Caring for your Gold Plated Jewellery - HerbertandWilks Jewellery

Caring for your Gold Plated Jewellery

Gold plated jewellery makes a great alternative to real gold jewellery. Over the past two years we have seen some large price rises in precious metals which can make even 9ct gold jewellery quite prohibitive, but you should not deny your gold lust! Gold plated jewellery looks just as beautiful as the real thing....well, it is kind of the real thing. With plated jewellery, a layer of real gold is applied to another metal so it has the same appearance.

In the case of my jewellery, I use 18ct gold to plate on sterling silver. Due to the fact that this jewellery has a layer of gold on it, different care is needed than with sterling silver or real gold pieces. And, be aware that, in time, the plating can wear off, especially if not taken care of properly.

How to care for your Gold Vermeil and Gold Plated Jewellery

Taking proper care of your gold plated jewellery, will ensure your pieces stand the test of time. There are numerous ways to care for your jewellery I recommend the following:

  1. Remove all gold plated jewellery when doing pretty much anything that involves heat or moisture. So take your jewellery off when bathing, swimming, exercise, doing the dishes and anything else you can think of where your jewellery may get wet.
  2. Wait until you're dry before putting on your gold plated jewellery.
  3. Apply all your lotions and perfume before putting on your gold plated jewellery. Different chemicals in lotions and perfumes can seriously tarnish jewellery. It's best to avoid tarnish with gold plated items as they are not as easy to clean as sterling silver and solid gold pieces.
  4. Store your gold plated jewellery in the box it came in. You do not want to throw it in your jewellery box with everything else as the friction of rubbing up against other metals can wear away at the layer of gold.
  5. I recommend not sleeping in your gold plated jewellery for the same reason as point 4 above!
  6. Do not use any abrasives to clean your gold plated jewellery! I recommend using a gentle polishing cloth on your gold vermeil and gold plated pieces, ensuring it is clean and dry. Simply rub your piece in one direction, wiping away any dirt. Using an abrasive or polish will remove the layer of gold which is not what you want.

Over time, the gold layer is likely to tarnish. This is a common and natural property that adds a unique sense of character to the piece.

If your plating has worn off your jewellery, which can happen eventually, you can have it replated. Please contact me for further details and prices

SHOP GOLD VERMEIL JEWELLERY

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