Gold is a noble precious metal. He is the cause of wars and battles; people fought and killed for him. Gold can make a person rich, beautiful and elegant.
Some consider it a despicable metal, others consider it the purest and most natural material for making jewelry.
Many people prefer to wear gold jewelry. It is customary that wedding rings are bought exclusively from this metal.
Other jewelry also gives the owner elegance and speaks of his status in society, material well-being and refined taste. The only disadvantage of such jewelry is the darkening of the skin.
What causes this reaction, whether you should worry about your health and how to correct the situation are the most common questions among jewelry owners.
It is worth understanding the causes of this problem, it is very common today.
Characteristics of gold
Gold is a yellow metal. It is extracted from rocks by washing. The density makes it easy to wash.
Real pure gold is yellow in color and can have a green tint. If the jewelry has a reddish tint, copper has been added to its composition.
Today, jewelry made from this material has various impurities. It is practically never found in its pure form.
Jewelry stores sell products made from a mixture of precious metals: gold, silver, copper, palladium.
Why does 585 white gold turn yellow?
To obtain white gold, it is alloyed with silver, platinum or palladium. The resulting metals have a light yellowish color and react with oxygen. Therefore, in order to achieve ideal shine, a noble white color, increase wear resistance and prevent the metal from oxidizing, jewelry is coated with a layer of rhodium.
To read: What rose gold really is and how it differs from yellow: samples + successful combinations and reviews
However, rhodium plating does not solve all problems. Over time, the color of products begins to change for a number of reasons:
- Long wearing. Friction and sweat secretions contribute to abrasion of the outer layer, and the alloy begins to oxidize.
- Mechanical damage.
- Improper (rough) cleaning.
Simply put, white gold turns yellow when the rhodium plating becomes damaged or worn, revealing the true color of the precious metal.
Impact on humans
Jewelry that a person wears close to his body every day has an impact on his body.
We are not talking about those jewelry that are worn several times a month, on holidays or weekends. These are things that are not removed from the fingers, ears or neck. Most often - gold jewelry.
The influence of gold on humans:
| № | Point of view | Influence |
| 1 | Psychological | The noble metal tones the nervous system. Gives confidence in actions and intentions. When wearing gold jewelry, a person may act a little arrogant. He feels on a subconscious level that he has something that many others cannot afford. For women, such jewelry gives confidence in their beauty. They become more relaxed |
| 2 | Spiritual | In ancient times, gold was considered a source of solar power and energy; it was given to warriors to give them strength in the fight. It was believed that if a warrior took a gold item from home, he would definitely return it. The yellow metal was endowed with special properties: it was believed that it drives away evil spirits, gives women beauty and fertility, and promotes a strong union. This is where the tradition of putting gold rings on each other's fingers on their wedding day came from. |
| 3 | Physiological | Metal tones the work of the heart and blood vessels. It is not recommended to constantly wear such things for people suffering from hypertension. Has a beneficial effect on brain activity: improves memory and brain function. According to unconfirmed reports, metal helps cope with head diseases |
Ways to clean blackened gold at home
It is advisable to clean your jewelry regularly and carefully. This will prevent the jewelry from oxidizing and will maintain its attractive appearance for a long time. But don’t be upset if the product has already turned black. Powder, detergent and even salt will help restore something dear to your heart.
If there is no need to rush, it is enough to soak oxidizing precious jewelry overnight in a solution of soda or table salt. In the morning, they are washed with warm water, lightly dried with a soft cloth and wiped with a lint-free towel.
White gold
In some cases, cleaning white gold at home is strictly prohibited or impossible. For example, yellowed jewelry can only be restored to its original appearance in a galvanic workshop. Blackened white gold is restored by polishing, but at home it is almost impossible to carefully polish the product without disturbing the plating.
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If we are talking about cleaning simple stains, it is better to use one of the methods listed above. You should be careful with ammonia and soda: both methods are classified as potent.
Gold with stones
The peculiarity of the procedure will be some unacceptable actions:
- Do not boil, use brushes,
- wipe jewelry with sponges using powders,
- Do not use corrosive preparations to clean items containing pearls,
- The use of soda and vinegar is not recommended.
Otherwise, the same cleaning methods are used for inlaid jewelry as for ordinary precious items.
Gilded
Gold-plated items, like any plating jewelry, must be cleaned very carefully. Polishing work is strictly prohibited at home. Powders and toothpaste should not be used. As a rule, gold-plated items can only be washed in mild soap solutions or soaked in weak solutions of baking soda - no more than ½ teaspoon per glass of warm water.
Medical gold
Medical alloy, better known to consumers as jewelry alloy, belongs to a special category of jewelry, the cleaning of which must be carried out as carefully as possible. What you should definitely give up is chalk, tooth powder and products with large particles. All this can damage the spray.
Mild soap solutions without long soaking or boiling are best. The products are also wiped with a napkin soaked in vinegar or beer. This will return the oxidizing product to its original shine.
Why does the skin turn black?
Darkening of the skin under a gold item does not mean that a person is sick. It is worth dispelling myths about this effect.
What does darkening of the skin under gold jewelry indicate?
- More often - about the low quality of the product. Gold does not oxidize if your jewelry causes a reaction - it contains many impurities. The product may be fake or of low standard.
- Experiments have shown that in some cases, real gold jewelry can react with sweat released by people suffering from liver and kidney diseases. This happens in 50% of cases. Sweat contains substances that react with metal. Low statistics do not allow us to talk about the reliability of the data.
