How to prevent tarnishing your gold jewellery.

Gold is one of the safest investments. It is mainly because its value can remain stable for several decades. Everybody knows that if you don't care for gold, it can tarnish and lose its brilliance over time. You won't get the best price if you want to sell your tarnished gold.

Then, what are you supposed to do with gold that has become tarnished? Giving your gold a thorough cleaning at home may bring back its lustre and increase its worth. This article will discuss how to protect your gold jewellery from tarnishing.

Does gold tarnish, and if yes, why and how?

When your gold jewellery begins to tarnish, the colour of the jewellery will begin to change. It indicates that the surface of the gold is beginning to develop a tarnish coating and is experiencing very mild corrosion. There is a great deal of conjecture around the question of whether genuine gold tarnishes or not. But let us describe in detail the process by which gold jewellery does so.

Gold is considered one of the elements with the lowest level of reactivity. Gold is recognized as the "least reactive element." Gold, in its purest state, is resistant to oxidation and corrosion because it does not mix well with oxygen. That is why pure gold retains its lustre to such a high degree.

When shopping for gold jewellery, it isn't easy to locate pieces made entirely of gold. Because pure gold is so malleable, it must be alloyed with other metals before it can be made into long-lasting jewellery. So, who is the culprit? Is it gold or other metal? In most cases, the qualities of the metals combined with gold to create alloys make the gold more susceptible to tarnishing. If you do not take proper care of your gold jewellery, you may notice that it begins to tarnish.

If you are interested in purchasing gold jewellery with a longer lifespan and less likely to tarnish, you should go for a higher-karat gold. For instance, 24-carat gold will not tarnish over time because it is made of pure gold. Jewellery with a gold content of fewer than 14 karats is more likely to tarnish over time. If you want to err on caution, go for jewellery between 14 and 18 karats of gold.

Wear your gold jewellery after applying other cosmetics.

We always recommend wearing your gold jewellery after applying your makeup and perfume on yourself. Before putting on your jewellery, you should hold off for around two minutes to give the goods time to settle. These substances contain chemical compounds that cause the metals in gold jewellery to react, causing them to tarnish or corrode. You can prevent this by keeping the jewellery away from items that contain these chemical compounds.

Store your gold jewellery properly

Make sure that your gold jewellery is stored appropriately. What do we mean by an appropriate manner? You should ensure that your gold jewellery does not receive excessive exposure to light or moisture. It is recommended to place them in a dark jewellery box or a plastic bag, along with some silica packets, to absorb any air and moisture that may be present. When keeping it in a plastic bag, push out all the excess air and close it quickly. It is protected from scratching by a lack of oxygen and kept bright and shiny by exposure to excessive sunshine.

Make sure to clean your gold jewellery.

You love wearing your old jewellery. Don't you? But, we recommend you clean it thoroughly by giving it a little rub with a cotton ball or a clean, soft cloth to remove the dust after removing the jewellery. At the same time, while cleaning, you should clean your gold jewellery using mild soaps or detergents rather than jewellery cleaners or antibacterial soaps. The reason is that these cleaners may contain chemicals that are detrimental to your jewellery and cause it to stain or tarnish more quickly.

Here are some more tips. 

• When it comes to cleaning gold jewellery, you should never use toothpaste or baking soda. As mentioned above, the chemicals are too harsh to use.
• Under no circumstances should you ever put on jewellery while your body is in touch with water, including washing dishes or swimming. Tarnishing can be caused by various chemical processes, including those involving chlorine and other elements.

When cleaning your jewellery, make sure only to use warm water. It would be best if you let each piece of jewellery soak in the water for no more than one minute. If you must scrub, use a gentle method such as a toothbrush. At the same time, do not rush yourself while cleaning. When cleaning the pieces, you should never use tissue or any other substance made of paper. Always use a cotton rag to pat the jewellery dry.

Do not let others touch your gold jewellery.

This might sound weird to you. But let us explain. It is better if you do not let others touch your gold jewellery. Why? An excessive amount of touching can cause surface friction. Because of this, interactions between the alloy and human skin may occur, and the gold jewellery you wear may become discoloured as a result.

Conclusion

Even though gold-made jewellery is not nearly as sensitive to the effects of its surroundings as jewellery made of other metals is, an alloy's other metals could nonetheless lead your piece to develop a patina over time.

When you are taking a shower or exercising, it is best to remove any gold jewellery you wear. As explained above, always put on your jewellery as the last step in getting ready, and keep it away from any cleaning products. The reason is that; cosmetics can speed up the tarnishing process of gold jewellery.