Gold Jewellery Care 101 : How to Keep Your Pieces Shiny and Lasting

Waterproof gold plated huggie hoop earring with removable heart charm and waterproof gold and silver rings

Let’s get real, nobody buys jewellery thinking, "Wow, I can’t wait for this to tarnish."

You want your pieces to look as good on day 100 as they did when you first opened that cute little jewellery box.

The good news? A little care goes a long way. The even better news? It’s not hard, because frankly, who’s got time for that? I am a self-professed ‘lazy girl’ when it comes to jewellery care, so if I can do it, so can you.

Whether you’re rocking gold vermeil, gold filled or gold plated jewels, I’ve got you covered. Here’s your lazy girl’s guide to keeping your jewellery living its best life.

First up: Know what you're wearing

Not all (non-solid gold) jewellery is built the same. A very quick crash course:

Gold Vermeil - Sterling silver base with a thick layer of gold. Fancy, but still needs some TLC.
Gold Plated - Stainless steel base, so she’s tough. Water-friendly, sweat-friendly, and life-friendly. A thinner layer of gold so it’s affordable, but to keep these pieces shiny for longer, you’ll need to give them some love.
Gold Filled - Think of gold filled as the overachiever of the gold family. It’s made with a thick layer of solid gold that’s mechanically bonded to a base metal. Far more durable than gold plated, more affordable than solid gold, and can handle daily wear like a champ, but it still appreciates a little TLC.

Knowing which one you're wearing helps you know how to care for it properly.

The 3 Golden Rules of Jewellery Care

1. Last Thing On, First Thing Off

Perfume, lotions, and hair products all love to hang out on your jewellery. Put your pieces on after you’re fully ready, and take them off before you dive into bed, the pool, or your skincare routine.

2. Sweat Is Not Your Sparkle’s Friend

While gold plated stainless steel and gold filled can handle your hot girl walks, gold vermeil pieces prefer chiller vibes. Even gold filled will last longer if you skip the gym or ocean dips while wearing it. Sweat, salt water, and chlorine can speed up tarnishing, so maybe don’t wear your new dainty necklace to your next spin class, yeah?

3. Store It Like You Love It

Keep your jewellery in a dry spot (yes, that includes not leaving it in the bathroom), ideally in the cute little pouch or box it came in. Bonus points for keeping pieces separate to avoid scratching.

Cleaning 101: Less Is More

You don’t need fancy potions or expensive kits. Here’s how to keep it simple:

A soft, dry microfibre cloth is your bestie. Keep cleaning minimal, we don’t want to lift off the gold layering by overdoing the cleaning cloth.
If your piece needs a deeper clean: lukewarm water, a tiny bit of mild soap, soft cloth… that’s it. Dry completely before storing. Gold Vermeil particularly love a warm cleaning bath!

Like all non-solid gold pieces, a little fading over time is natural. To assist your pieces lasting as long as possible, if you can remember to remove them before jumping in the water, they'll be better for it.

Amy x