White gold turns yellow: what to do, what can and cannot be used to clean it

Jewelry made from ordinary gold has not surprised anyone for a long time, so products made from white precious metal are becoming increasingly popular.

This type of gold looks like silver or platinum, but has the ability to change color. Such changes can be noticed after 2-3 years: the gold begins to turn yellow, which gives the jewelry a careless appearance. However, not everyone knows why this happens and how to prevent it.

Adele in white gold and diamond earrings

Alloy composition

The precious material is not mined in its pure form ; in the jewelry industry, noble gold is mixed with other chemical elements. To create white gold you use:

Silver . The most popular companion material gives gold a silvery tint. Silver is sometimes used in combination with a small percentage of copper.
Platinum . This is the most expensive metal, so products with its addition are more expensive. Platinum gives jewelry a snow-white hue with a noble tint.
Palladium . Very rarely used.

Jewelry is plated with rhodium, which gives shine, pallor and a silvery tint.

Over time, due to the admixture of silver, jewelry may turn black. Rhodium plating protects products from this effect.

There are 2 processing methods :

Immersion in solution . This is the cheapest and easiest method, but this layer of rhodium comes off the jewelry faster. In addition, the solution is unevenly distributed over the surface of the product, causing areas of yellow gold to show through.
Galvanization. This is a higher quality and more efficient processing method using electrolysis and electric current. The layer lasts for a long time.

Gold earrings “Diamonds of Yakutia”, SL (price on the link)

What should not be cleaned, according to the recommendations of jewelers

If you decide to clean gold jewelry yourself at home, you need to know that not all substances are suitable for cleaning this metal.

Dangerous ammonia

Ammonia is an indispensable assistant in the arsenal of housewives. It is used to clean absolutely everything: from clothes to gold items. But, according to jewelers, ammonia is also harmful to gold plating.

You cannot clean white and regular gold using the same solution at once. You should also not clean gold and silver together.

Ionization occurs and, in simple terms, the jewelry changes colors with each other. Gold unprotected by other coatings can react with ammonia, causing it to darken. Instead of pure ammonia, it is recommended to use an ammonia solution - a solvent solvent - to clean gold jewelry.

Why does white gold turn yellow?

The rhodium layer can last for 4-5 years, but sometimes the coating wears off and yellowness appears. This happens in the following cases:

Long-term wearing around the neck . Human sweat can gradually erode the rhodium layer, so over time the ring or chain may turn yellow even with regular care. In addition, the rhodium layer disappears due to friction.
Aggressive cleaning of jewelry . Concentrated acids and other chemicals cause white gold to yellow.
Mechanical damage . It is contraindicated to polish and grind white gold, otherwise the protective layer will be erased.

White gold necklace

How to maintain rhodium plating as long as possible?

In order to avoid rapid damage to the coating , you just need to follow a few simple rules.

Avoid mechanical damage to rhodium-plated products. Under no circumstances should you attempt to polish or sand them. This will erase or ruin the protective layer.
If possible, it is best to store such accessories separately from other jewelry to avoid friction or exposure to other metals. To do this, you can simply use separate bags, boxes or cases.
Do not wear the product for too long to avoid contact with sweat, which can corrode the rhodium plating over time.
Protect jewelry from contact with aggressive chemicals: chemicals, acids, detergents, cosmetics, perfumes and creams. Take them off when visiting the pool, solarium, before taking a shower, washing dishes or cleaning.
Carry out easy and gentle cleaning of products. Either using special products that can be purchased in jewelry stores or from craftsmen, or simply rinse with running water. When cleaning, you can use a sponge or soft, lint-free cloth. After the procedure, be sure to dry thoroughly by placing it on a dry towel. When cleaning at home, you should never use toothpaste or tooth powder, ammonia or soda. With their help you can polish and clean only some products without coatings.

If you take care of your jewelry and follow all these simple rules, the coating will last long enough . In the future, when it begins to wear off, specialists in almost any jewelry workshop will restore it in just a couple of days.

15.02.21

What products should not be used to clean white gold?

Do not use vinegar, toothpaste or other acidic cleaners to clean gold They contain chemicals that destroy the protective layer of jewelry .

