Gold plated and gold vermeil jewellery are a way to achieve the look of gold without the expensive price tag. For this reason, many prefer to buy plated because it's just as beautiful but not going to break the bank!
Gold plated jewellery requires a gentle touch when it comes to cleaning because there is a coating of gold covering a base metal (such as silver), which can fade if not taken proper care of.
How to clean gold plated jewellery or gold vermeil jewellery?
The best way to clean your precious gold is with a microfibre, or untreated polishing cloth and wipe it down after each wear. This will remove the day's oils and chemicals from it. If your jewellery feels sticky then using a soft cloth and mild soap with warm water will do the trick, but be sure to dry it off completely straight after you have finished cleaning it and store it in its box away from other items.
Tips for making gold plated jewellery last longer
To prolong the life of your jewels, follow our tips below:
• Wipe your gold plated jewellery down with a microfibre or other soft cloth after each use.
• Put your jewellery safely back in to it's box after each wear so that it's not exposed to the elements which can cause discolouration. Try not to store your gold plated jewellery next to other types of jewellery.
• Jewels come last, this means put your hairspray, make up and perfume on before digging in to the jewellery box!
• Don't wear your jewellery whilst excercising as sweat can cause it to tarnish and discolour, not to mention we don't want it being snagged on anything!
• Don't wear any gold plated jewellery whilst swimming, water and chemicals can cause the gold plating to wear thin.
Can gold plated jewellery tarnish?
Over a period of time, gold plated jewellery can start to show signs of the base metal which it is hiding. If your plated jewellery uses sterling silver as it's base metal, this could tarnish the same way that sterling silver does over time. Plated items need a little extra TLC. If you follow our guidance above, you will get the most out of your jewellery for the longest time possible.
If you treat your gold plated jewellery like the treasures that they are then you will be able to enjoy them for years to come.
At Lezzeri, we create handmade gold vermeil pieces (extra thick gold plating). Browse our collection of gold plated jewellery here.
Read about what gold vermeil is here
