Gilded silver: how long does gold plating last? How to clean jewelry at home quickly and effectively? How to care for them so that the gilding does not peel off?

Is gold plated silver washable or not? This is a question that buyers often ask when looking at gold-plated items in the windows. Despite the attractive price, many refuse to purchase, believing that the coating will definitely wear off if, for example, soapy water gets on it. It is no secret that such a layer is quite thin, but it can only be erased mechanically.

What is gold plated silver?

Gilding is the application of a thin layer of 999-carat metal.
The thickness of this coating is only 5-10 microns. Sometimes a layer is made between silver and gold, for example, from platinum. A protective coating is applied over the gold, which makes the product more wear-resistant. 925 sterling silver is often used as the basis for jewelry. Reviews of gold-plated jewelry indicate that at first glance it really resembles gold. It's worth paying attention to because it's much cheaper.

Sometimes, to make gilded items more shiny, they are polished using a special agate stone. Not only jewelry, but also cutlery is made from gilded silver. Such table sets are much lighter than regular ones, so they are convenient to use. Gilded silver does not corrode.

Stone

It is rare that gold-plated items are encrusted with real precious stones, but it is still possible. The quality of a stone is determined by its purity grade and carat size.

Gold-plated jewelry also looks more impressive because it is massive. For example, they buy a gold-plated necklace for a wedding; real gold would cost millions at that weight, but they want to preserve the memory. You can learn more about choosing a dress for the bride in the article “How to choose the right wedding dress.”

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Published: 05/15/2016 Categories: Accessories Tags: Jewelry

How is gold plating applied?

Master jewelers today use several gilding techniques:

Oil-based gilding: used when it is necessary to coat a stone surface with a layer of gold.
Polyment: This is gilding on a clay base. Previously used for applying gilding to interior items.
Electroplating method: This is how gold is applied to silver items. The galvanic method of gilding requires the use of electric current. Thanks to this technology of applying a layer of gold to silver, the master can control the thickness of the resulting layer. In addition, such a layer will not be erased, and the product will look like new for a long time.

Gold-plated silver has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of such products include an affordable price and beautiful appearance. There are almost no downsides to such products, except that if not properly cared for, the gold layer tends to wear out.

How to handle a silver item that has gilding? The answer to this question interests many people, since how quickly the gold layer is erased from silver will depend on the characteristics of care. How to care:

Gold plated items should be removed before going to bed.
Also, jewelry should be removed if a person is going to engage in heavy physical work (sports) or is going to work with aggressive chemicals.
To safely and efficiently clean gold-plated jewelry, you can use beer. You can soak an item that needs cleaning in it for half an hour, then rinse thoroughly with water and rub with suede.

How long the gilding will last depends on compliance with these rules. If a person protects gold-plated jewelry from exposure to negative factors, then it will maintain its ideal appearance for many years.

Gold plated cutlery

Do care methods depend on the manufacturer?

Products and methods for caring for gold-plated jewelry from different manufacturers may vary slightly. Here everything depends on the method of applying gold to the metal surface of jewelry, on its quality, density, layer thickness and other factors. For example, the rules for caring for the products of the two brands of Chinese branded jewelry presented in our online store, Xuping Jewerly and Fallon, have their own characteristics:

Xuping Jewerly.
Gold coating of the surface is carried out using the rolling method. Under the influence of high temperatures and pressures of up to 170 atmospheres, gold forms a thin surface layer. The minimum thickness of the coating allows you to achieve a complete imitation of real gold jewelry and a special shine, but it imposes some restrictions on operation. Thus, any contact with other jewelry is excluded, since even small mechanical impacts can leave scratches on the surface of the product;
Fallon.
The coating is applied by galvanic (electrolytic) method, which allows you to obtain a dense and uniform gold layer. As a result, the product is indistinguishable from real gold jewelry. But, despite modern gilding methods used by the manufacturer, such jewelry remains very vulnerable to chemicals. These include not only acids and alkalis, but also household abrasives, hair care products and even some shampoos. When using gold-plated Fallon jewelry, it is necessary to exclude any contact with aggressive chemicals.

