Recently, I have been working in our new retail space, and it has been an amazing experience. Not only do I gain valuable insights into what customers are looking for, but I also have the opportunity to answer their questions and educate everyone on jewellery specifications.

One of the most common questions we receive is whether a piece of jewellery will this tarnish. This question has inspired me to delve deeper into the topic since there are many different types of jewellery available, and the term "tarnish" is often used as a blanket term to describe anything that goes wrong with gold-plated jewellery.

In reality, what people call tarnish is not tarnish at all. 

They are referring to worn-out gold plating, low-quality base metals that can affect the gold overlay or the long-term effects of incorrect care and storage.

So, what is tarnish? 

Tarnish is actually corrosion, commonly known as rust. It's a natural reaction in the majority of metals. In sterling silver, for example, this reaction is caused by sulphur in the atmosphere and is called oxidation. It naturally happens over time, causing the metal to slowly darken. This can also happens if in contact with chemicals eg: cosmetics or perfumes or if stored for long periods of time.

So, will this tarnish?

The answer is, not if you maintain your jewellery.

The good news is that you minimize the risk of this reaction and can even reverse the reaction just by regularly cleaning and storing your jewellery correctly.

So to re-cap…

Tarnish is a reaction in the metal of jewellery, while worn-out gold plating and low-quality jewellery are not ‘tarnish. 

You can prevent tarnish in sterling silver/Vermeil jewellery by maintaining and cleaning your jewellery regularly. It's important to note that all metals do require maintenance and care, so whatever jewellery type you have, cleaning and maintaining them will ensure they last.

And that’s it! Look out for our next journal post for more information and see our Tiktok for Nina discussing this topic.

As always please let me know if you have any questions, I’m here for it! Nina x