To prevent the product from turning yellow, it is recommended to use preparations with ammonia

They delicately remove yellowness and do not harm jewelry. However, products containing ammonia should not be left on the metal for a long time, otherwise the opposite effect will occur.

How to return whiteness to a product, what to do, methods of prevention

It is easier to prevent any problem than to eliminate the consequences. To prevent white gold from turning yellow, you need to store it properly and take care of it in a timely manner. Simple preventive measures can help maintain noble whiteness:

All existing jewelry must be stored separately. White gold in one container, classic yellow in another. Silver, precious stones and jewelry are stored separately. You can keep jewelry in their original boxes. You can purchase special cabinets for jewelry.
It is necessary to prevent the decoration from coming into contact with chemicals. If your hands are treated with cream, the rings from your fingers must be removed. All jewelry is removed during water procedures, when swimming in pools and reservoirs, when visiting baths and saunas. If the house is cleaned using detergents and cleaning products, then this should also be done without jewelry.
It is not recommended to polish gold items yourself. The damaged structure of a ring or bracelet is almost impossible to restore. It's better to trust the jeweler. A specialist will polish the precious metal using special tools and products. Taking a gold ring to a jeweler for polishing is much cheaper than buying a new one later.

As you can see, caring for white gold is quite simple. Timely preventive measures will extend the life of gold jewelry for many years.

Properties of metal and reasons for its darkening

Darkening of gold is a fairly common problem. Many people mistakenly believe that it rusts. However, this precious metal does not have such a property. The decoration turns black, gray and even green as it oxidizes.

Cleaning Blackened Jewelry

Experts identify several scientifically proven reasons for the darkening of jewelry. Let's look at the most common ones.

Low quality product. What impurities cause gold jewelry to oxidize?

Today there is practically no jewelry made of pure gold. Usually alloy metals are added to the composition, such as silver, nickel, copper, sometimes iron, chromium, aluminum. Due to these inclusions, gold oxidizes, and traces of plaque appear on the product. However, this happens if there are more foreign metals than the base material, or the master used gold of a purity lower than 585.

Why does gold darken if it lies and is not used for a long time?

As we found out earlier, gold itself does not turn black. Gold products turn black due to the fact that during their manufacturing process other various alloys are added to gold and it is they that give this blackness.

Like any thing that lies idle for a long time and which, as a rule, no one takes care of at this time, gold jewelry has the ability to fade, get dirty and turn black.
Gold can darken because the room in which it is located constantly experiences temperature changes and, accordingly, excess moisture can accumulate. It is this factor that can affect how gold changes its quality and appearance.

Gold darkens if it sits for a long time

Therefore, gold items and items made from other metals are not recommended to be stored in bathrooms or where there is high humidity. You should definitely follow this recommendation if your product contains stone.
The same goes for open vases, boxes, and plates. Yes, metals, in principle, do not react in any way to the sun's rays, but the stones that may be in them can deteriorate greatly.
That is, a gold product turns black over time due to exposure to external factors such as moisture, temperature changes and, of course, improper initial care can also play a role.

TOP 6 methods for cleaning blackened gold at home

There are several proven recipes that can be used to clean alloyed jewelry:

Ammonia + washing powder. You need to mix 4 drops of ammonia (about one spoon) with water (one glass), then with laundry detergent. Dip the product into the mixture and rub it with a soft cloth. This method is perfect for cleaning low-quality jewelry.
Soap solution is one of the simplest methods. Mix liquid or bar soap with water, dip a toothbrush in it and rub the product with it. You need to rub gently until the jewelry is clean.
Ammonia + baby shampoo. Take one spoon of baby shampoo, 100 ml of water, 30 ml of ammonia. Mix the ingredients. Place the decoration in the resulting product for 1.5-2 hours.
Ammonia + sugar + water. Mix 200 ml of boiling water with 50 grams of sugar. Place the product in the resulting product for two days, then wipe it with ammonia and warm water.
Hydrogen peroxide + soda. Mix the ingredients: 100 ml of water, 35 ml of hydrogen peroxide, 20 grams of soda. Place the decoration in the resulting mixture for 2-3 hours.
Sugar/salt + water. Fill a glass container with 150 ml of hot water, add 50 grams of salt or sugar. Immerse the gold item in the resulting mixture. After 10 hours, the jewelry should be rinsed in clean water, traces of sugar/salt removed, and wiped with a soft cloth or paper towel.
Ammonia + magnesia + glycerin. Take the same amount of ingredients and mix them in a prepared container. Rub the resulting product onto the jewelry, then rinse it with water and dry it.
Beer + egg white. You will need the white of one chicken egg and 2 teaspoons of light beer. Combine the ingredients by mixing them thoroughly in a separate container. Rub the gold jewelry with the resulting product, then rinse off the remaining cleansing mixture.

