How to remove scratches from gold and platinum

Table of Content

• After professional polishing, I saw that the white ring had yellowed in places. What caused it?
• Expert Q&A
• How to Get Scratches Out of a Gold Ring
• Why a gold ring loses its appearance. Why regular polishing is necessary: aesthetics and hygiene
• How to Remove Scratches from Gold Jewelry
• How should white gold be cleaned?

Too many polishing sessions can wear down the jewelry. Taking care of your jewelry is key to preventing more scratches. Remember, put on your jewelry after you do your hair and make up. Don’t wear rings while working around the house, gardening, exercising, or any other manual labor.

You can also wipe your jewellery item with a damp cloth dipped in soapy water before polishing. After your piece is clean and dried, you can wipe it with the polishing cloth to shine it. Remember, if your gold jewellery is studded with diamonds or gemstones, you should not polish them with the fabric as you may damage the stones. In this case, too, you can take your jewellery to an expert.

After professional polishing, I saw that the white ring had yellowed in places. What caused it?

Gold is a precious metal, and when made into jewellery, it is loved by most humans . But apart from being shiny and glittery, it is also soft and prone to scratches and damages. Scratching of gold is always a concern for many, particularly when the gold jewellery has more pure gold than other metal alloys. They might also get dirty, but that can be cleaned. However, removing the scratches from the item’s surface is what seems challenging for some people.

However, there is a bit of a problem with professional polishing. The process of professionally polishing gold jewellery involves removing a tiny layer off the item’s surface so that it can become even again. This is the reason too many times polishing of them can wear down your gold jewellery and even weaken it. Before using any such type of polishing cloth on your piece of gold jewellery, make sure it is clean and has no chemicals that can react with gold.

Expert Q&A

Then, brush the top, sides, and bottom of your ring to get it totally clean. Pay special attention to crevices between the stones, as well as any gaps on the back side of your ring. Water, vinegar, and salt are the best cleaners for white gold. White gold can be cleaned with this mixture, removing all dirt and grime.

You must be careful with gold jewelry, however, because of scratches on its precious surface. Luckily, jewelers have machines that fix scratches in gold, but minor surface scratches can be treated at home. You don't have to stay still at all times when wearing gold, but it helps to be mindful of what you're doing. Try to avoid bumping into things and hitting the gold up against other objects.

How to Get Scratches Out of a Gold Ring

If you’ve noticed some scratches that are bothering you, we might be able to put your mind at rest with our polishing service. However, the occasional polish can buff away shallow scratches and revive some of the ring’s original shine. Generally speaking, there are two factors that contribute to the rate at which your wedding ring gets marked; its metal type and what it comes into contact with. Platinum is the toughest metal of all, just before 18ct gold. 14ct gold is ever so slightly more susceptible to scratching than 18ct gold due to its higher silver content, but the difference is minimal. 9ct gold is highly prone to marking, which is why we don’t recommend it for bridal rings.

Instead, use your 14K or 18K pieces for daily wear. Go with a lower karat gold for jewellery pieces that are more likely to be scratched or damaged – like rings, bangles and bracelets. Choose 18K gold or below for jewellery pieces that you will regularly wear as it is more durable and doesn’t scratch easily.

Why a gold ring loses its appearance. Why regular polishing is necessary: aesthetics and hygiene

Make sure to keep gold out of pools and hot tubs. Chlorine can weaken gold and cause it to break. Store pieces in a safe and clean place like a jewelry box. Make sure pieces are not touching each other. If you really want to be safe, some say don’t wear your jewelry every day. I personally think this is silly because why do I have a wedding ring if I’m not going to wear it?

Your daily-wear gold jewellery can go through a lot sometimes. They can get small scratches every now and then via some of your habits. But that doesn’t mean you should go to your jeweller to have your gold pieces polished every time you notice a few visible scratches. Yes, it would help if you avoided professional polishing of your gold jewellery pieces due to the abrasive nature of polishing.

Ammonia may stain your gold rings if you use it too often. Additionally, it will likely damage gemstones and pearls, so don’t use it if your ring has them. Nicole Wegman is the Founder and CEO of Ring Concierge, a New York City-based fine jewelry brand. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush to scrub your ring until it’s clean. Dip a soft-bristle toothbrush into the soapy water to get it wet.

But, if you’re a bit of a perfectionist and the ‘well-loved’ look isn’t for you, there are options. Behind Lebrusan Studio’s unique pieces is Arabel Lebrusan; leading artist, award-winning jewellery designer and key founder of the ethical jewellery movement. Remove your gold jewelry before putting on makeup or hairspray. Remove your jewelry if you are working around the house. Wear gloves when doing dishes to protect your gold jewelry.

How should white gold be cleaned?

Just don’t use it more than once every 6 months because the ammonia can discolor your gold if used frequently. White gold shouldn't be cleaned with vinegar since it's used for jewellery cleaning everything from toilets to ovens. The surface of the ring can be damaged if left in vinegar for an extended time. Furthermore, semi-precious gemstones cannot be treated with it. To keep your wedding ring looking its healthiest, we recommend giving it a rub with a polishing cloth every once in a while.