How to Keep Your Jewelry From Tarnishing
Jewelry has the remarkable ability to add a touch of elegance and personality to any outfit. It complements your style, tells a story, and holds sentimental value. However, one issue that often plagues jewelry enthusiasts is tarnishing. In this blog post, we'll delve into the causes of jewelry tarnishing, ways to prevent it, and how to keep your precious pieces gleaming.
Why Does Fashion Jewelry Tarnish?
Fashion jewelry, including gold-plated, gold-filled, or silver pieces, can tarnish due to several factors. The primary reason is exposure to air and moisture. Most fashion jewelry are made with sensitive metals that over time reacts with the oxygen in the air and the moisture on your skin, resulting in an oxidized surface. The rate of tarnishing can vary depending on the metal's composition and quality.
What Causes Jewelry Tarnishing?
Several factors can contribute to jewelry tarnishing:
- Moisture: Exposure to humidity and moisture, such as wearing your jewelry while swimming or during workouts, can accelerate tarnishing.
- Chemicals: Contact with substances like perfumes, lotions, and cleaning products can react with the metal in your jewelry, causing tarnish.
- Skin Acidity: The natural acidity of your skin can also impact jewelry. Some people's skin is more acidic, leading to faster tarnish.
- Storage: Improper storage, such as leaving your jewelry out in the open or in a humid environment, can increase the risk of tarnishing.
How to Stop Jewelry from Tarnishing?
Preserving the shine of your jewelry is essential. Here are some tips to help you to protect jewelry from tarnishing:
- Clean and Dry: After wearing your jewelry, gently wipe it with a soft, dry cloth to remove any moisture, oils, or residue.
- Store Properly: Keep your jewelry in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags to protect it from exposure to air and moisture.
- Avoid Chemicals: Apply perfumes, lotions, and hairsprays before putting on your jewelry to reduce contact with chemicals. Remove your jewelry before swimming or engaging in activities that expose it to chemicals.
- Polishing: Regularly polish your jewelry with a jewelry cloth or cleaner designed for your specific metal type.
How to Stop Jewelry From Turning Bronze or Brown?
If you notice your jewelry starting to turn bronze or brown, there are a few steps you can take:
- Polish: Use a jewelry tarnish cleaner or a mixture of mild soap and water to clean the jewelry. Be gentle and avoid scrubbing.
- Dry Thoroughly: After cleaning, ensure the jewelry is completely dry before storing it. You can use a hairdryer on a low, cool setting to speed up the drying process.
- Preventative Measures: Follow the steps mentioned earlier to prevent future tarnishing.
It should also be noted that there really is no way to prevent costume jewelry from tarnishing. Jewelry made from cheap metals such as copper are extremely sensitive to outside factors and are susceptible to tarnishing over time.
Does Gold Filled Jewelry Tarnish?
Gold-filled jewelry is created by bonding a layer or gold to a base metal. While it is more resistant to tarnishing than gold-plated jewelry, it can still tarnish over time, especially if not cared for properly.
Does 14K Gold Filled Jewelry Tarnish?
Gold-filled jewelry, including 14k gold filled, can tarnish with time and exposure to elements. However, it is less prone to tarnishing compared to lower-quality gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry. Proper care and cleaning can significantly extend the life of 14k gold-filled jewelry.
Although there are multiple ways of making your jewelry last longer, the only true way to keep your jewelry from tarnishing is to opt for high quality, real gold jewelry pieces. Pure gold is a hyper-resistant metal that does not tarnish when exposed to oxygen or moisture. If cared for properly, gold jewelry will last a lifetime without tarnishing.
Does 18K Gold Tarnish?
Whatever the karat value, real gold will not tarnish. If your piece of jewelry is made from high quality materials, and is well taken care of, it will not show signs of discoloration.