- Constant stress causes sweating. People exposed to stress are more likely to notice dark marks from jewelry. Since almost any piece of jewelry contains impurities, frequent sweating causes a reaction that leaves dark marks on the skin.
- Finished products are treated with polishing paste, which is difficult to wash off before sale. It instantly reacts with the slightest signs of sweat and causes darkening. The decoration just needs to be cleaned.
- If the skin under the ring darkens and you do not remove it, pay attention to the cream. Modern creams may contain substances that react with gold. Clean your ring, finger, and try not using the cream for a while. This will help determine if the skin care product is causing the darkening.
- The cause of the problem may be frequent consumption of meat. It adds substances to the blood that cause this effect.
Why does silver darken?
There are several explanations for this. “If your favorite silver pendant has darkened in just a few days, this may indicate hormonal changes (for example, pregnancy or the onset of menopause),” says Elena Svitko. “But darkening for several weeks may be a reaction to stress or taking medications that contain sulfur compounds (for example, laxatives and anthelmintics).”
There is also a reverse process when silver jewelry does not darken, but brightens. “Silver bleaching can indicate problems with the kidneys and liver, because problems with these organs release nitrogen, which makes the silver shine,” says the expert.
What do the signs say?
Popular superstitions say that if the skin under the gold darkens, a spell or evil eye has been cast on the person.
Since gold is a noble metal, it senses changes in the human body and gives such a reaction.
Interesting fact! If a person’s cheeks are burning, someone is gossiping about him. To find out what kind of gossip this is, you need to run a gold piece across your cheek. If a dark line remains, they speak badly of you. A light stripe indicates that you are remembered with warmth, in a friendly conversation. Believe it or not - it's up to you.
Top 3 gold cleaning methods
Signs that jewelry is oxidizing cannot be missed. But there are several ways that will help you safely return the product to its original appearance at home.
The main ones:
- Cleaning with ammonia. The most common and easiest way. You will need a deep glass container into which you pour a glass of water. To make the powder dissolve better, use warm, but not hot, water. Pour a tablespoon of washing powder or liquid soap and a teaspoon of ammonia into the container. The sequence must be maintained: first the powder, and then the ammonia solution. Decorations are immersed in the resulting mixture for two hours. After this, they are washed with warm running water and dried with a soft waffle towel.
- Dishwashing liquid. Pour a glass of water into a small saucepan or stewpan, add a teaspoon of the product, place a soft cloth on the bottom and place things that have begun to oxidize on it. Boil soapy water together with jewelry for 7-10 minutes, then rinse and dry the jewelry.
- Liquid soap, ammonia and peroxide. Another effective mixture that allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of dirty deposits on jewelry at home. Dissolve a teaspoon of ammonia, soap and peroxide in a glass of warm water. It is enough to place the jewelry in the resulting solution for just 10 minutes. After this, the products are washed and dried.
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent your favorite ring or chain from oxidizing.
The fastest way
Take a piece of flannel, fleece, or any soft cloth, and then lightly wipe the item with it. The method is great for rings and earrings. By doing this procedure every day, you will not only save time on cleaning, but also extend the life of the products.
Most effective
In addition to ammonia mixtures, effective ones include specialized devices for home cleaning of oxidizing jewelry and costume jewelry. These are ultrasonic devices, effervescent tablets, special impregnations and wipes. However, when choosing impregnation, you need to pay attention to what kind of gold it is suitable for.
The cheapest
If it is not possible to look for specialized means or take jewelry to a workshop, use available means. In addition to the well-known soda, salt and vinegar, Coca-Cola is used, which also contains acids that break down plaque. The products are soaked in a glass of drink for one hour, and then washed with running water and wiped with a cloth.
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Evil eye or damage?
The reliability of this data can be compared with the belief of ancient people that thunder is the wrath of the gods.
People no longer believe that the earth is round; they understand that natural disasters do not arise because the inhabitants angered Zeus. Superstitions should have been discarded long ago: there are explanations for everything.
They also contradict the Orthodox faith: the believer has no doubt, and all superstitions come from dark forces.
In our age, you can throw away all prejudices and not worry when you see a dark mark from the ring. Try taking the piece to a jewelry store so that a craftsman can assess the authenticity of the piece.
If it has many impurities and a lower sample, try returning the product. Exchange the product, or try not to get it wet.
Clean using ammonia - this method will help if the darkening is caused by the applied composition.
How to purify gold: advice from superstitious people
If you think the gold has tarnished due to envy, the evil eye or other similar reasons, simply cleaning the jewelry may not be effective.
People associated with esoteric teachings suggest “cleansing” jewelry using ordinary water. So, to get rid of the evil eye, you will need spring water. Dip a gold ring or other item into running water from a spring, then wipe your hands with it, and then wash your face. Water is a special liquid; it will take all the bad things with it.
Superstitious people also cleanse jewelry using air, earth, and fire. However, all these methods have not received scientific justification and are not recommended by experts.
Adviсe
If you want your jewelry to last you a long time, then wear it only at the right time.
You may be interested in: 9 important tips on how to hand over gold to a pawnshop without returning it
You don't need jewelry while exercising, taking a bath, or even sleeping, so take it off. This way there will be no risk of a reaction and there will be no plaque.
Don't forget to polish your jewelry at least once a year - this will restore its shine and presentation.
If you do this less often, you will need a rougher polishing, which will lead to thinning of the product.
Choose jewelry wisely and care for it carefully, then it will become your pride and will be able to please your grandchildren.