Each manufacturer's products have their own specific care requirements, so only a representative of a jewelry company or distributor can tell you how to clean your products correctly. The general rules of care remain unchanged and relevant for any gold-plated jewelry.

By properly caring for your jewelry, you can significantly extend its lifespan. How to clean gold-plated silver at home? You must act delicately enough so as not to erase the coating, otherwise the decoration will lose its attractive appearance.

Advantages of gilding and methods of applying it

Reviews of gilded silver prove that it retains its original appearance for a long time. International, European and Russian state standards have established 4N color for gold plating. It is worth listing the main advantages of gold plating:

Absolutely safe for health.
It has an attractive appearance, similar to gold.
It is little exposed to external aggressive influences: it does not oxidize, does not corrode.
It has a democratic value, much cheaper than gold.

Gilding has been practiced since ancient times. Back then, church domes, cutlery, jewelry and dishes were decorated with precious metal. It was at that time that hot and cold gilding was invented. The cold method involves stamping or gluing thin layers of gold leaf onto silver.

Hot gilding requires fire. Only such gilding turned out to be dangerous because mercury was used for it. Soon they abandoned it so as not to be poisoned by dangerous mercury vapors.

Toothpaste

How to clean gilded silver from blackness? Using toothpaste is the most common method. It should be a white product without added dyes. You can also use tooth powder. It is important not to rub the jewelry with hard bristles (a regular brush will not work). It is recommended to purchase a special medium-hard kitchen sponge in advance.

To clean the jewelry, squeeze out a little white toothpaste. The metal must be well treated from different sides and left for 10-15 minutes. Then use a previously prepared washcloth to rub the product well and rinse off the remaining paste with warm water. The decoration will become more shiny and you will be able to get rid of dark areas.

It is worth remembering that using toothpaste is a rather aggressive method. Therefore, it is not advisable to carry out cleaning this way too often. Microparticles of precious metal are removed along with the blackness.

How is gold plating removed?

Under the influence of abrasives, a thin layer of gold can be erased, but if a person himself wants to remove gold plating from a product, he can use the following methods:

How to remove gold plating: You can take fine-grained sandpaper, and also prepare a paste of baking soda and coarse salt. Using all this, you should carefully rub the product with gold plating until it comes off. This method, by which the gilding is removed from the product, is only suitable if there are no subtle artistic elements on it.
Removing the gold plating also requires polishing the surface of the piece, as one may find that the silver underneath the gold layer is dull. To restore the shine of silver, you can use Tripoli paste and a piece of felt. The fabric on which the paste was applied should be carefully rubbed onto the product, and then the result of the manipulation should be assessed.
Removing the gilding and polishing should be completed by rubbing the product with a soft, lint-free cloth, which will help give the product a shine.

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It is worth noting that home methods for removing gold plating do not always completely remove the gold layer from silver. Therefore, if a person wants to thoroughly clean the surface of silver, it is recommended to entrust the removal of gilding to a specialist.

Today, the procedure for removing gilding is practiced by people who want to remove gilding not only from jewelry, but also from parts of various devices, decorative items, jewelry and other items.

Caring for gold-plated jewelry: storage rules

The surest way to protect jewelry from scratches and other defects is to provide them with proper storage conditions. Products that are gilded are especially vulnerable to mechanical, chemical and atmospheric influences, so when choosing a place to keep your jewelry, you should follow three simple rules:

The storage location must be absolutely dry. The preferred option would be special cases. Place chains and necklaces separately from each other, first stretching out the links - this will help avoid creases;
Under no circumstances should jewelry come into contact with each other, as this can lead to small scratches on their surface;
You should avoid exposing your jewelry to direct sunlight to protect the jewelry from fading.

Naturally, all jewelry should be stored in a place with moderate humidity, isolated from precipitation, chemicals, alkalis, etc. By ensuring proper storage conditions, you can protect your gold-plated jewelry from damage and simplify its further care as much as possible.

