How to Care for Gold Bonded Jewelry

With the price of gold sky-rocketing out of control, more and more people are turning to alternative options in their jewelry. Sterling silver still continues to be the primary alternative. However, even the prices of that precious metal are growing at an alarming rate. Another popular option, however, involves metals like vermeil, gold, and/or platinum bonding. Today's techniques in those areas are better than ever; keeping jewelry affordable for the average woman. However, gold and platinum bonded metals do require different treatment and care. The steps below outline the steps that should be taken to keep bonded metals at their very best.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• The care cards that came with your gold bonded jewelry;
• Any other information you can find about your bonded items;
• A soft jewelry polishing cloth or very soft fabric that can be used as a polishing cloth;
• Mineral free water;
• A soft bristle brush;
• An extra mild jewelry cleaning solution;
• An extremely mild liquid detergent (like Joy or Dove); and
• Jewelry pouches or boxes.

1. If you received a care card with your gold bonded jewelry, read it to determine how the manufacturer recommends cleaning the metal.
2. If you did not receive a care card with your jewelry item, then contact the manufacturer for cleaning and care recommendations.
3. If you cannot, for some reason, obtain instructions from the manufacturer of your gold bonded jewelry, consider taking it to a professional jeweler for cleaning. Although this might be a bit expensive, it should help to protect your jewelry item.
4. If you can't afford to take your jewelry to a jeweler or if you are afraid they might damage it, you can clean if yourself by one of several methods. These include, but are not limited to:
   
   Cleaner plates,
   Cleaning cloths (that contain the cleaner inside),
   A mild jewelry cleaning solution,
   An extra mild liquid detergent (like Joy or Dove),
   A damp cloth, or
   A soft polishing cloth or fabric.
   
   If you are uncertain which, if any of the above is best suited to your gold bonded jewelry, then choose one of the bottom three. They are safe for most gold bonded jewelry items.
5. If you opt to use a cleaning plate, purchase one that specifically claims to be safe for "fashion" jewelry. If it is safe enough for fashion jewelry, then it is safe enough for gold bonded jewelry.
   
   Cleaning plates generally work with just water and detergent. You put the plate in the bottom of a pan or bowl, pour in the indicated amount of detergent, and fill with water. As the jewelry comes into contact with the plate it interacts to clean the piece with a fizzing action.
6. If you decide to use cleaning cloths with jewelry cleaner inside of them, check the instructions to make certain that the cloths you have chosen are safe for your type of gold bonded item. Many of these cloths are good across the board, but not all of them.
   
   Cleaning cloths are great for surface cleaning but don't always work well for pave set jewelry, antique jewelry, or jewelry of any kind that has tiny crevices like in between inlay, enameling, or beading.
7. If you choose to use an extra mild jewelry cleaning solution, choose one that specifically states that it is "safe for all types of fashion jewelry." If it is safe for fashion jewelry, then it is safe for gold bonded items.
8. You may choose to use an extra mild liquid detergent like Joy or Dove for cleaning your gold bonded jewelry. Like any mild jewelry cleaning solution, these are safe for most jewelry items across the board. However, it is recommended that you do not immerse your gold bonded jewelry items into the cleaner for more than a couple of seconds. Instead, simply put a small amount on a very soft cloth along with water and clean the item that way.
9. You may use a damp cloth to clean your gold bonded jewelry is perfectly safe and even highly recommended by many jewelry manufacturers. Be aware, however, that it can be difficult to clean pave, metal beaded, or antique jewelry this way because it is difficult to get the cloth in into the deep crevices. Use a soft bristle brush to loosen any dirt that might be stuck there and then wipe clean. You may have to repeat the process two or three times before you get the piece clean.
10. Some jewelers recommend using nothing more than a soft jewelry cleaning cloth or soft fabric to clean gold bonded jewelry. While these will wipe away surface dirt, they may not penetrate through oil and other product build up. If they don't, the metal will remain dull and lifeless. And, as like with damp cloths, they can't get into pave, metal beaded, or antique jewelry crevices. Try using a very soft bristle brush to loosen dirt that might be stuck there and then wipe clean again. You may have to repeat the process two or three times before you get the piece clean.
11. Once your gold bonded jewelry is clean, pouch it in cloth, velvet, preservative cloth, or jewelry boxes before storing it along with other jewelry pieces.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep any care instructions that come along with your gold bonded jewelry.
• Keep your gold bonded items clean.
• Only use a very soft cloth or very soft bristle brush on your gold bonded jewelry items when it is absolutely necessary.
• Expensive technology driven jewelry cleaners are no recommended for use on gold bonded jewelry. They work no more effectively than most inexpensive ones.
• Store your gold bonded jewelry item properly to keep it clean and protect them from damage.
• Don't clean your gold bonded jewelry items everyday. Clean them only when they are actually dirty. Over cleaning them can also result in dulling them or rubbing off the gold plating.
• Don't use cleaning products on gold bonded items that specifically say they are not safe for them. There is a reason for such cautionary statements, so don't ignore them.
• Don't use harsh chemicals of any kind on gold bonded jewelry. They will result in damaging them or removing the gold plating.
• Don't use a hard bristled brush on your gold bonded jewelry. They could result in damage to your items or remove the gold plating.