Does Gold Jewelry Tarnish? | Treating Tarnished Gold Jewelry

Chemical reaction between the metal, e.g. gold, and substances like sulfur, chlorine and body oils, will cause your gold jewelry to turn black. Pure 24K gold doesn’t tarnish, but most gold jewelry contains other metals that do react with these elements. Proper cleaning, storage and staying away from harsh chemicals will keep this from happening.

Why does Gold Jewelry turn Black?

So, when gold jewelry turns black, that’s usually a common chemical reaction and not something permanent. The more you understand why this happens, the better you’ll be able to prevent and address it. Pure gold, unlike other metals, does not tarnish, however many of the metals present in jewelry will tarnish when other substances come into contact.

This is because gold alloys will react with substances such as sulfur, chlorine or harsh chemicals used in cosmetics which leaves the surface with a dark layer. These reactions, also, can be triggered by your body’s natural body chemistry, such as sweat or oils.

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Your Jewelry will be influenced by: Air pollution, humidity and temperature changes. Risks are higher in the urban areas with the most pollution. These substances are high water and trapped on the metal surface, temperature changes can also create tiny cracks to take tarnish causing elements.

It is pure gold, which doesn't tarnish, but most jewelry is mixed with other metals to make things more durable. The metals in lower karat gold like copper, silver, and zinc are reacting with things we experience on a day to day basis. 

Added metals make your jewelry stronger, but more likely to darken over time. Usually these two things work together – your jewelry composition determines how the metals will react, while the environment will determine how resistant the jewelry is to tarnishing. Learning these basics helps you know when to give your pieces additional care, and to better protect your pieces.

Preventing Gold Jewelry from Going Black

It’s actually much simpler than you might think to prevent gold jewelry from turning black. While you can’t guarantee that jewelry will stay forever looking and feeling exactly as it does the day you hang it out from your jewelry box, with a few consistent habits and the right storage methods, you can keep tarnish at bay. What you need to know is when your jewelry is most prone to be mishandled.

Activity Awareness Shower, swim, Don’t put jewelry back on until lotions and perfumes have dried out. If pieces could come into contact with chemicals in excess or with sweating, stop exercising or cleaning and remove them.

Store jewelry in an anti tarnish box or bag in a cool dry place. Put some silica gel packets to absorb moisture. Separate pieces to prevent scratching which renders them harder to keep from tarnishing. Keep away from high humidity or direct sunlight.

After wearing Maintenance Wipe pieces with a soft cloth. Get regular professional inspections to catch small things early that will later lead to wear or tarnish. Look also at forms of protective treatments used by jewelers for pieces frequently worn.

Doing this helps your jewelry keep looking beautiful for longer. To develop these habits is some work and it’s much less work putting tarnished jewelry up later. Consider it basic maintenance that protects your investment.

Signs that Your Gold is Turning Black

• You’ll first start to notice small patches or spots of black where gold jewelry has crevices or has areas with a great deal of detail.

• The spots tend to occur where metal touches your skin, and where water collects. Obvious early warning signs help you prevent further damage.

Early Warning Signs

Look for spots that aren’t going away with regular polishing, and watch those dark ones. In most cases, they begin as tiny black dots in fine places and crevices on your jewelry. Your first glimpse of it might be a color change that’s so faint…the dull patch won’t even shine above all the rest of the piece.

Key Spots to Monitor:

• Areas on your skin where your jewelry comes in contact with.

• Under and around gemstone settings

• Inside ring bands

• Chain link connections

Checking these areas on a regular basis can let you catch tarnishing early, before it has reached the stage of being a bigger problem. Keep in mind, though, that catching black spots early makes it much less work to remove and can save your jewelry from long-term damage.

Emergency Cleaning Solutions

Clean from the gentlest method first. To treat affected areas, wipe the area using a soft jewelry cloth. If that doesn’t work, try mixing warm water with dish soap. Place your jewelry in water and then soak it for 5–10 minutes, rinse underwater and use a soft toothbrush to clean it gently. After cleaning, always dry thoroughly.

However, stop cleaning immediately if:

• The black marks get worse

• You notice any scratches

• Gemstones feel loose

• The metal appears damaged

If you know the color of your jewelry is black and you know the source of the coloring, quickly acting before it starts can save your piece from becoming tarnished. Unfortunately if these methods don’t work to restore your piece back to the shine, it’s time to head down to the local jeweler and have your piece professionally cleaned.

Cleaning Blackened Gold Jewelry

Choosing the right cleaning method is not only important if your gold jewelry is new, it is also important if your gold jewelry has already developed tarnish. The severity of the tarnish will determine whether you choose to clean at home with gentle cleaning or if you want a professional service. Most tarnished pieces can be restored safely if you take the right approach.

Gentle Home Cleaning: 

Use warm water and mix that with mild dish soap. For 10 -15 minutes, soak the jewelry and work gently with a toothbrush. Once done, run water and dry completely with lint free cloth. Keep harsh cleaner or rough scrubbing away — they can damage the metal.

Professional Cleaning: 

It’s recommended you visit a jeweler for ultrasonic or steam cleaning every 6-12 months. Without checking for damage, they can safely remove tarnish. Protective treatments are often used to prevent future tarnishing common in professional cleaning.

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Maintenance Cleaning: 

We use a jewelry polishing cloth once a week for light cleaning. Discard clean pieces, the day after they’ve been exposed to tarnishing agents. Maintain a basic cleaning kit at home to be able to take care of quickly in case of related issues.

The secret to really effective cleaning is finding a compromising balance between being gentle and consistent and taking harsh methods. Regular maintenance keeps heavy tarnish build up to a minimum, while knowing when professional help is needed keeps your pieces in the best condition. But remember that the best cleaning saves beauty and value of your jewellery.

Can Turns Black Gold Be Fake Gold?

Tarnishing does not always mean your gold is fake, no. Real gold jewelry is even prone to turn black because it contains other metals mixed with pure gold. Everything that causes the darkening happens during normal, chemical things such as through the air, sulfur, or body products.

If you’re concerned that your jewelry is fake, for example, don’t judge the authenticity of your jewelry by how it tarnishes. Proper testing will quickly let you know if your piece is real gold, helping you rest assured that you’re wearing quality jewelry.

Gold Quality and Tarnishing Understanding

Your gold jewelry is only as pure as you want it and this affects how they’ll interact with environmental factors and chemicals. It aids in making decisions with regard to what type of jewelry to care for and also what to buy. The more gold content your piece of jewelry has, the less likely it is to tarnish. but this comes with trade-offs in durability and practicality for daily wear.

Pure Gold (24K): This is 99.9% pure gold metal and, in most cases, virtually any other metals. It has a rich yellow colour and is resistant to tarnishing, and is hardly ever darkened or discoloured. Pure gold is however very soft, about as soft as a pencil lead and, being impractical for everyday jewellery,. A pure gold ring would deform quickly, almost immediately from normal wear.

Mixed Gold Alloys

Balances excellent tarnish resistance with good durability, 18K gold (75% pure). Since the gold content is high, there are less reactive metals, but the alloys have enough strength for daily wear. Is commonly found in high end jewelry and high quality pieces.

The most popular choice of gold for fine jewelry, offering good durability, and good tarnish resistance, 14K gold (58.3% pure). Because it's stronger than 18K it has a higher percentage of other metals but it is also prone to tarnishing. Good for everyday wear items such as wedding rings.

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