Types of electroplated gold plating

Today, the main methods of gilding are gilding with sodium, ether solution, and contact with zinc. But the most effective is the galvanic method. It is most suitable for decorating jewelry. To apply gold particles to the surface of silver, it is dipped into an aqueous solution of salts and subjected to electric current. The product to be coated is the cathode, and the anode is gold particles.

If silver jewelry is subject to chemical changes (oxidized), then gold-plated products are protected from them. The gilding process is something like this:

Electrolyte is poured into small containers.
Gold is dissolved in it.
The jewelry is immersed in this solution and left for some time.
Oxides begin to settle in a thin layer on the products.
Take out the jewelry, wait for it to dry, polish it or cover it with a protective layer.

In industry, electroplating is used to produce a product with a layer of gold. The gold plating can be pink, imitating 585-carat metal. Such products are almost impossible to distinguish from gold ones. There is also a yellow galvanized coating. It contains not only gold, but also nickel. This yellow color resembles pure gold.

How to clean white gold

Not all classical methods are suitable for cleaning jewelry made of white gold, which is an alloy of precious metal with copper, palladium or nickel - in particular, any vinegar is contraindicated.

White gold cleaning

White gold with inlay cannot be boiled: high temperature will weaken and even deform the places where the stones are attached. For glued stones, cleaning with immersion in aqueous solutions is not used. White gold with diamonds can be cleaned without contact with the stones: simply wipe them with a soft cloth - this is often enough to restore the shine. If the shine has not returned, use the standard toothpaste cleaning described above, then wipe the product dry.

How is gold plated silver used?

Gold plating is used not only in jewelry. Reviews of gold-plated silver confirm that it can be used in the following cases:

Making souvenirs: figurines, boxes, key rings, photo frames.
As cutlery: sets, spoons, forks.
For creating various silver accessories: cufflinks, buttons, brooches.
For the production of unusual, gold-plated equipment: iPhone or MP3 players.

Reviews of gold-plated silver prove that not only people with low earnings buy it. Even some millionaires do not refuse to purchase such items, because it is visually very difficult to distinguish them from gold ones.

Gilding, as one of the jewelry techniques, has found wide application. Today, gilded silver is used:

in jewelry for the manufacture of chains, bracelets, pendants, earrings and other products;
in art;
when decorating interior details;
in the automotive industry;
in dentistry.

Most often, gold-plated silver is used to make jewelry, often with stones, and cutlery. You can probably find gold-plated crystal glasses or glasses in everyone’s home; these were very popular several decades ago.

Watch the video to see how to check gold-plated silver for originality.

Choosing the right gold plated jewelry

So, what do you need to know about choosing gold plated products? The material that is sprayed is of primary importance in this matter. It is important that it is 925 silver. This fact speaks volumes about the value of the product. Sometimes spraying can be applied to aluminum, copper, and tin. Such works are valued even cheaper than silver ones.

How can you determine what kind of jewelry you have in front of you: made of gilded silver or another metal? First, examine the product from all sides, find the brand and markings. To do this, familiarize yourself with silver hallmarks and hallmark standards in advance. In the Russian Federation, the following standards are established for silver: 999, 960, 925, 875, 830, 800. Most often, 925 silver is used for gilding. Since Soviet times, a mark in the form of a barrel has been used on silver jewelry.

Vinegar

Vinegar perfectly cleans even fairly large and old dark stains.

Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

“Drown” your gold-plated items in the resulting solution.

Wait 20-25 minutes.

Rinse the decorations thoroughly.

Wipe until shiny with a dry piece of suede cloth.

Direct sunlight is very dangerous for gold-plated silver. They are the main cause of tarnishing. Protect your rings and bracelets from the sun.

What do you need to know about foreign gilding?

Imported gold-plated products have slightly different markings. The most common sample designations are:

KGP – gold plating from 12 to 24 carats.
HGE is an electroplated finish measured in carats.
Goldmult is a German coating that indicates not only the markings, but also the thickness of the gold layer.

This knowledge will help you decide on the choice of imported gold-plated silver.

Cleaning and care rules

There is an established opinion that gilding is short-lived. But proper care and careful use will help you wear gold-plated silver for a long time.

