How to Stop Artificial Jewellery from Tarnishing (and Turning Black)

Artificial jewellery tarnishes because it’s a thin layer of gold-tone or silver-tone plating over a base metal underneath, not solid precious metal — and that base metal reacts to moisture, sweat, perfume and air the way solid gold or silver never would. You can’t stop that reaction completely, but you can slow it down a lot: keep pieces dry, apply perfume and lotion before you put jewellery on (never after), and store each piece separately in a pouch rather than tossed in a drawer.

Why plated jewellery tarnishes

Every BASHI piece is finished in gold-tone or silver-tone plating over a base metal — we say so on every product page, because it’s the honest answer to “is this real gold?” The plating itself doesn’t tarnish; what you’re actually seeing darken over time is usually the base metal underneath, reacting once the thin plating layer has worn thin in one spot, or oxidising where moisture, sweat or chemicals have been sitting against it. Enamel and crystal detailing, like the enamel work on our Turquoise Enamel Ring, doesn’t tarnish itself, but the gold-tone frame around it can if it’s not looked after the same way.

Daily habits that actually make a difference

The single biggest cause of early tarnishing is contact with liquids and chemicals you don’t think of as “chemicals” — perfume, hairspray, lotion, sweat, and swimming pool or sea water. Put jewellery on last, after you’ve finished getting ready, and take it off first before showering, swimming or exercising. Avoid direct contact with bleach or household cleaning products. None of this is specific to BASHI — it’s true of any plated jewellery — but it’s the one habit that extends plating life more than anything else you can buy.

Storage at home

Store each piece separately, ideally in the pouch or box it arrived in, rather than piled loose in a drawer where pieces can scratch each other’s plating. Keep your jewellery box somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight and bathroom humidity — a bathroom shelf is one of the worst places to keep plated jewellery, precisely because of the moisture in the air. Lay necklaces flat or hang them rather than balling them up, which also helps prevent kinked chains on pieces like our Gold Rope Chain.

Cleaning gold-tone pieces

A soft, dry, lint-free cloth after each wear is really all plated gold-tone or silver-tone jewellery needs — wiping off the oils and residue from your skin before they sit on the plating overnight. Don’t use water, soap or jewellery cleaning solutions on plated pieces; they can strip the plating faster than normal wear would. For enamel pieces like our Floral Enamel Ring, keep the cloth dry and avoid rubbing directly on the enamel detailing — a gentle wipe around it is enough.

What to do if it darkens

If a piece has already started to darken or show the base metal through the plating, a dry cloth won’t reverse that — it only slows down what hasn’t happened yet. At that point, the honest options are to retire the piece, or to have it professionally re-plated if it’s a piece you want to keep long-term (most local jewellers who do plating work can do this). If you’re not sure whether a piece you bought from us is heading that way or just needs a clean, message us on WhatsApp and we’re happy to take a look.

See our full Jewelry Care Guide for general storage and cleaning tips across all our pieces. Cash on Delivery across Pakistan, standard delivery takes 3-5 business days, and orders above Rs. 1,500 ship free.

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