How to Care for Your Waterproof Jewelry — Without Losing Its Glow

There is a particular kind of trust that builds between a woman and her jewelry.

Not the trust of a special occasion piece kept carefully in a velvet box and brought out twice a year. The deeper trust — the daily, active, completely unreserved trust of a piece she wears to the gym and the lake and the concert and the Tuesday meeting, that surfaces from the pool still gleaming and catches the evening light without having been polished or adjusted or coaxed into radiance.

This is the trust that Raline Bergemann jewelry is built to earn. 18K gold PVD on 316L surgical-grade stainless steel — a bond so strong that the active Swiss lifestyle, in all its waterproof, sweatproof, all-season glory, barely registers as a challenge.

But even the most durable jewelry benefits from intentional care. Not complicated care — not chemical baths or specialist polishing cloths or quarterly trips to a jeweler. Just four simple steps, taken thirty seconds at a time, that keep your pieces at their most luminous for years.

This is the Raline Bergemann GLOW Clean & Care — your complete, no-fuss guide to caring for waterproof PVD jewelry.

Why PVD Jewelry Needs Almost No Maintenance

Before the four steps, it is worth understanding why Raline Bergemann jewelry requires so little of you — because the science behind PVD coating is, at its core, the science of requiring less.

Standard gold-plated jewelry degrades because its gold layer sits on top of the base metal, bonded through an electrochemical process that creates a relatively weak connection. Sweat, chlorine, friction, and daily contact with skin gradually erode this connection. The gold thins, dulls, and eventually flakes — revealing the base metal beneath and requiring either re-plating or replacement.

18K gold PVD on 316L surgical-grade stainless steel works differently. As we explored in detail in our guide to what PVD jewelry actually is, Physical Vapor Deposition bonds gold at a molecular level to the steel surface in a vacuum chamber — creating a finish that is 5 to 10 times harder than standard plating and chemically resistant to the substances that destroy conventional gold jewelry.

The 316L surgical steel beneath the PVD layer additionally forms its own passive oxide layer — a self-healing molecular shield that prevents rust, corrosion, and oxidisation even under prolonged exposure to water, sweat, and daily friction.

What this means in practical terms: your Raline Bergemann jewelry is already doing most of the work of maintaining itself. The GLOW Clean & Care is not a rescue mission — it is a ritual of appreciation. A small, deliberate act of care for something that carries you through every version of your day.

Think of your jewelry like your skin: it loves clean water and feels best after a gentle rinse. The rest, it handles itself.

The Raline Bergemann GLOW Clean & Care

Make sure to do these following four steps after every active day — every swim, every training session, every long day in the sun. Not every single day of ordinary wear, but any day that involves significant water, sweat, or salt exposure.

G — Gently rinse under lukewarm clean water

After swimming, sweating, or salt exposure, the first step is always the simplest: a gentle rinse under lukewarm — never hot — clean water. Your PVD coating is fully waterproof, so this rinse requires no hesitation and no special preparation. Just hold the piece under gently running water for thirty seconds, allowing the water to carry away any residual salt, chlorine, or sweat from the surface and any small crevices.

For jewelry with gemstones, pearls, or enamel: Do this step using a small bowl of clean lukewarm water rather than running water directly over the piece — and make sure the drain is closed before you begin. Some stone settings can be sensitive to the pressure of running water over time, and a bowl gives you more control. Swirl the piece gently, then lift it out.

Temperature note: Lukewarm only. Hot water can expand metal settings and loosen stones over time, and cold water immediately after a warm environment creates thermal stress. Lukewarm is always the right choice.

L — Let only 1–2 drops of the mildest soap, when needed

After a longer active day — a full gym session, a long lake swim, a festival — a very small amount of the mildest liquid soap can be used to lift any residue that the water rinse alone does not fully address.

The emphasis is on very small and very mild. One to two drops of a fragrance-free, surfactant-free liquid soap — the kind designed for sensitive skin or delicate fabrics — applied gently with your fingertip across the surface of the piece. Work it lightly into any chain links or detailed areas, then rinse thoroughly under clean lukewarm water until no trace of soap remains.

What to keep away from your jewelry always: Perfume applied directly to the piece. Sunscreen. Hairspray. Harsh cleaning products. Chemical polishing cloths. These are the only things your jewelry asks you to keep at a distance — and this is a shorter list than almost any other jewelry on the market, because the PVD and steel combination simply does not need protecting from the things that destroy other pieces.

O — Only let it dry naturally

After rinsing — whether with water alone or with the mild soap step — pat the piece softly with the clean, lint-free cloth included with your Raline Bergemann order. Do not rub. Do not apply pressure. A gentle press of the cloth against each surface, absorbing the visible water without friction.

Then: let it air dry completely before storing. This is the most important step in the drying process — residual moisture trapped against metal, even the most chemically stable metal, is always better eliminated than sealed in.

For detailed pieces — chain links, intricate settings, the dimensional enamel of the Glücksbringer Ring — use a soft cotton ball to gently reach into the hidden details and ensure no water or soap remains in the smallest spaces. The cotton ball is softer than even the finest cloth and will not scratch any surface.

Never use: A hairdryer, a polishing cloth with chemical agents, a hard brush, or any abrasive material. Your PVD surface is extraordinarily hard — but unnecessary friction is always avoidable, and the thirty-second air-dry requires nothing of you except patience.

W — When resting, store each piece individually

The final step is the one that preserves your jewelry between wears — and the one most consistently overlooked.

When your piece is not on your body, store it individually in a cool, dry place — in the soft velvet pouch or the original gift box that came with your order. Individual storage prevents pieces from scratching each other, from tangling, and from any residual contact with moisture or household chemicals that might accumulate in a shared jewelry box.

