Why Gold jewellery gets tarnished and how to prevent it

Gold jewellery is something that everyone, regardless of gender, wants to wear. These are often finished with a combination of Gold and other metals. However, no matter how much we love to keep those the same way every day, it is difficult to do that. The reason is that any metal can decay, and we cannot always do much about it.

All we can do is carry out the necessary work to extend the lifespan. So, when using gold items, they should be used very carefully. Because if that is not the case, the value of our gold items may be lost. 

Anyway, Gold is expensive. So, if such a valuable piece of gold jewellery is destroyed, we will have to bear a lot of expenses to repair it. However, there are many ways to preserve them for a long time by using them carefully before they tarnish. However, if we want to take care of Gold, first, we should know the risks they face. 

Most items like necklaces, earrings, rings, and watches are now made of Gold. Not only is that, apart from jewellery, other decorative items are also made of Gold nowadays. Whatever it is, if it is made of Gold, it can be destroyed, and we must understand the ways in which it can be destroyed as well as what we can do to protect it. 

We know that when creating gold jewellery, other metals are mixed for it because Gold is a very delicate metal, and it has the ability to break quickly. So mixing other metals in this way can also be a big reason for gold items to be tarnished. However, in this article, we will see the reasons why gold items get destroyed and how to take care of them.

Ways that gold jewellery can get tarnished?

Gold is a metal, and therefore we can consider oxygen and sulfur as the main causes of tarnishing Gold. When sulfur and oxygen are mixed with various metals that are often mixed to make gold items, gold jewellery can be tarnished due to some reactions that occur there.

Also, due to various reactions occurring in our body and some components present in the metals in Gold reacting with the skin, gold jewellery has the potential to tarnish.

Another reason for the tarnishing of gold jewellery is things like cologne, perfumes, deodorants, hairsprays, and detergents that we use regularly. That is because such things often contain various chemicals. Even if those chemicals do not harm the skin, if they are used constantly, those chemicals can react with some of the components of the metals used in gold jewellery and cause damage to the jewellery.

Although it does not happen suddenly, in the long run, our gold jewellery may become tarnished by reacting with the components contained in the gold jewellery and the components of the chemicals in the related perfumes.

How to prevent Gold jewellery tarnishing.

Often, the time it takes to destroy gold goods can be calculated from the above-mentioned factors. Also, when the strength of the factor that affects the tarnishing of gold decreases, the time it takes for the product to tarnish also decreases.

Regardless of the time that passes, we should use the gold product very carefully and minimize the chance of tarnishing. There are often different strategies to use to prevent gold items from tarnishing. Some of them are given below.

Keep away from moisture.

 

The main reason most gold items tarnish is excessive exposure to water and liquids. So always keep your gold items moisture free. Keep your gold jewellery safe while swimming and bathing.

Also, if we talk about liquids, your sweat can also affect the tarnishing of gold items. In cases of excessive sweating, taking off the gold item and keeping it safe can also protect your items without tarnishing for a long time.

Wear jewellery after applying makeup and absorbing it into the skin. 

Many women are accustomed to wearing their gold jewellery immediately after applying makeup or cream. But you may not know that makeup is also a huge reason for tarnishing your gold jewellery.

Therefore, after using cream or makeup, you should wear your gold jewellery only after it dries completely. Otherwise, wearing jewellery immediately after using this, the various substances in the makeup will react with the metal in the jewellery, and they will tarnish very quickly.

Removal of chemicals.

As mentioned above, the chemicals contained in things like perfume, cologne, body spray, etc., mainly affect the tarnishing of gold jewellery. Therefore, you can keep your items protected for a longer period of time by not wearing gold items when such things are stoned.

Use a jewellery protective coating.

This is also a very easy and successful trick that can be used to prevent gold jewellery from tarnishing. Here we use the spray as a protective shield to fight against the elements that contribute to tarnishing. And sometimes, we have seen skin infections in people due to jewellery.

Due to this protection spray, people can be protected from such infections in some cases. This spray removes rust that may occur in our jewellery due to oxygen and takes care of the jewellery without tarnishing for a long time.

Not wearing gold items while cooking.

This is also a mistake that many people make without thinking much, but it can destroy their gold items. Many foods contain acidic substances, and they can stain or tarnish your gold jewellery very quickly. So, always remember to remove gold items when cooking.

Store properly.

Storage is something that most people don't pay much attention to. But since Gold is a very expensive thing, we should be more careful while using and storing it. Especially when storing, we should be very careful where we put the gold item. Gold jewellery should always be stored in a dry and clean environment, and it should always be in a place that is free from moisture. 

You can use different methods to store it. Mainly you can use a ziplock bag for that. But while storing it this way, you must make sure that the air in it is completely removed and the ziplock bag is completely sealed. If the air is not removed completely, the metal may react with oxygen and tarnish the gold jewellery. In addition, you can use small plastic containers, jewellery drawers, and storage pouches.

Give it a break.

This is very important when using any type of jewellery. While using gold jewellery, you should give them a break without using the jewellery constantly. They should be removed for a while, cleaned, packed well and used again at a later time. In that case, you must clean your gold jewellery very well, remove the moisture and put it in a well-sealed container and keep it. This will enable you to take care of your gold jewellery without tarnishing.

Today, Gold is another way for people to show their status. As the price of gold increases, the demand for it also increases day by day. The value of gold jewellery is also increasing with the new designs that are updated day by day. However, it is our own responsibility to use our gold jewellery carefully because Gold is not something that loses its value as time passes.

Therefore, we should take care of our gold items very carefully and without getting tarnished. For that, it has been possible to use various strategies. Cleaning, proper storage, etc., should be done by oneself. However, we cannot prevent the tarnishing of gold items. No matter how careful we are, those pieces of jewellery will be tarnished one day. But if you work according to a care plan, you can use your gold jewellery in a new way for a long time without getting tarnished.