How to Take Care of your Gold Jewellery
How to Take Care of your Gold Jewellery
How to Take Care of your Gold Jewellery
Pure gold is very durable, but gold jewellery can be damaged and lose its beautiful gleam if it isn't treated with care. Gold is a soft metal and when used in its purest form, 24 carat, it can easily be scratched or dented. Adding other metals such as silver, copper, zinc, or nickel to gold makes it harder but reduces its purity. Although 9-carat gold jewellery is less vulnerable to damage than 18 or 22-carat gold pieces, it will still show signs of wear over time.
Understanding the nature of gold, and remembering a few simple do's and don'ts, will help you to keep your jewellery in perfect condition.
Wearing Gold
The best way to enjoy your gold jewellery is to wear it as often as possible. After all, it was made to be displayed! But in circumstances where it might be accidentally damaged playing sports or doing manual work, for example it's safer to leave it off.
Swimming is one activity that can be harmful to gold jewellery. The chlorine in swimming pools reacts with the alloy metals mixed with gold and can discolour it. Contact with strong chlorine can even make gold jewellery brittle and susceptible to breakage. Seawater should also be avoided because it contains grains of sand that scratch gold.
Soaps, shampoos, body creams and lotions won't harm gold but they can leave dulling residues. Take off your jewellery before showering, bathing or having beauty treatments.
When you want to wear jewellery, make it the last thing you put on to avoid it snagging on clothing. Never do your hair while wearing gold earrings in case you catch them with a brush or comb.
Storing Gold
When you're not wearing your gold jewellery, pieces should ideally be stored in their original boxes or in a fitted jewellery box that allows each item to be kept separate from its neighbours. Always arrange gold chains so they won't get tangled.
Diamonds, and some other gemstones, are harder than gold so make sure that the stones set in one piece of jewellery can't scratch the gold of another piece. For the same reason it's best to keep different qualities of gold apart. A 9-carat charm bracelet could mark a 22-carat gold locket if the two rub together. If extra protection is needed you can use individual cloth pouches or wrap pieces in tissue paper.
A jewellery roll made of soft fabric, leather or suede is a good idea when travelling. It won't take up much room in your luggage but will keep necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings well protected.
Cleaning Gold
In most cases, gently rubbing gold jewellery with a soft, lint-free cloth is the only cleaning needed to remove any grime and restore its natural shine. You can buy gold- cleaning cloths at your local jewellery shop.
Gold jewellery can be washed in warm water with a few drops of mild washing-up liquid added. But be aware that fine gold chains and small earrings can easily slip down a plughole and use a bowl well away from the sink! A small, soft brush can be useful for cleaning intricate pieces. Afterwards, rinse in clean water and pat dry with a soft cloth. If washing doesn't do the trick, you can buy specialist jewellery cleaning fluids, but read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly.
If gold jewellery is very grubby, especially delicate antique pieces and those that include gemstones, over enthusiastic cleaning can do more harm than good. In these cases, ask a professional jeweller to do the job for you. Look for an established jewellery company that is a member of a respected trade organisation such as the National Association of Goldsmiths.
Exquisite pieces of gold jewellery created thousands of years ago by goldsmiths in ancient civilizations have survived to the present day. If you want your precious pieces to endure, take care of them!
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