Tips for cleaning gold plated jewelry

I know what it’s like to fall in love with jewelry that’s plated, and wanting to keep it looking good so you can wear it forever and ever. Cleaning gold plated jewelry, though, is a little different from cleaning solid sterling silver or solid gold. Because there’s a different metal underneath all that gold (brass, in our case), you’ll want to be a little more gentle.

Below I’ve assembled my top tips for cleaning gold plated jewelry and keeping it looking like new:

YOUR TOOL KIT:

• A small bottle filled with a gentle, chemical-free liquid soap like Dawn or Dr. Bronner’s

• A soft-bristled toothbrush

• A small towel (I prefer thin Turkish towels to thicker terry towels)

• A microfiber lens cloth (like what you’d use for cleaning eye glasses)

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• A small bowl or cup

• Lukewarm water

• Seltzer (optional)

WAIT, DOES YOUR JEWELRY HAVE STONES IN IT?

Pearls and opals are super delicate and can absorb liquids they come in contact with, so avoid submerging them in anything, even water. Clean around them, covering them with your finger if you can. Hard stones like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies can withstand tough cleaning, but chemicals and off-the-shelf jewelry cleaners can mess with other stones. I prefer to play it safe and avoid anything but water and gentle liquid soap for all other stones. 

NOW ONTO THE CLEANING:

1. If your jewelry needs a slight buff, grab that microfiber lens cloth and give it a gentle, circular rub. That’ll help get rid of most smudges and fingerprints. You can also use that soft-bristled toothbrush to brush away any dirt that has built up behind stones or on jump rings. Jewelry tends to get gunky where different parts rub together, and the toothbrush is perfect for getting into nooks and crannies.
   

2. If it needs a light clean, mix lukewarm water in a bowl with a squirt of the gentle dishwashing liquid, and use the soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub away the dirt. You can also use seltzer water for jewelry with stones in it, as the bubbles can help carry away dirt in the settings. Give it a final rinse with clean water and dry it completely with the towel. Leaving water sitting on the surface of your jewelry can lead to dark spots, and Turkish towels fit into tighter spaces well for drying. For extra points, leave the jewelry in a safe, warm place for 10 minutes to finish drying out; in the winter I’ll put it near our stove fireplace, and in the summer I’ll put it on a sunny spot on our table outside).
   

3. Stay away from both chemical cleaners AND polishing cloths. Chemical cleaners can react with the plating and corrode it, while polishing cloths can be too abrasive, and when rubbed too hard, can cause shiny spots in matte finishes or even wear through the plating.

AND HOW TO MAINTAIN IT:

1. Chemicals are not your friend, so take off your jewelry before swimming, showering, or washing your hands. There are chemicals lurking in pool water, your shower gels, and hand soaps that can turn plating funny colors or break down plating faster. Keep a jewelry dish by your sink so you don’t lose rings when taking them off.
   

2. Oils and sweat can also lead to faster tarnishing, so take off your jewelry before hitting the gym, and put your jewelry on a few minutes after applying lotion or perfume. I like packing a small cloth bag in my gym bag so my jewelry stays safe and won’t get lost. I will also put my jewelry on last, especially if it has pearls or opals in it (which are notoriously delicate).
   

3. Hang necklaces to prevent tangling. Find a necklace stand you’d be excited to display vs. something you’ll want to hide behind a cabinet door. If you can’t see your jewelry you’ll forget you have it, and your jewelry is begging to be worn!
   

4. Stash jewelry in dust bags when you can, especially when you travel. It prevents pieces from scuffing each other or scratching off the plating. 
   

5. Give your jewelry stash an occasional dusting with your microfiber lens cloth. It’ll keep dust away, especially if it’s a piece you don’t wear often. 

I hope these tips help keep your favorite pieces looking better for even longer. Are there any other cleaning tips you’d swear by? Leave them in the comments!

My mantra for 2020

I was determined to get my mom a juicer for Christmas, and searching for one on Amazon yielded an overwhelming 1000+ results. Even sorting by customer reviews didn’t help much — there were still so many options, and none stood out as any better than the next. 

That got me thinking about how we have more choices and options than ever, but so many of them are worthless. We fill our closets with cheap clothes that won’t last us until next year, we gauge our love by the number of gifts we give, and we post a photo of the restaurant on Instagram but forget to enjoy the meal.

Are these things worth all that time, money, and effort?

A desire for “quality over quantity” has been popping up so much lately that I’m making it my mantra for 2020. I want to focus on editing down and being more purposeful, and cutting out the unnecessary things so that the things I DO focus on are more meaningful and special. It’ll be a big theme in both my personal life and here, with Sara Golden Jewelry.

