At Horace, we're often asked the question: What causes jewelry to tarnish, and how can we prevent it? Here's our answer to that question.
First of all, jewelry tarnish is caused by oxidation, which occurs when air reacts with the metals present in the jewelry. Certain factors can accelerate this process:
Exposure to humidity: humidity can accelerate metal oxidation and cause tarnish.
Exposure to light: sunlight or artificial light sources can tarnish jewelry by accelerating the oxidation process.
Skin contact: sweat and the skin's natural oils can accelerate the tarnishing of jewelry, especially if it is worn frequently.
Chemicals: chemicals in perfumes, lotions, cleaning products, etc., can cause tarnish by accelerating the oxidation process.
Now, to avoid tarnishing jewelry, it's important to maintain it regularly. This can include regular cleaning with jewelry-specific products (get our jewelry cleaning wipe), storing in a dry place out of direct sunlight, avoiding contact with chemicals, and removing jewelry before physical activities or housework.
So it's important to look after your Horace jewelry to prolong its life and keep its beautiful color!
