If you’re looking to buy a piece of jewellery which will stand the test of time, you’re probably looking for something which doesn’t tarnish. Both gold and silver jewellery can tarnish, depending on what it’s made from.
Tarnishing occurs when a metal is mixed with moisture and sulphur in the environment. It’s a chemical reaction which causes a dark layer to form on the metal and, in some cases, to leave a green mark on skin.
If you’re shopping for jewellery, whether it’s for yourself or a gift for someone else, here’s a summary of what materials you should buy and how jewellery should be taken care of.
Jewellery Metals That Don’t Tarnish At All

There are some metals which don’t tarnish at all. These include:
- Pure Gold – Pure gold simply doesn’t react with substances like sulphur or oxygen, it’s considered an inert metal. However, you often can’t buy jewellery made from pure gold because it’s too soft.
- Titanium – Titanium forms a protective layer when exposed to oxygen. This barrier shields it from further reactions and corrosion.
- Platinum – Platinum is a noble metal which means it’s resistant to reactions with other elements, including sulphur and moisture in the air
- Stainless Steel – Stainless steel doesn’t tarnish because it contains chromium. Like titanium, chromium reacts with oxygen to form a thin protective layer on the metals surface which stops it from reacting with anything else.
While pure gold and platinum is a more expensive metal for jewellery, titanium and stainless steel are cheaper. In fact, we stock jewellery which is made from titanium steel, which also won’t tarnish.
What Jewellery Metals Tarnish?
All other jewellery metals, other than the ones mentioned above, tarnish. This is because they are mixed with materials other than gold, and we all know that sterling silver tarnishes.
Sterling Silver

We often stock jewellery made from 925 sterling silver. S925 means that 92.5% of the metal is sterling silver and the last 7.5% is an alloy which will eventually react with sulphur compounds which are present in the air.
However, S925 is still considered hypoallergenic because only 5% of the metal is made from an alloy.
We also stock earrings made from S999 sterling silver. These are earrings made from 99.9% sterling silver, so are even less likely to cause irritation or to tarnish.
Brass
Another popular jewellery metal which tarnishes is brass. Brass is the one that turns your skin green! This is because brass is very easy to mould and can easily be created into the shapes you want for cute bee pendants and other fun shapes.
It’s then plated with sterling silver or gold. When the plating is eventually rubbed through, you start to see those green marks.
Carat Gold

You may also be sad to hear that gold jewellery can also tarnish. If you’re buying a 14k plated necklace, you’ll find that the 14k is an indication that the plating is an alloy and therefore contains materials which may react with the environment.
If you choose a higher number, like 18k or 24k, you’ll find that the tarnishing process will be slower.
If you want a piece of gold jewellery which is less likely to tarnish, then choose a piece which uses stainless steel or titanium steel as the base metal, with a carat gold plating. The higher the carat, the less likely it will tarnish, so we recommend something with an 18ct gold or 24ct gold plating.
How To Reduce Tarnishing

There are a few ways in which you can stop your favourite piece of jewellery from tarnishing. These include:
- Storing jewellery in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and moisture
- Don’t wear your jewellery in the shower or when swimming
- Clean your jewellery after use because skincare products can speed up the tarnishing process. You may want to clean it more thoroughly each year with dish soap
- Let your perfume dry before putting your jewellery on
How To Clean Tarnishing Off Jewellery

The good news is that it’s easy to clean tarnished jewellery. Probably the easiest way is with baking soda and boiling water. You simply mix the two together and drop the piece of jewellery that you want to clean into it. This article provides step-by-step instructions.
Other ways to clean your jewellery include:
- Using white wine vinegar, water and a toothbrush to clean it
- Mild dish soap with water
- Toothpaste with a soft bristle toothbrush
Summary
If you want to buy a piece of silver jewellery that won’t tarnish, then stick to stainless steel, platinum or titanium. They’ll stand the test of time and you’ll be able to find something really beautiful at almost any price.
It’s a little more difficult to find gold jewellery that won’t ever tarnish. Pure gold is too soft to make jewellery from so you’re best to buy something which is made from a silver metal that won’t tarnish and plated with 24k gold.
The good news is that tarnishing isn’t permanent and any piece can be cleaned up with a little baking soda and warm water. So if there’s a piece of jewellery you really love which is made from sterling silver, you should go for it and buy it!