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Store gold-plated items in a box. Before water procedures, washing dishes, or playing sports, do not forget to take them off. To give these items a shine, wipe them with a piece of suede. You can clean the coating using a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. Gilding is not afraid of this at all.

A solution prepared from a few drops of ammonia, dishwashing detergent (1 tsp) and 1 liter of water will help improve the appearance of products. Soak the jewelry in this solution for half an hour, then rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth.

Of course, the best way to clean gold-plated items is to have them professionally cleaned by a jewelry workshop. Don’t be too lazy to give your ring or earrings to an experienced craftsman once a year.

Cleaning gold with stones: advice from a jeweler

There is a fundamental difference in cleaning a smooth ring or a complex piece of jewelry inlaid with stones. To effectively clean gold jewelry with stones at home, it is recommended to use the cleaning methods described above with ammonia alcohol, paste, and liquid soap. As a rule, using a soft brush to clean hard-to-reach areas is indispensable.

Cleaning gold with stones

When cleaning such jewelry, you should take care not only of the condition of the gold, but also of the jewelry inserts. Jewelers recommend using different products for different types of gemstones:

a ring with topaz or any other gold jewelry with this stone will shine after soaking for 20 minutes in water with a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent diluted in it;
acids should not be used to clean jewelry with chrysolite;
earrings with stones such as emerald, ruby or sapphire can be easily cleaned in warm soapy water - hot water is contraindicated for these stones;
Cleaning gold items with cubic zirconia is done using ammonia, toothpaste without abrasives or any washing powder.

Reviews of gold-plated 925 sterling silver “Sunlight”

Recently, consumers are increasingly choosing silver. Therefore, reviews about gilded silver: whether this coating is erased or not is interesting to know for many.

An excellent company producing coated silver is Sunlight. Earrings are considered the most durable to wear. Many customers wear them without taking them off for several months. Then you just need to wipe them with alcohol and they will shine like new again.

Reviews of Sunlight gold-plated silver indicate that the company constantly holds various promotions with gifts and sends SMS messages to customers with offers. Everyone is pleased to receive a small bonus. Sometimes there are discounts on jewelry up to 50%. The company offers both the simplest models of gold-plated jewelry and more luxurious options.

No matter how sad it may sound, sooner or later any product with gilding will lose its attractiveness. Under the influence of various factors, the gold layer is erased. But before this happens, you will be able to show off chic things that look like real gold for a long time.

The Krasnaya Presnya company offers many gold-plated products. Often such jewelry is bought by girls who are going on a trip. The gilding from “Krasnaya Presnya” is very high quality. These products with a golden coating will not cause any harm to the body; they will not cause your earlobes to swell. In general, we can conclude that gold-plated jewelry from Krasnaya Presnya looks very decent.

Peculiarities

For the manufacture of gold-plated products, two metals are used - 999, 750, 585 gold and 925 silver. Not only the appearance of the product, but also its properties directly depends on this.

The technology is quite simple. First, the product is made from silver, and then a thin layer of gold, from 2 to 15 microns, is sprayed onto it. A silver sample, which is the basis, must be applied to the finished product.

Gold-plated products are characterized by the following properties:

strength;
wear resistance;
corrosion resistance;
long service life.

Each of the above parameters is inherent only to those products for the manufacture of which high-grade metals were used. The higher the quality index of each metal, the better and higher quality the finished product.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before purchasing a product, each potential consumer must evaluate all its advantages and disadvantages. Gilding may raise doubts among many, so let’s talk in detail together about the pros and cons of such products.

Their advantages include the following factors:

almost impossible to distinguish from gold ones;
gilding, with proper care and use, lasts quite a long time;
affordability - the cost of gold-plated products is much lower than those made of precious metal;
excellent appearance;
does not cause allergic reactions;
lightness - thanks to the composition, the jewelry is not heavy at all, it is easy and comfortable to wear;
have excellent properties;
can be reconstructed - if the coating peels off, it can be re-coated with a layer of gold, choosing any color;
The product can be engraved.

