Jewellery Aftercare: How to Protect & Care for Gold-Plated Jewellery
Gold-plated jewellery has been a staple in men’s fashion for decades, and for good reason. It has the statement-making, head-turning effect offered by solid gold pieces, just without the weight of the price tag attached.
While the price of gold-plated jewellery is lower, the maintenance and upkeep are a little higher–but that shouldn’t put you off since keeping your gold-plated pieces pristine doesn’t require much effort.
Investing some time in keeping your jewellery in top form is essential for always looking like a winner. In this guide, we’ll cover all you need to know to protect and care for your gold-plated jewellery.
What is Gold Plating?
Before heading into maintenance and care, let’s better our understanding of gold-plated jewellery.
Gold plating is a very thin layer of real gold that has been bonded through very specific processes to a base metal, most typically stainless steel or sterling silver. Due to only being a layer of gold, gold-plated jewellery is significantly cheaper, but it also means there’s a higher likelihood of tarnishing.
Whereas solid gold is resistant to tarnish and fading, gold-plated jewellery requires more attention to maintain its quality.
How to Clean Gold-Plated Jewellery
Over time, the combined buildup of dirt, natural skin oils and aftershaves can begin to dull the shine of gold-plated jewellery. Luckily, cleaning your favourite gold-plated pieces is simple–it requires no specific chemicals or products.
You can start by using a lint cloth to wipe away any residue from daily wear before it begins to have a negative impact on your jewellery’s appearance.
If you want to do more than buff your jewellery, you can mix a small amount of dish soap with warm water, which you can use for a quick soak. Avoid submerging your jewellery for long durations–a few minutes should do the job.
After, rinse any soap or remaining dirt from your jewellery and dry with a soft cloth.
Top Tips for Storing Gold-Plated Jewellery
Keeping your gold-plated jewellery in separate boxes, compartments or velvet pouches can be a sure way to prevent permanent damage, such as scratch marks and tarnishing.
You could also invest in anti-tarnish strips or silica gel packs to place alongside your gold-plated jewellery inside storage options. These are perfect for more humid months, and over the course of time, they’ll help keep any moisture from causing damage.
Be Mindful of Friction
Keeping your gold-plated jewellery from rubbing or knocking against things can be challenging, especially during daily activities. This is best avoided by removing jewellery when doing anything that might involve a lot of movement.
Whether you’re in the gym or sleeping, gold-plated jewellery can suffer from premature wear if it’s constantly rubbing against fabrics.
Avoid Chemicals Whenever You Can
Gold-plated jewellery is susceptible to being damaged when exposed to chemicals. From aftershave to skin moisturiser, even sun lotion can cause its gold finish to tarnish.
The number one tip for avoiding this is to put on your jewellery last. Once you’re done with your hair products, moisturise your skin and spray your favourite fragrance, then pop on your bracelet and chain.
If you fancy yourself a bit of a swimmer, remember that most–if not all–swimming pools contain chlorine, which can erode gold plating.
Rotate Your Collection
We all have our signature piece–there’s one in every man’s collection. When you have your favourite chain or bracelet, it can be tempting to wear them at every given opportunity.
Unfortunately, constant wear can cause your gold-plated jewellery to quickly lose its shine, and because of that, it’ll be a good idea to swap around your pieces (or buy some new favourites instead).
By putting your collection on rotation, each piece gets a break from all the things that can degrade gold plating, such as skin and hair products, sweat and aftershave.
Rotating your jewellery not only extends the longevity and lifespan of your collection, but it can also add variety to style.
Retire, Replace or Replate
As much as we’d like our jewellery to last forever, there comes a time when we must bid our farewell. If your jewellery starts to lose its gold finish, revealing the base metal underneath, you might need to consider buying a replacement.
There is the possibility of re-plating your jewellery; however, this service can be costly, and it might be worthwhile looking into other options.
If you value your jewellery and want to get the most wear out of it, there are two ways to reduce the likelihood of your gold-plated jewellery finding an early end: one would be to invest in a higher-quality piece that can endure daily wear, and another would be to learn how to care for your gold-plated jewellery correctly (which this guide will teach you how to do).
Long-Lasting Protection
Offering the perfect balance of affordability and style, gold-plated jewellery is essential for the modern man’s collection. Without the proper attention to care and damage prevention, even the highest-quality pieces can lose their lustre.
By following NORVEI’s aftercare guide, you can keep gold-plated jewellery from premature tarnish, prolonging the life of your favourite pieces.
So, take care of your jewellery and ensure your style stays in tip-top shape.