Your jewelry deserves the same intentional care you give yourself. The soft pouch is its pause — a quiet, protected space between one wearing and the next. The place it rests between your mornings.

For travel: Each piece in its own small zip pouch or the original soft pouch, stored away from perfumes, sunscreens, and other toiletries. The jewelry bag should never share a compartment with liquid products.

A Quick-Reference Care Checklist

For every active day:

✅ Rinse gently under lukewarm water immediately after swimming, sweating, or salt exposure
✅ Use a bowl and ensure drain is closed for gemstone, pearl, or enamel pieces
✅ 1–2 drops of mild soap after longer active sessions if needed
✅ Pat dry with the lint-free cloth — never rub
✅ Clean hidden details gently with a soft cotton ball
✅ Air dry completely before storing
✅ Store each piece individually in the soft pouch or gift box

Keep away always:
❌ Perfume directly on the jewelry
❌ Sunscreen, hairspray, harsh chemicals
❌ Chemical polishing cloths
❌ Hot water
❌ Abrasive materials or hard brushes

How Often Should You Do the Full GLOW Clean & Care?

The full four-step routine is recommended after any day involving significant water, sweat, or salt exposure — so after the gym, after lake or pool swimming, after a long outdoor day in summer heat, after a festival or concert where dancing produced significant perspiration.

On ordinary days — office days, quiet evenings, gentle outings — a simple lukewarm water rinse is sufficient. Your jewelry is doing its own maintenance through its PVD chemistry. The GLOW Clean & Care is not a daily requirement. It is an occasional ritual — and at thirty seconds per session, it is the most efficient care routine of any jewelry category.

The Daily Glow Collection was built precisely for this rhythm — worn through the most demanding active days, cared for with the briefest possible ritual, and ready again the following morning. As we explored in our guide to wearing jewelry at the gym, the standard of jewelry that survives every workout is only meaningful if it also survives with its beauty intact — and the GLOW Clean & Care is how that standard is maintained.

Every piece in the Forever Flowers Collection — particularly those with crystal settings and delicate floral details — benefits most from the bowl-rinse approach for the G step, and from the cotton ball detail-cleaning in the O step. The botanical forms have small spaces that a cloth cannot fully reach, and thirty seconds with a cotton ball keeps every petal detail as vivid as the day it arrived.

The Blue Fire Is Renewed by Care

There is something worth saying about the act of caring for your jewelry that goes beyond the practical.

The woman who follows the GLOW Clean & Care after an active day is not just maintaining a piece of metal. She is practising the same intentional self-care that the entire Raline Bergemann philosophy is built on. She is saying, in the thirty seconds of a gentle rinse and a careful dry: this is worth maintaining. This matters. I am not in too much of a hurry to take care of the things I love.

The Blue Fire is renewed exactly this way — not through grand gestures but through the small, consistent, deliberate acts of presence. The morning reach for the necklace. The post-swim rinse. The piece placed carefully in its pouch at the end of a full day.

These are the moments that accumulate into a life that is genuinely, fully, beautifully your own.

In 2026, every Raline Bergemann purchase contributes a portion of net profit to Krebsforschung Schweiz — Switzerland’s leading foundation supporting research into blood and cellular health. Because caring for the things we love — our jewelry, our families, our health, our world — is always the same impulse. The same fire. The same choice.

Explore all Raline Bergemann collections →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I care for waterproof PVD jewelry?

Follow the Raline Bergemann GLOW Clean & Care after every active day: G — gently rinse under lukewarm water; L — let 1–2 drops of mild soap if needed; O — only let it dry naturally after patting with a lint-free cloth and cleaning details with a cotton ball; W — when resting, store individually in the soft pouch or gift box. The full routine takes under thirty seconds and keeps 18K PVD jewelry radiant for years.

What is Schmuck pflegen wasserfest — how to care for waterproof jewelry?

Schmuck pflegen wasserfest refers to the care routine for waterproof jewelry — a category that requires significantly less maintenance than conventional gold-plated pieces. The key steps are a lukewarm water rinse after water or sweat exposure, occasional mild soap cleaning, thorough air drying, and individual storage in a soft pouch. Raline Bergemann’s GLOW Clean & Care follows this routine in four simple steps.

Can I use a polishing cloth on my Raline Bergemann jewelry?

Do not use chemical polishing cloths on 18K PVD jewelry. These cloths contain mild abrasive compounds designed for conventional gold and silver, which can gradually affect the PVD surface over time. A clean, soft, lint-free cloth for drying and a soft cotton ball for detailed areas are everything your Raline Bergemann pieces need. The PVD coating maintains its own lustre without any polishing agents.

How often should I clean my waterproof gold jewelry?

The full GLOW Clean & Care routine is recommended after any day involving significant water, sweat, or salt exposure — gym sessions, lake or pool swimming, outdoor summer activities, or festivals. On ordinary low-activity days, a simple lukewarm water rinse is sufficient. 18K PVD on 316L surgical-grade stainless steel is largely self-maintaining — the care routine supports rather than replaces the jewelry’s own chemistry.

What should I keep away from my PVD jewelry?

Avoid applying perfume, hairspray, or sunscreen directly to PVD jewelry surfaces. Keep pieces away from harsh cleaning products and chemical polishing cloths. Avoid hot water and abrasive materials. These are the only substances that can gradually affect the PVD surface — and this is a shorter avoidance list than almost any other jewelry category, because the combination of PVD and surgical steel is specifically engineered to resist the vast majority of substances encountered in daily active life.

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