun with building your collection.
Necklace. One to two styles such as herringbone, snake, rope, or box.
Earrings. A pair of hoops and studs in gold, silver, diamond/cz, pearl
Bracelet. Bangle in gold/silver, tennis bracelet, charm bracelet
Ring. Gold/silver, diamond/cz, stackable, gemstone.
Below are three of my favorite jewelry brands that I purchase from frequently:
Heaven spelled backwards, Naveah is the UK based brand that initially caught my attention - particularly for the neck stack that I wanted to start creating. I wanted to know if this was really that good. Was it going to stand up to its claims of being “ethically sourced, high quality jewelry that’s tarnish-free, waterproof and heatproof”?
To find out, I ordered a few pieces to start off with. And because the pieces were beautiful and reasonably priced, I didn’t feel like I had much to lose if I wasn't satisfied. What made this an even sweeter deal was the fact that Naveah had a buy 2 get the 3rd free sale. Suspect? Maybe. Maybe not. I ordered 3 necklaces and a ring which took 2-3 weeks to arrive. When my order arrived it was nicely packaged in individual cloth/dust bags. As a matter of fact, I was so pleased with the quality/craftsmanship of the pieces that I immediately ordered another necklace I had been looking at. That was about 9 months ago and all of my pieces still look good - like the day I received them.
I have never taken any of my pieces off. Well except for the ring because I don’t sleep, workout or shower in my rings. Also, I have since ordered a name plate which took over a month to arrive because, of course, it is personalized with my name.
My experience with Neveah made me begin researching other waterproof jewelry brands. I was intrigued and wanted to know what other brands were out there. Turns out there was a lot more to discover.
This Canadian based brand is another brand that I discovered during my research. There are a variety of beautiful items across 4 categories (necklaces, rings, earrings, rings). What I really like is that there weren't pages upon pages of jewelry so I did not suffer from decision fatigue. They use a similar technology/process that resists tarnishing and fading. I purchased a tennis necklace that I do not take off. It was beautifully packaged and only took about a week to arrive. The stones are still intact and there is no tarnishing or fading. That was also about 9 months ago.
A Chicago based brand that I also discovered on Pinterest, Afrohemien has a lot of handcrafted Afrocentric items ranging from jewelry to home decorations. Many of the jewelry pieces are brass and I have always loved this particular metal because of its durability and ease of cleaning to restore shine. This is where I have purchased a majority of my bracelets and rings (as well as some earrings) from. Orders take about two weeks to ship out but every piece comes in a gift box with a complementary cleaning cloth.
Overall, I am completely satisfied with my purchases and these jewelry companies have become my go to brands for many of my jewelry purchases because of the quality, selection, and price point.
Loved this post? Sign up to my Newsletter to receive my latest personal blog posts, style and beauty tips, and info on classes, consultations and launches.
Need one on one consulting, styling or updates for your beauty and fashion needs, fill out the contact form on the "work with me" page.
Shop My Closet https://poshmark.com/closet/khalilahneals
Want more information on industry researched and professionally experienced resources, tips, tricks and inspiration, read my other blog beautygrind.com
Comments