The main point of gold is actually to shine! But, if your gold isn't shiny anymore it's no longer worth wearing it. By time gold can darken, become dull and start to smudge due to various contacts with dirt, soap, lotions and oils from your skin. Gold that has been alloyed with other metals like silver or copper, therefore it's not pure gold, can also tarnish.

Here's what you can do to revive your gold's shine and keep enjoying that bling on for as many years as possible!

Clean it

Whether you choose to have it professionally cleaned and polished or do it yourself, depends, your gold jewellery needs to be cleaned before storing it away. A simple way of cleaning your gold jewellery is to mix some warm water with dishwashing soap, use a soft toothbrush to scrub crevices, rinse with warm water and pat it dry with a chamois. But, if your gold has entered into a more bad level of darkness, take it to a professional jeweller and let them do the magic. 

Tip: everytime you remove your jewellery clean and polish it with a soft cloth so that you remove any oils and lotion from it

Store it properly

Storage is very important for your gold. So, no matter how tired you might be after a long night out, make sure to store it carefully when undressing. If you leave your jewellery out in the open, there is a faster chance that it gets tarnished because it's constantly exposed to oxygen. For best gold preservation, store it in a sealed container that's preferably acid-free. If you want to keep that bright shine on your gold avoid also exposing it to direct heat and sunlight, as these lead to colour fading. 

Tip: Other ways of preserving your gold jewellery include storing it in a protective box or wrapping it in a soft cloth.

Avoid contact with chemicals

Exposing your gold to chemicals is also very damaging and a main reason why it blackens. There is a wide variety of harmful chemicals you're in contact with everyday or on a frequent basis such as sea salt, swimming pool chlorine, perfume, hairspray, skin lotions and cosmetics, and sweat. Use or contact with such chemicals day after day, will lead you to gold transforming into black unfortunately because of the chemical reactions.

Tip: when exercising, showering or swimming remove your jewellery to make sure no damage is done. Put on your jewellery a few minutes after putting on cosmetics or perfume. 

Try a protectant spray

If you want to enjoy your gold jewellery for a long time try applying a protectant spray. With a specialised protectant spray you'll be adding a protective shield to your gold when in contact with damaging chemicals and keep it shiny. Some jewellery protectant sprays can also be beneficial to protect your skin from rashes and irritation.

Tip: although a protectant spray can be useful for frequent use, it's still more essential to have your jewellery cleaned every now and then.

Give your gold a break

Just like many other things, wear and tear issues are automatically unavoidable even when it comes to gold jewellery. If you're wearing the same piece of jewellery day after day, such as earrings, a bracelet, necklace or ring, the exposure to grime and damaging chemicals is constant. Therefore, treat your jewellery with love and leave it to rest in a proper storage from time to time so that you give it a break from external elements. 

Tip: consider switching to other jewellery pieces in your jewellery box every now and then. You won't only give your bling some break but you also get to enjoy the whole selection you've invested in 

If you want to know more about effective ways to keep or restore your gold to its shine, talk to one of the experts at Victor Azzopardi Jewellers. 

Discover more here!