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No matter how many advantages there are, there are also disadvantages. And speaking of disadvantages, it is worth noting the following.

Gold-plated jewelry must be worn correctly and its condition must be constantly monitored. The thing is that over time they wear off and the golden layer peels off.
The products have a distinctive shine, which is not typical for jewelry made of precious metal. This parameter helps to distinguish gilding from real gold.
Such jewelry or, for example, dishes require special care.
Since gilding is in trend today, and such products are often bought, there were also those who decided to make money from this in a not very honest way. There are quite a lot of fakes on the modern market that are difficult for a person who does not understand precious metals to distinguish from the original.

As you can see, there are quite a lot of pros and cons. And after getting acquainted with them, each consumer decides for himself whether to buy gold-plated products.

Considering the relevance of the topic of fakes, we would like to give some useful tips on how to distinguish “fake” from gilding. So, a fake is characterized by:

uneven color;
presence of contact with a magnet;
presence of defects in the product.

There are also several ways to identify a fake at home.

Use a special set of reagents.
If you drop a drop of alcohol on a gold-plated item and it darkens, then you are dealing with a fake.
Mechanical damage – the gold plating layer may be slightly scratched. If small particles appear at the damage site, this is gilding.

Methods for caring for gold plating

Caring for gold-plated items is identical to caring for real jewelry. Since costume jewelry is plated with pure gold, the same rules that apply to jewelry made entirely of precious metals apply to cleaning it:

Clean your jewelry at least once a month using warm, soapy water. Soap can be replaced with shampoo by mixing a couple of drops with half a glass of water;
Use a soft bristled toothbrush to clean jewelry. Hard bristles may damage the gold-plated surface. If the product is too thin and fragile, simply rinse it with water;
Stubborn stains can be easily removed with a weak vinegar solution. Treat them with a soft cloth soaked in the solution, then rinse the jewelry thoroughly with clean water. Remove any remaining water after rinsing with a paper napkin or a piece of soft cloth;
To get rid of obvious visible stains, you can use a regular cotton swab dipped in turpentine;
When getting ready for a walk, you should put on jewelry only after all the products used to create your hair and makeup have completely dried;
After removing the jewelry, it should be carefully wiped with a soft cloth in order to preserve the natural metallic shine;
Before going to bed, be sure to remove all jewelry, as in conditions of high temperature and humidity, they can quickly fade and lose their aesthetic properties.

How to care?

We have already mentioned several times in the article that such products need to be properly cared for. This is a very important aspect of the product’s operation; it determines how long the decoration will retain its original appearance.

First of all, you need to determine the reasons that may contribute to the darkening or abrasion of the gold layer:

the effect of aggressive substances - these can be hygiene products, cosmetics;
improper care;
constant friction against each other or any other surface;
frequent contact with water.

Experts recommend that before taking water treatments or going to bed, be sure to remove your jewelry.

Proper care and wearing of gold-plated jewelry will preserve its color and shine. But if the decoration nevertheless darkens, and over time this cannot be avoided, do not despair. There are several effective methods that will help you clean items from blackness at home quickly and effectively.

Method No. 1

Ethyl alcohol is required for cleaning. Even if it is not there, this is not a problem - you can buy it at any pharmacy. Ethyl alcohol is an excellent solvent that can cope with any type of dirt, dust, grease or stains. All you need to do is moisten a suede cloth with alcohol and wipe the product with it.

Method number 2

This method is even simpler, since it requires something that is available in any home - vinegar. First you need to prepare a solution: vinegar itself is a fairly concentrated product, and it must be diluted with water. For 1 liter of water you need to take approximately 30 ml of 9% vinegar. The gold-plated item should be placed in the prepared solution for 20–25 minutes. Afterwards, simply rinse well with water.

There are also several methods that will help restore the product to its former shine and beauty.

Make a solution containing egg yolk and jelly water. The latter can be prepared at home. To do this, according to the instructions, you need to dissolve the Javel Absolute tablets, which are sold at the pharmacy, in water. Add 1 yolk to 15 ml of jelly water. Everything mixes well. The resulting composition should be rubbed onto gilded silver.
Place the gold-plated item in a container of beer for 30 minutes. After the allotted time, wipe well with a soft cloth.

