We know the feeling: you're so enchanted with the latest additions to your gold jewellery collection that you never want to take them off. But could you unintentionally damage your gold hoop earrings or initial necklace when you get in the shower or the swimming pool?

Our guide to what gold jewellery is waterproof will tell you when it's safe to keep your jewellery on, and when you're better off removing it.

Is it okay to get gold jewellery wet?

The answer to whether or not it's okay to get gold jewellery wet is really down to the specific jewellery item and how it was made.

There are four main types of gold jewellery: solid gold, gold vermeil, gold filled, and gold plated. How waterproof your gold jewellery piece is will depend on the gold content, with solid gold being the highest, and gold plated being the lowest.

A solid gold necklace will be much less likely to suffer any lasting effect from getting wet than a gold-plated necklace.

Solid gold items will have a high gold content, which will increase their waterproof nature. A gold filled chunky bangle will fare better in water than a gold vermeil bracelet, for example, which is best kept out of the water unless it is 18 carat or above.

In the case of gold plated jewellery, you should never really get it wet if you can help it.

When it comes to shopping for waterproof bracelets, necklaces and earrings to add to your gold jewellery collection, solid gold is always going to stand up to the test of time much better than gold filled, gold vermeil and certainly gold plated.

Does water damage gold?

Solid gold metal is highly resistant to water and therefore won't be affected in any way when it gets wet. Gold has a very low reactivity, so there shouldn't be any lasting effect when it comes into contact with water.

24 carat gold is the purest form of gold. However, it is an extremely soft metal that can very easily become scratched or misshapen. That's why many jewellery makers will alloy pure gold with another metal, like copper, silver or zinc, meaning that the jewellery will have added durability and longevity.

The different carat level of your gold necklace, earrings or bracelet will tell you how much pure gold your piece contains. While 24 carat gold is the purest form, with no additional metal alloys, it is rarely used to make jewellery because it is simply too soft. This is why you find jewellery made from lower carats like 18 carat gold, which contains 75% pure gold and 25% other metals, or 9 carat gold, which contains 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals. The more pure gold the jewellery contains, the stronger the yellow colour.

What does this have to do with getting your jewellery wet? Since pure gold is not affected by water, the potential for damage in gold jewellery all comes from other metals which do not share the same waterproof properties.

Types of gold jewellery

When it comes to choosing your new gold jewellery piece, it's important to understand the distinctions between the different types, so that you can be sure you're both making the right choice for you, and going away with the knowledge of how to take care of it properly.

Four common types of gold jewellery are:

• Gold plated jewellery: this is made by bonding a thin layer of gold onto a base metal (which could be nickel, brass or copper). This base metal is immersed in a chemical solution which contains gold ions, before an electrical current is run through the solution which causes the gold ions to bond with the base metal.

• Gold filled jewellery: this type of gold jewellery is made by using heat and pressure to mechanically bond a thick layer of gold over a solid base metal (which, like with gold plated jewellery, could be nickel, brass or copper).

• Gold vermeil jewellery: this is a more advanced type of gold plating, which sees a thicker layer of gold bonded to a sterling silver base. In the case of gold vermeil jewellery, the gold layer must be at least 2.5 microns. The combination of gold and sterling silver makes gold vermeil jewellery more durable than gold plated jewellery.

• Solid gold jewellery: solid gold jewellery is made from a percentage of pure gold alloyed with other metals (usually sterling silver or copper), with no core made from an alternative base metal. Solid gold jewellery can be 9, 18, or 22 carats.

What type of gold jewellery is waterproof?

Solid gold jewellery is suitable for wearing when you're coming into contact with water, but other types are less so.

Gold filled and some gold vermeil jewellery should be capable of standing up to some water exposure, but since they have a different metal at their core, a reaction is possible if the jewellery is continually exposed to water. In the case of gold vermeil, only 18 carat and above is suitable for getting wet.

Gold plated jewellery has very little water-resistant properties and therefore should not be considered waterproof at all, so you should avoid getting it wet as much as possible. The low amount of gold will wear off quickly, leaving the base metal exposed and your once-beautiful necklace, ring or bracelet looking dull and dirty. We never used plated metals for this reason – we want our pieces to be durable and wearable for years to come.

The best choice if you're planning to keep your jewellery on in the pool or the shower is always solid gold. Solid gold is highly water-resistant, meaning it will stand up well when wet and won't be susceptible to oxidisation or corrosion.

Can you shower while wearing gold jewellery?

Technically, you can shower whilst wearing your gold jewellery without causing much damage, provided the jewellery is solid gold. If you've had your ears pierced, you'll probably remember that you had to keep your first stud earrings in all the time for 6-8 weeks (or 3-6 months for cartilage piercings), to prevent the holes from closing up. These will most likely have been made from solid gold.

Gold filled and 18 carat or higher gold vermeil jewellery can withstand some water exposure, but if you want to maintain their colour and brilliance then it's better to take them off before bathing.

However, whilst water alone won't have too much effect on your solid gold bangle or earrings, the products you use in the shower aren't always a great combination with jewellery. Even the most natural products can leave a filmy residue on your jewellery that leaves it looking a lot less lustrous than it should, or build up in small crevices like between gemstones and metals. Discover our jewellery care guide to learn how to properly care and clean your jewellery.

Can you swim while wearing gold jewellery?

Just like with showering, if you were swimming in pure water alone, then your solid gold chain or bracelet would be unaffected, especially if it is a high carat level.

In other settings like the beach or pool, saltwater, chlorine and other chemicals have a higher chance of having a detrimental effect on gold jewellery than pure water, although generally, solid gold still holds up exceptionally well to salt water.

The level of damage that might be caused by salt water is much higher if it's gold filled or gold vermeil. Gold plated jewellery should always be taken off before swimming.

That said, if you're heading to the beach, then you might want to consider leaving your solid gold jewellery safely at home. Applying suncream or other lotions whilst wearing gold jewellery can leave a residue, and sand can sometimes find its way into the links of a chain or the setting of a gemstone ring. Not to mention the fact that leaving your jewellery collection in your bag while you splash around in the sea could leave it open to loss or theft!

At Wild Fawn, we only use solid gold in 9 and 18 carats for our jewellery collection. Our rings, bracelets and necklaces are strong, durable and never gold plated, meaning that if you do choose to keep them on all the time, they won't be damaged by water alone.

Browse our range of high quality ethical solid gold jewellery today, and see what you can add to your waterproof jewellery collection.