A white gold earring is just a lovely ornament that can last long if well cared for. If they are not kept properly, they may lose the shine and the color or may get totally destroyed if not taken good care of. To avoid this kind of damage, you can follow the simple tips below that you can make to keep your white gold earrings looking new.
What is White Gold?
White gold is not actual gold, but it’s an alloy. White gold consists of yellow gold alloyed with other metals containing silver, palladium, or nickel. Then, a kind of metal called rhodium is plated over the earrings, which gives them a bright, shining white color.
Platinum earrings contain quite a lot of types of metals. Hence, caring about them is a little special. White gold plating wears off, and other types of metals easily get discolored. However, proper care ensures you can retain your earrings for a long time, and they are very well polished. Here’s how to do it:
1. Store your white gold earrings appropriately.
Store the earrings properly. Palladium earrings kept outside in an open place may get scratched by other jewels and may get damaged as well. Hence, to avoid such scratches, you must always store them in a soft pouch or in a lined jewelry box so that they may avoid scratches from other items.
White metal earrings require to be stored in a dry room. Water is said to be a tarnisher of the earrings, or the metals react with water, which may harm them. Thus, you have to always keep them away from water and moisture.
2. Clean Them Often
Of course, it will demand regular cleaning. What platinum earrings need to stay shiny? Of course, you do not need to throw in your money buying pricey cleaners for the purpose. You can indeed clean your earrings right at home using simple ingredients like warm water and mild soap.
- This is what has to be done:
- Add a few drops of dish soap that is mild to warm water.
- For roughly ten to fifteen minutes, soak the earrings in soapy water.
- The soft bristle toothbrush can be used to clean the coarser areas of the earrings, gently working through the dirt and grime that adheres to them.
- Dip the earrings into clean, running water and pat them dry with a lint-free cloth.
Never use bleach or any ammonia, as this will rust the metal and kill out the shine. Lastly, avoid the use of paper towels or tissues in drying out your earrings since these might just cause scratches on the surface.
3. Rhodium plating when necessary
This plating is what gives white gold that bright appearance. However, over time, this plating will break down. Even if constantly worn and used, it will more than likely lose its color. It would look yellowish or dull. If that is what you are experiencing, you can bring those palladium earrings to a jeweler where they can apply some rhodium coating all over again.
This is a simple procedure, and your earrings will look brand new. You may redo them after some years if you are frequently using your earrings.
4. Avoid any activity that might affect your earrings.
The more earrings you wear, the more careful you must be about where and when you will wear them. Here are some times that you should remove your palladium earrings:
- Another thing is that, being that you are swimming, the chlorine in pools and the saltwater in the ocean will quickly oxidize the rhodium plating, and so it tarnishes the metal. Of course, always take off your earrings if you are going swimming.
- White gold also suffers damage through sweating. Make sure you have removed your earrings when you are going to the gym or any other place that you have a session for working out.
- When Using Chemicals: White gold is sensitive to many household cleaners, perfumes, and moisturizers. And so, take off the earrings before using any of them.
5. Handle with Care
White gold is pretty brittle. Thus, earrings stand a very high chance of bending or even breaking up if not handled with care. One should have a lot of care when putting it on or taking it off. One should never pull too hard on the earrings, especially those with a latch or hook. One will want to visit a professional jeweler if the earrings are too tight or become hard to put into your earlobes.
platinum earrings do need checking every so often, and the clasps and posts are made up of all the stones and ornaments to the earring. Examine for signs of wear and tear. When you feel something has come loose or when you see something is broken, this should be taken to a professional who can fix the problem so it doesn’t get any worse. Little repairs can sometimes make a big difference in the durability of jewelry.
7. No direct sunlight exposures
White gold is strong, but the direct sunlight will cause it to lose its shine over time. If you are going to spend hours out in the open, then it would be best to take your earrings and avoid sun exposure. This will negatively affect the rhodium plating, and it will get dull faster than it should be.
8. Clean on Professional Stereotype.
platinum earrings look very beautifully fashionable, yet they collect dirt and grime in some places that you cannot even reach. You will have to take them to a professional jeweler who will then deep clean the earrings once or twice every year so that they shine again. The professionals have the tools and also the right expertise and knowledge to clean out all the grime and dirt without damaging your earrings.
Conclusion
palladium earrings are a stunning piece of jewelry, and if you take proper care of them, they will shine brightly immediately. Use the following few simple tips for your earrings so you could have earrings that last long-looking as shiny as when you brought them home from the store. Store your earrings properly. Clean them often and also avoid doing some activities that may damage the earrings. Not much is asked of your white gold earrings so they can sparkle for years.