Disclosure: *Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the links and make a purchase I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our small blog.

Does Real Gold Tarnish?

The short answer is, yes, real gold tarnishes. But only very slowly. Gold in its purest form is a noble metal and is the least reactive of the precious metals. This means that pure gold jewelry ordinarily won’t react with the elements in the air leading to tarnished gold.

But most solid gold jewelry items are not made of solid, pure gold. This is because pure gold is a very soft metal, which makes it difficult to work with when making jewelry. To combat this, other, harder, metals are combined with the gold, called gold alloys, to create a piece of jewelry. We talked about this in more detail in our article 'What is Sterling Silver?'.

Gold jewelry tarnishes because the more reactive alloys used in gold items come into contact with non-metal elements in the air, thereby starting the tarnishing process.

This is the case with both solid gold pieces as well as gold-plated jewelry. White gold jewelry tarnishes very little, if at all, due to the plating process that is used - we talk about this here "What is White Gold?".

Therefore gold is perfect for everyday wear and, whilst it doesn't need a lot of care, it still needs to be looked after whilst wearing and storing it to keep it pristine.

What Is Tarnish?

Gold tarnishing is where deposits are laid down on the surface of the metal. It results in a blackened, greyish appearance on the surface of the item.  Tarnish does not penetrate the metal, though, and will not harm it in any way.

As it lays on the surface of the metal it can be easily removed without the need of harsh chemicals. The good news is you can clean gold of tarnish yourself at home or with professional cleaning at your local jewelers. You can then maintain your gold jewelry items in perfect condition with regular cleaning with a jewelers soft cloth.

What Causes Tarnish on Gold?

As we have already touched upon, tarnish is caused by metals reacting with other non-metal elements, such as the particles in the air, like sulfur compounds and oxygen. It is the alloys used in the gold which cause a chemical reaction with these elements in the air.

But, whilst gold does tarnish, this chemical reaction happens much more quickly with silver jewelry pieces than with gold. If you leave an item of silver out on the side it will begin to tarnish within days and weeks, whereas gold can be left for months and still look good.

What Does Tarnished Gold Look Like?

Tarnished gold seems to dull a little and it deepens in colour. It loses its sparkle! Sometimes tarnished yellow-gold can look a little like rose gold. Occasionally you will see slightly mottled, blackened patches. The image above is very heavily tarnishing on gold and you will rarely see gold this tarnished.

Silver tarnish is very noticeable and happens a lot quicker than on gold. Gold tarnishes so slowly that you may not even realise your gold jewelry is tarnished.

However, if you give your gold jewelry a clean you may be pleasantly surprised at how much brighter it is!

How to Remove Tarnish on Gold

Gold tarnish can be removed easily and simply by several methods.

Preparatory Gold Cleaner

Buy on AmazonPrimeeligible

A gold cleaner like this one will safely and easily remove any surface tarnish from gold and bring it back to its full lustre and sparkle. You can also use this cleaner for pieces of jewellery that are set with semi and precious gemstones

Gentle Dishwater Cleaner

You can easily improve the appearance of your gold jewelry with the simplest methods at home. Soaking the item of tarnished gold jewellery in warm soapy water with a little gentle dishwasher detergent dissolved in the water can bring your jewelry back to its former glory.

Clean the surface of the gold gently with your fingers or a soft make-up brush or a soft, clean cloth.

Normally we would say that using a very soft-bristled toothbrush, such as a baby's soft toothbrush, is OK on jewelry but we wouldn't recommend this as a way to clean gold jewelry with a higher gold content, This is because the higher content of gold in the metal the softer it is. It would defeat the object of removing a tarnished look for a scratched one! Always dry and buff with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Please never use toothpaste, which we know many people use, as - apart from not being an effective way to clean gold - it is also too abrasive and will scratch your jewellery. 

How to Prevent Gold From Tarnishing

As with any jewelry, never allow chemicals to come into contact with your jewelry. Hairspray, perfume (especially), creams and lotions may all increase tarnishing on your gold jewelry, as well as damaging delicate gemstones.

Remember, too, that chemicals added to swimming pools and hot tubs can have a detrimental affect on your jewelry. Salt water can also damage your jewelry. Even perspiration can cause tarnishing.

Some people notice skin reactions or a sudden tarnishing of their jewelry when they start taking a medication, or even if they eat acidic foods, which is causes a change in the natural oils in our skin and therefore our body chemistry. Keeping your pieces of jewelry clean will help this by preventing a build-up of products which may irritate your skin.

Put your jewelry on last when you are getting ready in the mornings, and remove your jewelry ideally when you get home after a day out and certainly before bed (please don’t sleep with your jewelry on - it the most common way for chains to break!).

When you are not wearing your jewelry we recommend placing your jewelry back into its box or inside a zip-lock plastic bag (this prevents the air from coming into contact with the item of jewelry). Keeping it in a box also protects it from direct sunlight which thereby slowing down and even preventing the tarnishing process.