Jeweler's opinion

Molokanov N.M.

Jeweler, 26 years of experience in jewelry production.

The most common reason for the appearance of yellowness on white gold is poor-quality jewelry. Therefore, you need to purchase precious jewelry in jewelry stores. There is no need to be shy about asking for a certificate for decoration or asking for an examination. In all serious salons there are special devices with which you can determine the composition of the alloy. It is also recommended to buy gold jewelry of the highest standard. They will cost more, but their quality is much higher. There is no need to save on yourself. In addition, jewelry will retain its attractive appearance for a long time if you care for it correctly: - do not get carried away with cleaning with unknown means; act delicately; - regular laundry soap or dishwashing detergent works best; - if the ring or earrings have a precious stone, then rinse with regular running water or soda water. The safest thing to do is to entrust your favorite jewelry to a specialist who will return it to its whiteness using professional methods.

Why does gold make the skin on your finger, ears, and neck turn black: folk signs, the evil eye

It is common for almost all people to believe in everything supernatural and mystical. So, in addition to the scientific reasons why gold and the skin from gold items turn black, there are mystical reasons or folk signs - that’s what we call them.

It is generally accepted that blackened gold, like silver, is a bad omen. People love to explain things that are incomprehensible to our minds with the help of magic and mysticism.
So, it is believed that the metal, turning black, reacts to the negative energy a person receives from the evil eye. That is, blackened gold is nothing more than damage.
There is a folk superstition that says that a blackened gold ring or hands blackened by a gold item is a sure sign that a person is damaged . If we talk about a girl, then this is the crown of celibacy.
How to react if the wedding ring turns black and the woman is already married? In this case, we recommend that you discard all versions of mysticism and look at the situation from a slightly different angle. Perhaps the reason is more real and lies in a low-quality product or in external factors that affect gold.
Earrings and chains, necklaces, and necklaces made of gold also did not stand aside. Traditional healers consider blackened jewelry of this type to be a harbinger of illness and the presence of the same evil eye on a person. However, we have all been familiar with the evil eye, one way or another, almost since childhood. If you believe that the evil eye exists, then it manifests itself not only in the blackening of metals on the body and blackening of the skin, but also in a number of other more serious symptoms.

Black skin from gold: folk signs

For example, a person who has the evil eye always feels tired, apathetic, loses his appetite, constantly changes his mood sharply, and suffers from insomnia. In extreme cases, traditional healers say, nausea, vomiting and even severe dizziness and even loss of consciousness may occur. So we recommend judging what exactly your blackened chain or ring means based on all your “symptoms.”

IMPORTANT: A blackened gold cross, and in principle any other cross, is considered an extremely unfavorable sign. It's no secret that the pectoral cross is a kind of amulet that protects us from evil, illnesses and ill-wishers. So, a blackened cross can signal that a person has been cursed, and this, as we know, is a very serious matter. If you really believe that the cause of such a phenomenon could be a curse, then it would not be a bad idea to turn to the church or to other knowledgeable people - this is your personal choice.

There is also an opinion that if metal appliances turn black, then perhaps there is something “bad” in the house. Of course, this applies to a greater extent to silver cutlery, because gold cutlery is extremely rare to find today.
There is a slightly different opinion: metals absorb the energy of their owner very well and can display it. In simple words, products turn black when a person’s soul is dark and bad.
The third explanation for blackened gold and skin from gold items is completely different. It is believed that noble metals and silver can protect their owner from all negativity and evil. That is why, absorbing everything bad, the product turns black and sometimes this is reflected on human skin. According to this logic, the more blackened your product is, the better it is for you, because all the negativity, instead of going to you, went into gold.

