When it comes to unmatched shine in high-quality body jewelry 14k gold is just perfect. However, gold is as workable as it is shiny, meaning it can be scratched quite easily. This is especially true for high karat gold that’s composed of a higher percentage of gold. 24k gold, composed of 100% pure gold, is the most easily scratched.
Do you have gold that you want to protect from wear? Learn how to care for your high-end body jewelry with the tips below and stop worrying to use them again!
High-Quality Body Jewelry
If you’ve owned high-quality gold body jewelry before you’ll know how easily it can be scratched when it’s not properly cared for. Scratches can build up over the years, leaving your precious jewelry looking worn and damaged.
Over-polishing can sometimes remove these scrapes by taking off the top layer of gold. If you want to maintain your high-quality body jewelry it’s much better to take good care of it from the off.
While gold is easy to scratch, there aren’t many chemicals that will damage it besides nitric acid :) There are, however, many chemicals that will bind to and erode the metal alloys used to make 14k gold body jewelry.
Tap water, for example, can contain chlorine which can damage some gold alloys over time. You may also find that it leaves stains if not dried properly.
We’ll give you some tips on how to protect and clean your jewelry below.
How to Clean Gold Body Jewelry
You should inspect all your jewelry from time to time, checking for wear, scratches, and dirt. Pay particular attention to the clasps, gemstone settings and other places dirt can gather. Scratches will most likely occur in areas where your jewelry comes into contact with hard materials.
Keeping your gold clean is especially important for body piercing jewelry to prevent any infections where dirt is pushed inside via the piercing.
Always wear gloves, cover or remove your gold jewelry when using cleaning chemicals or undertaking an activity that could damage it.
When it comes to cleaning all your jewelry, even high-end body jewelry, we always recommend using a gentle dishwashing detergent or antibacterial soap in warm (not hot) water. You can gently scrub with a very soft toothbrush or makeup brush to ease off any dirt. Blot dry afterward, leaving no drops to dry and leave watermarks. Never use harsh chemicals when cleaning and don’t apply hard pressure or cause scratches!
How to Store Gold Body Jewelry
Storing your jewelry correctly prevents scratches and dirt from building up. The safest way to store gold is in a soft, scratch-free environment.
You may have a box lined with soft material, but to keep your gold extra safe, store each individual piece in a soft cloth bag, preferably velvet. This will prevent scratches from jewelry pieces scraping together and you’ll also be less likely to lose anything!
Pearls should be kept separate too – it’s especially important that you wipe them down gently and dry thoroughly before you store them as even a drop of perfume, perspiration or water can start to damage their luster!When gemstones are involved, you should store your body jewelry differently. Diamonds should always be stored away from other jewelry pieces to prevent them scratching your gold.
Emeralds, on the other hand, need to be kept from drying out too much, rubies can fade into bright lights and sapphires are easily scratched. Keep all your gemstones separate in soft cloth bags to ensure they stay like-new for years to come.
Taking good care of your gold jewelry is simple when you know how :)
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