We are frequently questioned how our gold filled jewelry holds up over time and whether gold filled holds up in reality. This is an excellent question, and we'll go through it in depth in this blog article.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN JEWELRY TARNISHES?
First and foremost, let's go through the fundamentals. Tarnish is a thin film of corrosion that occurs on metals due to a chemical reaction between the metal and a non-metal compound like moisture, air, or chemical compounds. As a result, your jewellery will have a dark tinge or discolouration.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANY METAL TO TARNISH?
Gold, titanium, and silver that are 100 percent pure do not tarnish. Copper, brass, bronze, and alloys, as well as any fine jewelry made of less than 24k gold or 100 percent pure silver, such as 9k, 14k, 18k gold, or sterling silver, might tarnish.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR MY FINE JEWELRY TO TARNISH?
It's a frequent fallacy that because a piece of jewelry is pure gold, it won't tarnish. Because the alloy metal that is combined with the gold component is not corrosion resistant, solid gold less than 24k can undoubtedly discolor. On the other hand, 24k gold and pure silver are too soft to be worn every day.
WHY DOES MY JEWELRY WEAR OUT SO FAST?
When the metal in your piece mixes with non-metal components like oxygen, sulphur, and other chemicals, a chemical reaction happens. The metal darkens as a result of this. Copper, for example, can be extremely reactive when exposed to sea water, citrus, or even sulfur from packaging. The air, for example, reacts with sterling silver, causing it to oxidize.
1. YOUR LIFESTYLE
When you are wearing jewellery, particularly gold filled, contact with chemicals can happen very often on a daily basis depending on your lifestyle and should be avoided to avoid wear. If you are washing your hands with soap, washing dishes with liquid soap, doing laundry, putting on body lotion, or spraying perfume, these are all examples of lifestyle-related factors that can be harmful to your jewellery and cause it to tarnish.
2. HOW DO YOU STORE GOLD-FILLED JEWELRY?
In general, the better you take care of your jewelry, the longer it will endure. This is also true of gold filled jewelry, which is far more tarnish resistant than gold plated.
3. THE CHEMISTRY OF YOUR BODY
Your body chemistry has an impact on how quickly your jewelry tarnishes. Your skin pH, how much you sweat, what you eat, what medicine you take, how much you drink, and other factors can all have an impact. In general, if you're reacting to metals or wearing more jewelry than usual, it could be related to a shift in your body chemistry or environmental factors.
4. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Finally, the environment in which you are wearing your jewelry has an impact on how long it lasts. Jewelry tarnish is caused by acidity in the air, pollution, and humidity. To decrease the impacts of environmental wear on your gold filled piece, we recommend cleaning it frequently with a polishing cloth and storing it in our organic cotton pouches away from moisture and sunshine.
I HAVE GOLD FILLED JEWELRY, WILL IT TARNISH?
Gold filled, sterling silver, and 9k, 14k, and 18k solid gold are all alloys. As a result, it can only tarnish if all of the above elements are present. These premium materials (gold filled, solid gold) can, however, withstand tarnish better than lower-quality alloys.