Jewellery is one key to a woman’s heart —holding a special place in her closet. Fine jewellery may be the crown jewels of the affluent, but fashion jewellery is the everyday sparkle for the rest of us. Made with materials like plated metals, semi-precious stones, beads, and glass, it is a guilt-free way to add a little shine to your wardrobe without breaking the bank.  

 From daily wear to formal meetings and special occasions like weddings, artificial jewels fit well in almost every event. However, the one issue that comes with almost every artificial ornament is “Tarnishing.” Tarnishing signifies dullness or loss of lustre, it can happen due to a number of reasons including air, water, chemicals, cosmetics, and more.  

 No matter at what cost you have purchased your favourite piece of fashion jewel, it does require some effort from your side to keep its Shine On! 

Here we are going to talk about some of the easy DIY methods to preserve your ornament’s lustre and keep them last longer. But before delving into jewellery prevention methods, let’s take a few minutes to understand what stands in the way of an ever-shining piece of jewel.   

The Dark Side of Artificial Jewellery: Uncovering the Reasons Behind Tarnishing  

1. Oxidation

Artificial jewellery is often made of metals including iron, aluminium, steel, and others, which are more prone to rust and corrosion compared to gold or diamond ornaments—when exposed to air and moisture. Air and water hold oxygen molecules that easily interact with these metals forming an oxidized compound causing tarnishing. 

2. Chemical Reactions 

Most artificial ornaments are coated with a thin layer of paint or plating to impart a shining surface. They can react with chemicals such as sulphur in the air, box material like adhesives, and more, to create a black or discoloured coating on the surface of the jewellery.

3. Physical abrasion 

Fashion trinkets are often less durable and delicate than real jewellery. Hence, can be easily scratched or damaged by everyday wear and tear. This causes the outer surface of the jewellery to become dull and blackened. 

4. UV Light

Sunlight contains radiation from the UV part of the spectrum. Many a time, especially while wearing it during day time, they are exposed to UV light which causes the discoloration of the surface.
The UV part of the spectrum is reflected by the ozone layer of the earth, which is increasingly experiencing stress due to greenhouse gas phenomena taking over our planet earth. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to blame the greenhouse effect as the reason for our tarnished trinkets.

5. Exposure to cosmetics

Your artificial jewellery can be easily tarnished by the harsh chemicals found in cosmetics. From alcohol and acids to chlorine-containing salts, oils, and other compounds, these ingredients can react with the metal and coating on your jewellery, dulling its radiance and leaving them looking less than its best.
Now that we have a fair idea of what takes away the shine of our favourite jewellery sets. Let’s look at some of the easily adaptable DIY solutions to keep our ornaments tarnish-proof.

Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Fashion Jewellery Stays Lustrous

1. Your fashion jewellery deserves their personal space. 

Always use a jewellery box to store your favourite ornaments in order to preserve their shine. Ideally storing it in a plastic airtight container would be the best way out. Plastic airtight containers do not contain chemical adhesives which can react with your ornament coating, and also protect it against oxidation.

2. Stay away from chemicals!

Fashion jewels are highly chemical-phobic. Many cosmetics, cleaning products, and other household items contain ingredients that can react with the metal or coating on the jewellery, causing it to lose its shine or change colour. These chemicals can also weaken the structure of the jewellery, making it more prone to breakage or damage.

3. Guard the radiance of fashion jewels against the air.

Air is one of the most common reasons for the oxidation of your trinkets, leaving them blackened and shine-less. Either use bubble wrap or airtight zip-lock plastic bags to keep your jewels shining for a long. Also, use a separate bubble wrap around individual pieces of trinkets to prevent them from rubbing against each other.

4. Your fashion jewellery hates water

Water can cause damage or discoloration to the metal or coating on the jewellery. Also, it leads to the weakening of glue or other adhesives used in some fashion jewellery, resulting in stones or beads falling out or the jewellery breaking. Even if your jewellery has come in contact with water, it is important to dry them using a clean piece of cloth or tissue before storing it in an airtight box.

Alongside, you can also use silica packets in your storage containers to absorb any excess moisture present in them.

5. Spray your perfumes, and mists before putting on your favourite necklaces

Alcohol and other chemicals constituting your nice-smelling perfumes, and mists can severely damage your fashion jewels. It strongly reacts with the metal’s coating irreversibly damaging its lustre. To keep your jewels shining, spritz on your perfumes and let them dry before donning your jewellery.

6. Your fashionable jewellery has no place in the kitchen or swimming pools.

Your fashionable jewellery is like a delicate masterpiece, meant to be admired and not subjected to the rigors of everyday life. The kitchen, with its boiling water, harsh detergents, and hot ovens, is a place where your jewellery should not be worn. Similarly, swimming pools, with their chlorine-rich water, can cause damage and discoloration to your fashion jewellery. These beautiful pieces of art should be worn with care and kept away from potential hazards to preserve their radiance and beauty.

Styling is a form of self-expression, and fashion jewellery is the perfect canvas to complement it. Affordable, radiant, and stylish, fashion jewellery can add the perfect touch of elegance to any outfit. But like any work of art, it requires proper care to maintain its beauty. Tarnishing may be the enemy, but with a little effort, it can be kept at bay. Remember to follow the methods provided above to wear your stylish jewels with confidence, knowing that they will sparkle for many occasions to come.
If you are looking for some artistic pieces of fashion jewellery to fit your budget. Check out www.vembley.com and delve into the pool of hundreds of mesmerizing designs for every special occasion.

Stay Pretty! Stay fashionable! With Vembley Fashion Jewellery.