Gold jewelry is hypoallergenic and durable but it’s expensive. Therefore, not everyone’s budget allows them to have it. People who can not afford gold either accept that it’s out of their reach or choose to invest in gold-plated jewelry instead.
The gold-plated jewelry appears more or less the same as gold. Since gold-plated jewelry is made from cheap metal, it can not remain the same for a long time.
Eventually, the gold coating starts coming off, and the metal it is made from is exposed. However, the jewelry does not lose the gold coating in the blink of an eye, it rather gives you a good amount of time to save for another piece.
Want to know how much time it would take to lose the gold coating? I have used gold-plated jewelry all my life, here’s what my experience says;
How long does the gold-plated jewelry last?
Generally, it has been observed that gold-plated jewelry that is worn regularly lasts about two years. However, if it is worn and maintained properly the gold-plated jewelry can last as long as ten years.
The jewelry does not get broken, it just loses the gold coating. It is pretty hard to tell and might be wrong to expect each gold-plated piece of jewelry would last two years. It can last more or less as well.
Why does gold-plated jewelry not last the same amount of time for everyone?
Gold-plated jewelry is not as durable as gold.
It is just a cheap metal painted with gold. Therefore, the jewelry requires more care than the original gold piece. If the jewelry is taken care of properly, it would last longer and vice versa.
Factors Determine Lifespan of Gold-plated Jewelry
The life span of gold-plated jewelry depends on a few factors. These are the factors that determine how long the gold-plated jewelry would last;
Gold coating
All gold-plated jewelry does not contain the same amount of gold coating. Some expensive pieces would have more layers of gold whereas, the cheapest ones might be lightly coated.
The gold-plated jewelry that is heavily coated generally lasts longer than the other case.
Frequency of use
Pure gold jewelry does not get affected by the frequency of use but gold-plated jewelry does.
The more frequently you wear it, the more quickly the gold coating would come off.
Storage condition
The gold-plated jewelry does not just need to be used carefully but stored properly as well.
As per the experts, it has to store in a plastic bag, and excess air should be removed.
If the jewelry is stored this way, it would last longer otherwise the gold coating would come off quickly.
Exposure to chemicals, water, light, and heat; The original gold can have the strength to bear the chemicals, water, light, and heat. However, gold-plated jewelry can not resist these elements for a long time.
Limiting the exposure to chemicals, light, water, and heat would add more years to the gold-plated jewelry’s life.
Inappropriate cleaning
Like any other piece of jewelry, gold-plated jewelry needs cleaning as well. If you begin cleaning the gold-plated jewelry with a harsh chemical solution it wouldn’t last long.
Try using it carefully and use a mild DIY cleaner and soft makeup brush to perfectly clean it. Or even if you choose to clean it with a ready-made cleaning solution make sure it does not contain ammonia or bleach. These two ingredients shorten the lifespan of gold-plated jewelry.
Excessive sweating
Sweating and taking showers with gold-plated jewelry has also proven to go against gold-plated jewelry. If you sweat heavily, expect your gold-plated jewelry to expire early.
In brief, gold-plated jewelry lasts two years if it is worn regularly and not maintained properly.
If it is used, maintained, and stored correctly, it can last up to two years.
The frequency of use, exposure to chemicals, cleaning solutions, heat, light, sweat, and storage conditions are the few things that directly affect the lifespan of gold-plated jewelry.