Disclosure: *Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the links and make a purchase I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our small blog.

Does Real Gold Tarnish?

The short answer is, yes, real gold tarnishes. But only very slowly. Gold in its purest form is a noble metal and is the least reactive of the precious metals. This means that pure gold jewelry ordinarily won’t react with the elements in the air leading to tarnished gold.

But most solid gold jewelry items are not made of solid, pure gold. This is because pure gold is a very soft metal, which makes it difficult to work with when making jewelry. To combat this, other, harder, metals are combined with the gold, called gold alloys, to create a piece of jewelry. We talked about this in more detail in our article 'What is Sterling Silver?'.

Gold jewelry tarnishes because the more reactive alloys used in gold items come into contact with non-metal elements in the air, thereby starting the tarnishing process.

This is the case with both solid gold pieces as well as gold-plated jewelry. White gold jewelry tarnishes very little, if at all, due to the plating process that is used - we talk about this here "What is White Gold?".

Therefore gold is perfect for everyday wear and, whilst it doesn't need a lot of care, it still needs to be looked after whilst wearing and storing it to keep it pristine.

What Is Tarnish?

Gold tarnishing is where deposits are laid down on the surface of the metal. It results in a blackened, greyish appearance on the surface of the item.  Tarnish does not penetrate the metal, though, and will not harm it in any way.

As it lays on the surface of the metal it can be easily removed without the need of harsh chemicals. The good news is you can clean gold of tarnish yourself at home or with professional cleaning at your local jewelers. You can then maintain your gold jewelry items in perfect condition with regular cleaning with a jewelers soft cloth.

What Causes Tarnish on Gold?

As we have already touched upon, tarnish is caused by metals reacting with other non-metal elements, such as the particles in the air, like sulfur compounds and oxygen. It is the alloys used in the gold which cause a chemical reaction with these elements in the air.

But, whilst gold does tarnish, this chemical reaction happens much more quickly with silver jewelry pieces than with gold. If you leave an item of silver out on the side it will begin to tarnish within days and weeks, whereas gold can be left for months and still look good.

What Does Tarnished Gold Look Like?

Tarnished gold seems to dull a little and it deepens in colour. It loses its sparkle! Sometimes tarnished yellow-gold can look a little like rose gold. Occasionally you will see slightly mottled, blackened patches. The image above is very heavily tarnishing on gold and you will rarely see gold this tarnished.

Silver tarnish is very noticeable and happens a lot quicker than on gold. Gold tarnishes so slowly that you may not even realise your gold jewelry is tarnished.

However, if you give your gold jewelry a clean you may be pleasantly surprised at how much brighter it is!

How to Remove Tarnish on Gold

Gold tarnish can be removed easily and simply by several methods.

Preparatory Gold Cleaner

Buy on AmazonPrimeeligible

A gold cleaner like this one will safely and easily remove any surface tarnish from gold and bring it back to its full lustre and sparkle. You can also use this cleaner for pieces of jewellery that are set with semi and precious gemstones

Gentle Dishwater Cleaner

You can easily improve the appearance of your gold jewelry with the simplest methods at home. Soaking the item of tarnished gold jewellery in warm soapy water with a little gentle dishwasher detergent dissolved in the water can bring your jewelry back to its former glory.

Clean the surface of the gold gently with your fingers or a soft make-up brush or a soft, clean cloth.

Normally we would say that using a very soft-bristled toothbrush, such as a baby's soft toothbrush, is OK on jewelry but we wouldn't recommend this as a way to clean gold jewelry with a higher gold content, This is because the higher content of gold in the metal the softer it is. It would defeat the object of removing a tarnished look for a scratched one! Always dry and buff with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Please never use toothpaste, which we know many people use, as - apart from not being an effective way to clean gold - it is also too abrasive and will scratch your jewellery. 

How to Prevent Gold From Tarnishing

As with any jewelry, never allow chemicals to come into contact with your jewelry. Hairspray, perfume (especially), creams and lotions may all increase tarnishing on your gold jewelry, as well as damaging delicate gemstones.

Remember, too, that chemicals added to swimming pools and hot tubs can have a detrimental affect on your jewelry. Salt water can also damage your jewelry. Even perspiration can cause tarnishing.

Some people notice skin reactions or a sudden tarnishing of their jewelry when they start taking a medication, or even if they eat acidic foods, which is causes a change in the natural oils in our skin and therefore our body chemistry. Keeping your pieces of jewelry clean will help this by preventing a build-up of products which may irritate your skin.

Put your jewelry on last when you are getting ready in the mornings, and remove your jewelry ideally when you get home after a day out and certainly before bed (please don’t sleep with your jewelry on - it the most common way for chains to break!).

When you are not wearing your jewelry we recommend placing your jewelry back into its box or inside a zip-lock plastic bag (this prevents the air from coming into contact with the item of jewelry). Keeping it in a box also protects it from direct sunlight which thereby slowing down and even preventing the tarnishing process.