I want to provide something that’ll make your life feel a little richer. Why should I make something if you don’t think it’s special, or if you’re not excited to wear it? This year I plan on hunting down more unusual, unique stones. I’ll be releasing smaller collections that pack more of a punch. I’ll be doing fewer events so I can spend that extra time making you jewelry that you’ll hopefully fall in love with and want to keep forever.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me so far — I can’t wait to dive into this new, more purposeful year with you!

Drown me in this perfume, please

What’s it like floating through space, making your way towards new worlds with the stars as your map?

Wondering that for ourselves, Kelly + Jones’ founder and perfumer, Kelly Jones, and I started gathering ingredients and experimenting. After lots of testing and tweaking, she ended up mixing us a custom scent that feels like being in deep space: Space Cadet. 

It’s slightly metallic and expansive, with notes of solar musks and sparkling bergamot, and whispers of amber resin. It’s a little unexpected, but beautiful to wear and crafted with luxurious, high end ingredients.

Left: The final product, Space Cadet; Right: Jean Shrimpton in Harper’s Bazaar, 1965

Kelly mixed a small, limited edition batch of this perfume oil, and as a holiday gift I’m sneaking a complimentary Space Cadet roll-on in with every order over $200 this month. I’m so excited for you to smell it, and hope you love it as much as I do!

Find out more about Kelly + Jones here, or find some special gifts for the holidays here.

Hidden Gems in Kingston, NY

Every time I’m in Kingston I make it a point to stop into Facets of Earth, a jewelry store feels different and more special than the other shops in town. Its owner, Morgan Mikula, mixes her own expertly crafted fine jewelry with the work of other drool-worthy designers, and I’m thrilled to have some of my pieces there, too!

This light and airy shop is along Broadway, a stone’s throw away from the Hudson River and the Kingston Waterfront that Morgan loves so much. Next time you’re in Kingston make Facets of Earth your first stop, and then hit up her recommendations for the city’s hidden gems:

Best cup of coffee

For Morgan, it’s a toss-up between Village Coffee and Goods and Rough Draft Bar & Books. Her drink of choice? A Red Eye, an Americano with a shot of espresso and cream.

Favorite dinner spot

She loves The Kinsley, a group of 19th century houses-turned-hotels featuring an exceptional restaurant. If you’re more in the mood for hangover food, she recommends Tubby’s, especially their tachos (a.k.a. tater tots loaded with fixings, a.k.a. the only thing I want to eat for the rest of my life).

BEST place to grab drinks

She recommends Tubby’s again. Morgan says they have a great selection of drinks, and if you see her there she’ll most likely be sipping one of their mezcals.

Favorite boutique

Morgan recommends Hops Petunia, a combination flower and gift shop across the street from Facets of Earth, and Lovefield Vintage, full of vintage clothing treasures.

Perfect Weekend Activity

Visiting the Farmer’s Market and long walks along the Waterfront.

All Plating is Not Created Equal

Maybe I should back up just a second. What, exactly, is plating? 

You probably already know that it’s gold over another material, but I’m willing to bet that most people who sell gold-plated jewelry couldn’t tell you much more than that. Why not? Probably because there’s so little gold on there that it’s not something they even want to talk about. 

But I’m proud of how much gold-plating is on my jewelry, and I’m not afraid to talk about it!

WHAT IS IT?

Plating is when a layer of gold (or silver, or rhodium) is added on top of another metal. Jewelry is usually plated to cover up the original metal color, to provide a more even color, or to prevent tarnish. But because it’s a coating, it will wear away over time. How fast that happens, though, depends on how thick the plating is.

HOW THICK IS GOLD PLATING?

Here’s how much gold-plated jewelry makers typically use:

Jewelry from mass retailers (think mega-huge stores with rock-bottom prices) usually aren’t using gold at all, but a coating meant to imitate gold. It’s so thin that it rubs off after a few wears. 

Specialty retailers (think fashion and designer brands) will use actual gold — most of the time — but not even enough to technically qualify as gold plating, according to the Federal Trade Commission. While it’s usually thicker than what you’d find on jewelry from mass retailers, it’s still pretty thin.

I want you to be able to enjoy your jewelry for a long time, so I make sure to go thick with my gold plating. I use 3-4 times as much gold as most designers, ensuring that your jewelry stays looking great longer.

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF IT?

Treat gold-plated jewelry like you would other jewelry — keep it away from harsh chemicals (like taking it off before going for a swim, or doing any cleaning), store it in its own pouch to prevent scratches, and if it gets wet, dry it off completely to prevent dark spots. With a little bit of care, you’ll be able to hold on to these pieces for years to come.