Gold-plated silver jewelry has been one of the constant trends among jewelry accessories for many years. And during this time, experienced users have learned not only to correctly select gold-plated jewelry, but also to ensure proper care for them, which significantly extends their life.
gold plated silver ring price example gold plated silver ring price example
At the same time, for many, it still remains a mystery why some users wear gilding for years, how to care for them, and also what is the real life of gold-plated silver products.
How long does gilding last?
In simple words, gilding on silver is a thin layer of gold deposited on a silver base in several different ways. Those. silver jewelry is taken (most often 925 samples) and its surface is “painted” with a thin gold coating.
This coating deteriorates for the two most common reasons — due to natural wear and tear (frequent scratches, chips and chafing), as well as due to errors in the care or wearing of gilded items.
Gilding in most cases lasts from one to two years. However, with proper care, even cheap gold-plated silver items may not lose their original appearance for about three or more years.
How to prolong the life of gold plated jewelry.
gold plated silver earrings gold plated silver earrings
If you wear gold-plated jewelry carefully enough and do not expose them to excessive physical stress, do not scratch or bend, then the only factor that can reduce their service life will only be improper care.
The thing is that the main reason for the destruction of the gilded layer is not the poor quality of jewelry accessories with gilding, as many people think, but the chemical properties of silver.
Silver is very susceptible to various acids, moisture and chemical irritants. Upon contact with them, it begins to «blacken» and become covered with a thin layer of sulfide. This process is somewhat similar to the appearance of rust under the paint of a car. The more moisture gets on it, the more the paint lags behind. The same goes for gold. The more silver comes into contact with, for example, human sweat, which contains sulfur, the sooner sulfide will appear under the gilding and the thin coating will begin to break down.
There are several simple ways to avoid premature defects on gilded silver.
First of all, detergents should not be allowed to come into contact with such jewelry. Alkali and other chemical components in them can provoke the appearance of microcracks and centers of “corrosion” of silver.
After bathing in chlorinated water, such jewelry should be wiped with a special cloth. When storing jewelry, you should avoid finding jewelry in an environment with high humidity.
Accessories should be cleaned with special cosmetics designed to clean silver. They contain «additives» that create a protective layer on the jewelry, preventing moisture from entering silver through microcracks.
When using cosmetics or deodorants, gilded silver should be worn only at the end of the procedures. Too frequent contact of perfume containing alcohol and special oils on silver can provoke its blackening and the appearance of sulfide.
You can restore damaged gilding at the jeweler, where, with the help of special chemical solutions, a new layer of gold will be applied to the jewelry. At home, you can return the gilding to an acceptable appearance by placing the product with gold in a common container filled with silver cleaning liquid. SUBSCRIBE