Most of the gold from which jewelry is made is alloyed with other metals to make it stronger, since pure 24-carat gold is too soft on its own. Bleach and chlorine (swimming pools, hot tubs, etc.) can break down these other alloys and, over time, cause problems such as cracks and weaken solder joints. Tarnished gold can look dull, dark and lifeless. Loss of brilliance is the main visual sign that gold has tarnished.
When gold tarnishes, it loses its luster and looks more like a piece of metal than a precious metal. Gold tarnishing is the result of a chemical reaction between gold and other materials, such as oxygen or sulfur. The type of tarnish depends on the element causing it. For example, oxygen causes a black tarnish, while sulfur causes a yellow or brown tarnish.
No gold jewelry is made of pure 24-carat gold because the pure form of gold is too soft to wear alone. And while your garden will flourish thanks to the extra attention you give it, there is a risk that your gold ring will suffer extensive damage. In honor of the bracelets lost in the sand, the gems that have been the victims of an evil game of beach volleyball or the rings that rest at the bottom of the sea, here are 10 safety tips to avoid damaging your jewelry. Shampoo and soap, for example, are not safe for jewelry, and the worst part is the fact that body products accumulate on jewelry and cause a lot of damage.
Swimming with your jewelry on is also a bad idea because you could lose it in the pool and, if you don't, the chlorine in the pool will damage the jewelry and it will tarnish quickly. In other words, you should take care of your gold jewelry because there are many things that can damage it. And if the ring is set with gemstones, it will suffer all kinds of damage and the gemstones are likely to come loose and fall off in the process. The idea may have never crossed your mind, but these seemingly small things often cause a lot of damage to the ring.
Unfortunately, cleaning and exposing alloyed gold jewelry to cleaning solutions containing chemicals such as chlorine and bleach breaks down the alloy and damages the ring. The damage can manifest itself as cracks or weak solder spots, and also in the loss of the beautiful gold finish.