Whether you believe in all these signs and explanations or not is up to you. We recommend that you initially properly care for your jewelry and then, perhaps, you will not have to look for any reasons for such strange phenomena.

Does medical gold darken?

Perhaps every person knows that medical gold exists. However, what kind of gold this is and whether it is gold at all, few know.

IMPORTANT: Medical gold is nothing more than an alloy of certain metals, namely magnesium, nickel and chromium.

It is also worth saying that medical gold is used to make not only exquisite jewelry, but also medical instruments.

If you look at medical gold and ordinary gold, the differences cannot be immediately seen. In principle, this is exactly what scammers take advantage of, passing off products made from base metals as real gold.
As a rule, medical gold does not darken, and this is all thanks to special polishing and coating.
This type of metal is great for people who are allergic to regular jewelry and silver.
This is also a good way out of a situation where there is no financial opportunity to purchase an expensive item made of silver or gold.
The appearance of products made from medical gold is very attractive. These are always shiny, durable jewelry.

Does medical gold darken?

This type of product is very practical for daily wear, because medical gold is not afraid of scratches or abrasions. It requires minimal maintenance, unlike gold and white gold.
By the way, it is stud earrings made of medical gold that make primary ear piercings, and such products are also used for piercing.
To make jewelry made of such metal look aesthetically pleasing and attractive, it is enough to occasionally wash it with alcohol or wipe it with an alcohol wipe.

Gold jewelry is the dream of every woman and girl, because it is gold jewelry that subtly emphasizes beauty and femininity. Now, when choosing jewelry, you will know exactly which metal you prefer.

Silver, medical gold, regular gold, or maybe white? It's up to you to decide, because everything depends on your preferences and capabilities. However, having chosen a product, be prepared to provide it with proper care, because this is the only way it will delight you with its beauty.

Tips for caring for and restoring jewelry

Based on this, the question arises, how to care for white gold? There are several tips that will help avoid yellowing of the product and keep it unchanged longer.

Decoration must be stored separately. You should especially try to avoid close contact with other metals so that the color of the product does not change. For example, it is best to store jewelry in cases or individual bags, rather than in general boxes.
Acids, chlorine and other chemicals pose a risk to your product. Therefore, if you go to the shower, pool, or just wash dishes, try to remove white gold jewelry during this process. If you are planning to clean your house, it is also better to remove all decorations for a while to avoid their contact with chemicals.
If you want to clean your jewelry, take it to a jeweler and report the metal quality. Then this procedure will be carried out correctly. And if you notice a lot of scratches on the coating, do not rush to sand the product yourself or do it in untested places. It is better to give the jewelry to a master who will carry out the procedure without damaging the top layer. Be especially careful with rings that consist of two colors.

White gold wedding rings have turned yellow
Many people do not expect the yellowing effect of white gold. Therefore, they do not notice that the decoration begins to change color or has already changed it. In this case, do not be upset. The product has not dropped in price and has not deteriorated. You should take it to the jeweler for re-processing with rhodium and everything will return to its place.

Most often, yellowness appears on jewelry with the addition of silver or silver with copper. If platinum is used as a ligature, there is no need to worry about yellowing.

Rhodium treatment, or rhodium plating, is carried out in two ways; within two to three days the product is returned to the owner. The first method is called galvanization. Its essence lies in the action of current and the electrolysis process. This way the product will be coated with better quality and will retain its appearance longer.

The second technique involves dipping the jewelry into a solution containing rhodium. This method is cheaper and easier to implement, but the rhodium layer wears off faster and requires restoration. And also the coating is not always uniform.

Remember that when purchasing white gold or any jewelry in general, you need to monitor its appearance and then it will please you longer. The yellowing effect is just a cosmetic defect characteristic of white gold products, which can be eliminated.

Decorations

Alloy composition
Why does white gold turn yellow?
What products should not be used to clean white gold?
How to care for white gold?

Jewelry made from ordinary gold has not surprised anyone for a long time, so products made from white precious metal are becoming increasingly popular.

Adele in white gold and diamond earrings