Gold is a precious metal used for centuries in everything from fine jewelry to home decor. Its durability, unique color and mailability make it a leading choice for many applications. Gold jewelry is the most popular use for this precious metal, with many necklaces, earrings, engagement rings, and bracelets containing gold.
If you’re a fan of wearing gold jewelry, you may be wondering if your pieces will ever tarnish. After all, other styles like sterling silver jewelry often need polishing to remove natural tarnish.
Does gold tarnish? While pure 24 karat gold does not tarnish, the types of gold most commonly found in women’s and men’s jewelry can tarnish. This is because the white, rose, black, and yellow gold used in everyday jewelry is typically not pure 24k gold. Pure 24 karat gold is too soft to be worn frequently, so it is alloyed with additional metals for strength and style. These additional metals used in fine gold jewelry can react with oxygen or other chemicals, resulting in tarnish over time. Yes, gold jewelry can tarnish, especially if it’s a lower gold purity like 9k, 10k or even some 14k gold. Tarnish isn’t guaranteed, but its prevention is something that should be considered as a part of your jewelry upkeep.
While some gold can tarnish over time, it’s nothing to fret about. A visit to your local jewelry store can get most pieces back in shining shape. Explore our blog to learn more about why certain gold jewelry pieces can tarnish, how to care for this jewelry and what to do to help prevent tarnishing.
Does Gold Tarnish?
Pure gold does not tarnish, but the gold used in fine jewelry can tarnish if it is exposed to excess moisture, harsh chemicals or certain cosmetics. Gold jewelry is made by combining pure gold with additional metals like copper, silver and zinc. These metals strengthen gold jewelry for frequent wear, but they may tarnish over time if proper jewelry care steps are not followed. So while the gold in your 14k gold ring may not tarnish, the ring’s other metals may tarnish over time and change the look of the complete jewelry piece. Regular cleaning and drying can help prevent your gold jewelry from tarnishing.
What Kind of Gold Tarnishes?
Black, yellow, white and rose gold jewelry with higher concentrations of additional metals are the styles that are most susceptible to tarnish or rust. These are pieces with lower amounts of gold, indicated by the karat value of the jewelry. The lower the karat, the more care that should be taken to prevent gold tarnish. 18k gold jewelry is not as susceptible to tarnish as 14k gold. 10k and 9k gold jewelry pieces are the most likely to tarnish, but regular cleaning and care can help keep all gold jewelry at its best. You must take the differences between 10k vs 14k vs 18k vs 24k gold and their qualities into account.
Understanding Gold Durability
There’s a reason gold wedding rings and other pieces are family heirlooms. This metal is incredibly durable, especially when the right care is taken. Gold purity impacts a jewelry piece’s durability along with any other treatments it may have like rhodium plating. Jewelry with higher karat numbers will have greater tarnish resistance than lower karat pieces. For example, a 14k gold necklace will be less likely to tarnish than a 9k gold bracelet.
Additional treatments like rhodium plating for white gold jewelry can also influence a piece’s likelihood of rust or tarnish. Different metals used in rose gold, yellow gold or black gold jewelry can help these pieces resist tarnish, though it’s still a consideration.
How to Prevent Gold Tarnish and Rust
Following basic jewelry care tips can help prevent your gold from tarnishing. You can prevent gold rust and tarnish by:
- Keeping chemicals like household cleaners, cosmetics and chlorinated or treated water away from your gold.
- Taking your jewelry off before showering, swimming, bathing, cooking, gardening, exercising, or engaging in other activities that may subject your jewelry to strain or chemicals.
- Thoroughly drying any gold after any moisture exposure.
- Storing your gold in a safe place like its original packaging or a felt-lined jewelry box.
These precautions can help prevent gold tarnishing so you can enjoy your jewelry for years to come.
How to Treat Gold Tarnish
You can clean gold tarnish at home with specialized jewelry cleaners. A mixture of gentle dish soap and water can also restore many pieces. For stubborn build up, use a clean soft bristled toothbrush. If your tarnished gold jewelry has diamonds or gemstones, follow their additional care tips.
Our jewelry experts are happy to help restore your Blue Nile pieces, contact us for expert help in cleaning your gold.
Top Questions and Answers About Gold Jewelry Upkeep
Gold jewelry is not guaranteed to tarnish. Lifestyle factors, individual metal alloys and environmental factors all influence gold’s likelihood of tarnishing. Your gold jewelry may never tarnish, but if it does, a simple cleaning can likely restore your pieces.
14k gold jewelry can sometimes tarnish, and it is more likely to tarnish than 18k or 22k gold jewelry. But with proper care, 14k gold jewelry is typically unlikely to tarnish.
Using a specialized jewelry cleaning solution is the best way to clean tarnished gold. For stubborn rust or build up, visit a local jewelry store.
Some white gold can change color or tarnish over time. But with proper care, well-made white gold pieces can look their best for years to come.
Higher karat gold like 14k or 18k gold jewelry pieces are less likely to tarnish than pieces with lower karat values. This is because 14k and 18k gold jewelry contains more pure gold which resists tarnishing.
Yes, gold plated jewelry is more likely to tarnish than solid gold pieces. This is because gold plated jewelry has drastically higher amounts of metals most susceptible to rust or tarnish with very little real gold.
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