Sweat-Proof Jewelry for Gym or Swim

“One of my favourite rings says ‘Be Brave’ on the inside,” said Lucy Bronze, a defender for England’s Lionesses, the trailblazing women’s soccer team that won the European Championships in July. The inscription on Bronze’s ring could be a manifesto for her resilient training style; she played the entire Euros tournament with a fractured tibia. Her ring, made by the British jewelry brand D. Louise, is waterproof. “I can wear it when I’m training and when I’m playing … It’s nice to have that durability [when I’m] outside sweating,” she said, in a video posted on Instagram.

Many athletes, from Emma Raducanu to Simone Biles and Noah Lyles, furnish their race or game-day fits with an array of jewels. For athletes dressing in team uniforms in particular, jewelry is one way to express their individuality, whether sparkly teardrop earrings worn for the tennis court or multi-stacked gold chains at the track. “We live in such an algorithmic, copy-and-paste world that it’s becoming harder to make sports styling feel fresh,” said David Perry, founder of the namesake New York jewelry brand. “Jewelry is one of the few tools that can cut through the sameness.”

Track star Grant Holloway is an ambassador for jewelry brand David Perry 

Photo courtesy of David Perry

Beyond workout jewelry worn for metrics—think Oura rings, Garmin watches, and Whoop armbands—the concept of trinkets designed to withstand the rigor of endurance exercise has been missing from the jewelry narrative. Until now that is.

Jewelers are targeting the everyday athlete with promises of tarnish-free trinkets that are perfect for those in-gym mirror selfies. Portuguese affordable jewelry brand Hey Harper describes its pieces as ‘waterproof and sweatproof’, while Atolea, a French brand, calls its necklaces, rings, and bracelets ‘gym-proof’ and ‘pool-proof.’ OXB, from Colorado, uses collegiate lettering for its ‘fitness-focused collections,’ which are designed, according to the brand, ‘with sweaty people in mind.’ It’s a bold stride away from the terminology typically used to describe jewelry, which has always focused on the preciousness of metals and rarity of gemstones unearthed from underground.

That sense of delicacy doesn’t easily align with dumbells, or deadlifts, though. And the boom in women’s strength training and women’s sport more broadly has made jewelers realise they need to shift narrative lanes—fitness app Strava reported that weight training was the fastest growing sport among women in 2024, up 25 percent. “We design jewelry that’s built for real life,” said Olivia Jenkins, the founder of D. Louise, the British brand that scored Lucy Bronze for its campaign this season—it proved to be its fastest selling collection to date. “Women should never have to choose between strength and style. We don’t stop being ourselves when we step onto a pitch or into a gym.” 

Indeed. I personally workout wearing three bangles (from Mejuri, Georg Jensen, and Monica Vinader), a T-chain necklace (Tilly Sveaas), plus a rose gold Oura ring, a black Garmin, and small hoop earrings. Brooke Nuneviller, a volleyballer on the US National Team, loves to wear simple gold hoops from LA brand Gorjana, which she said she never takes off. Simone Biles competed in the Olympics wearing a custom diamond-encrusted pendant shaped like a goat, made by jeweler Janet Heller. 

Simone posing for gold with a custom goat pendant by jeweler Laura Heller 

Photo by Jamie Squire / Getty Images

There are, however, different considerations at play when choosing jewelry to wear for sport, rather than play. Heller, who has made jewelry for many athletes, including Tara Davis-Woodall, said elements and techniques such as water pressure (for swimmers) and aerial tumbling and sprints (gymnastics, runners) require more thoughtful craft. An example: Fine chains are more likely to break in water. Tag Heuer’s fitness watch, the Connected Calibre, is beautiful. It’s much more attractive than a lightweight Garmin or Whoop but, because it’s made from steel, it’s also much heavier.

My Oura ring, which is quite chunky, can be uncomfortable when lifting certain weights; the rose-gold coating has also gotten scratched against metal dumbbells. I’ve taken to wearing training gloves, which help, but I’m curious about the Ultrahuman Air. The competitor brand sells smart rings that are clearly designed in Oura’s footprint—except they’re slightly lighter and thinner. Think of them like the Macbook Air to the Macbook Pro. The jury’s out on whether they’re scratch-proof. 

Sha’Carri Richardson competes in the Paris Olympics wearing a diamond pave flat curb chain with charms 

Photo by Hannah Peters / Getty Images

Jenkins, of D. Louise, said the trick to tarnish-free jewelry is to buy pieces made using stainless steel or with PVD-coatings—the same techniques used as Hey Harper, Atolea, and OXB. “PVD is far more durable than regular gold or silver plating, as it doesn’t tarnish, peel, or fade with water, sweat, or heat,” she said, of the technique, which uses a vacuum to apply a thin, protective layer to jewelry, enhancing its resistance to wear and tear and corrosion. “It’s the gold standard of durability.” Each of D. Louise’s pieces, which cost up to $100, also have to pass a real-life workout test before being launched. “We test different chain thicknesses, clasp strength, and earring backs,” she said. 

Jewelry from David Perry styled on Crossfit Games medalist, Laura Horvath 

Photo courtesy of David Perry

Perry works only with fine metals, and has created custom jewelry for Laura Horvath, winner of the 2023 Crossfit Games. He himself was a sub-elite runner before establishing his jewelry brand in 2020; last year, he became a Tiffany & Co x CFDA Prize finalist. Naturally, he has wise advice when it comes to buying fine jewelry to wear for sport. “For running, anything over 20 grams around the neck can bruise the collarbone over time, so choose lighter weights,” he said. “In Hyrox or for weightlifting, you can go heavier with necklaces, but I’d steer clear of bracelets and rings since free weights and kettlebells can damage or distort them.”

And if you’re looking to infuse your barbell sessions with some Biles-like sparkle, Perry suggests sticking to harder gems like diamonds or sapphires, which are less likely to scratch on impact. “Smaller stones, around 1 carat, have less chance of getting in the way,” he said. Rest assured, they’ll still be eye-catching underneath the gym spotlights, or on the athletics track. On your marks, get set, shine.

Shop our curated selection of the best sweat-proof jewelry brands featured above.