Can you restore gold-plated jewellery, especially when the gold plating becomes worn, scratched, or you decide on another look?
Yes. You can quickly restore gold-plated jewellery. Although the gold plating inevitably wears away naturally with time, depending on your daily use or thickness of the plated gold, and might need replacing, you might still decide to restore the gold-plated jewellery by stripping away the plated surface. In that case, you can either do it at the comfort of your home or take it to a professional jeweler.
How you Can Restore Gold-plated Jewellery at Home
Although there are many ways of strapping away the plated gold from jewellery, the overall thickness of the plated gold matters. While you can easily remove thin layers of gold, thick layers require strong chemicals, and a professional jeweler to remove them altogether. On the other hand, working the jewellery at your home’s comfort will give you varied results. The quality of the resulting base metal might be less than appealing. It might also be challenging to obtain the jeweler’s quality using home options.
However, the cheapest home options are diluted (5%) acetic acid, also known as vinegar. Apart from being an affordable and eco-friendly method, vinegar is very effective at dissolving the plated gold. But the process tends to consume time as vinegar reacts slowly. You can also use vinegar to recycle gold on a massive scale.
Besides using vinegar, you can apply metal polishes like Brasso wadding or liquid. To remove the tarnish:
- Apply the liquid or cream on the metal using soft clothing.
- Rub thoroughly to spread the cream evenly, and ensure the metal polish rubs into the metal.
- Wipe off the surface using soft dry clothing to ensure the gold plating is dissolved.
Consult with a Professional Jeweler
While you can use several home-based methods to restore your gold-plated jewellery, we highly recommend a professional jeweler, especially with thick gold plating. Thick gold-plating layers demand not only strong chemicals to dissolve but also extended procedures. Consulting a professional, in that case, saves time and guarantees quality results.