Gold 101: How To Take Care Of Gold Jewelry

Whether you’ve been passed down a family heirloom, were gifted a piece of gold jewelry, or decided to splurge on a purchase yourself — gold is an absolute staple in any jewelry collection. But keeping it clean and shiny is a whole other story. 

Make your gold jewelry last a lifetime with a few tips and tricks: 

What are the different types of gold?

While yellow gold has been the classic, white gold and rose gold have become popular in recent years. 

Rose gold has become the newest “it girl” for many millennials in the last decade, who have opted for rose gold engagement rings and other jewelry. 

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What does a “carat” mean?

We’ve all heard of the variation of carats in gold, so what does that even mean? Caratage measures what percentage of actual gold is in the jewelry and what percentage is a mixture of metals. The higher the carat, the better quality the piece is. 

24-carat gold is the purest form of gold and contains no other metals — which means Bruno Mars was singing about the nicest gold money can buy.

18-carat gold is about 75% gold and 25% mixed metals. 14-carat is about 58% gold, and so on. 

How to take care of your gold jewelry

If gold is a staple in your everyday attire, it’s best to give it some TLC every now and then. 

The first and simplest way to take care of gold is to remove the jewelry before you get into any body of water — the shower, a chlorine-filled pool, the French Riviera, etc. You’ll also want to take it off when you’re about to hit the gym, use cleaning chemicals, or even when you’re applying skincare like moisturizer. 

All those harsh elements, along with doing extreme activities that risk the gold being scratched, can diminish the gold over time and leave it looking dull. 

It’s also important to store your gold in a jewelry box or in a soft piece of cloth to avoid scratching. 

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How to clean your gold

Don’t overcomplicate it. Gold doesn’t necessarily require some gimmicky cleaner that costs way too much. 

The best way to clean gold jewelry at home is by using mild dish soap and warm water. Soaking the gold first will do wonders for the piece, followed by gentle rubbing with a cloth or soft bristle brush. Patience is key. 

After rinsing and drying the gold, you can use a polishing cloth to make the jewelry extra shiny. You can also opt to bring it to a professional once in a while to get a deep clean. 

Like we said, nothing complicated. 

Just like anything, if you take care of your gold jewelry, you’ll be able to hold onto it for years. Trends come and go, but gold has always had a place in fashion and style. Show it some love, and you’ll be able to wear it for years.