What is prohibited for cleaning gold plates?

You can clean your jewelry using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or turpentine. This way you can restore the shine to your earrings or degrease them before more intensive procedures.
Simple beer helps to rid silver of tarnish. For effective cleaning, a gold-plated earring can be soaked in beer for about an hour.
The most problematic areas of earrings are the fasteners; dust and sebum accumulate on them the fastest. To clean small decorations, you can use a cotton swab dipped in glycerin or ammonia.
The same methods are suitable for cleaning gold-plated jewelry as for silver jewelry: ammonia, soap solution. But you should not use soda, vinegar and homemade wines; they will clean the silver, but will deprive the gold plating of its shine and can ruin the stones. It is also best to avoid heating the jewelry.
After cleaning, gold-plated earrings can be soaked in simple sugar or thick sugar syrup for several hours. This will not remove dirt from the jewelry, but it will help restore its bright shine, as if you were able to gild it again.
Soap solution, vinegar and glycerin are effective in cleaning earrings, but may cause discoloration if left in contact with the metal for long periods of time. Therefore, after each cleaning, it is recommended to thoroughly rinse the jewelry under running water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

It is not necessary to buy special products to clean gold-plated silver. You can care for this noble metal yourself at home using budget methods.

Toothpaste

We recommend using regular toothpaste or powder to deal with minor stains on jewelry. In addition, you will need a thin cloth napkin or a toothbrush with soft bristles.

Before the procedure, pay attention to the appearance of the paste. Choose one that is non-colored and free of any impurities that could cause damage to the metal.
Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste from the tube onto a brush or cloth, apply to the jewelry, wait a little and start brushing. Using this method, you can remove black oxide even from the most inaccessible places.
Rinse the product thoroughly with water after the procedure so that no white streaks remain on its surface.
Don't forget to remove excess moisture from the silver using a paper or terry towel.

There is no need to spend your money on purchasing professional metal cleaning products when you can use soda ash. This budget universal product perfectly dissolves plaque and dirt:

First you need to prepare a special paste. Mix the powder with a small amount of water until the consistency of a thick paste.
Gently apply a small amount of product to items that need cleaning.
Rub the metal well with a soft cloth, and then rinse off the remaining soda with water.

Ammonia

This method is usually used by some skilled craftsmen to restore the shine and attractiveness of jewelry:

Prepare an aqueous solution with the addition of ammonia in a certain proportion (take 10 parts of water for 1 part alcohol).
Soak the products in the resulting liquid for several hours.
At the end of the procedure, rinse the silver in clean water and wipe the body dry with a soft cloth or napkin.

To regularly clean silver items, a soap solution is usually used, to which a few drops of alcohol are added.

Yolk

How to make silver shine? The proposed method was discovered many centuries ago, when products made from this type of metal were valued more than gold. An ordinary yolk from chicken eggs can work real miracles:

Take a medium-sized raw egg and break it into a bowl, separating the yolk from the white.
Soak a cotton pad in it and gently rub the jewelry.
Wait a while for the egg mixture to dry on the metal surface.
The final step is to rinse the jewelry in running water. Your favorite earrings or pendant will not only be cleaned of plaque that spoils their appearance, but will also remain shiny for a long time.

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Usually, products made of bronze or silver have a gold coating. You can clean gold plating using the following available tools:

Soap or dishwashing liquid.
Egg yolk.
Beer.
Vinegar.
Turpentine or ammonia.
Alum.
Alcohol.
Nitric acid.
Crushed chalk.

Before you begin the cleaning procedure, you need to prepare equipment that may be useful in the process:

A saucepan or any other deep container.
Cotton rags and suede scraps.
An old toothbrush with soft bristles.
Sponge.

Gold plating is a thin top layer of precious metal that can be easily scratched or removed. In this regard, the use of the following products is not recommended:

Aggressive acids.
Hard brushes and sponges.
Dry powders.