Why Jewellery Tarnishes & How to Prevent It | Cleaning, Storage & Packaging Tips

Tarnishing, and How to Prevent It

Even the most expensive jewellery can lose its shine over time. The usual culprit: tarnish. As a jeweller, you want your displays to reflect the true value of your pieces; you want customers to leave happy, confident with their purchase, and eager to return in the future. When you understand why tarnishing occurs, and which metals are most susceptible, keeping jewellery bright, polished, and customer-ready becomes far more manageable.

Here’s a snapshot of what you need to know about tarnishing, and how to prevent it for as long as possible through regular cleaning habits, storage, and of course ... packaging.

What is "Tarnish?"

Tarnish is a natural chemical process that creates a surface-level dullness to the jewellery you design, or invest in. Air, moisture and humidity all play a role. Add in various perfumes, hairsprays, hand creams, soaps, and even your skin’s natural oils, and you have the perfect conditions for tarnish to develop. Humidity speeds everything up, which is why jewellery often tarnishes faster in warmer climates. Tarnish, unfortunately, is inevitable; and it affects different metals in different ways.

Silver, often the most prone to tarnish, may turn dark in colour when exposed to natural sulphur in the air. Copper reacts poorly to high levels of natural moisture in the air, and as a result develops a later of green film on its surface. Pure gold will not tarnish. However, most gold is alloyed with silver and copper to improve durability—the higher percentage added to the gold, the more susceptible to tarnish in the form of simply "losing its shine."

The good news? Tarnish is not the same as rust, not at all. Tarnish sits on the surface of the metal, and with proper storage and regular (habitual) care, tarnish can often be removed or dramatically slowed down. Here's how ...

1. DIY: Anti-Tarnishing at Home

For Silver

Mix baking soda with a dash of water to form a paste. Gently rub with a soft cloth, preferably a microfibre cloth. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly.

For Copper

Apply equal parts vinegar (or lemon juice) and salt, then scrub gently with a soft cloth to remove tarnish. For a tougher build-up, use a mixture of vinegar, salt, and flour, letting it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. Rinse and dry to prevent water spots.

For Gold

Soak for 15–20 minutes in warm water, and then gently brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rinse and pat dry.

2. A Quicker "Solution" for the Busy Jeweller

If time is of the essence, and you have more pressing issues to deal with during your busy day-to-day, your best bet is to invest in a professional cleaning product, such as Town Talk.

Town Talk is highly regarded for jewellery cleaning because its products, such as the Silver Polishing Cloths and Jewel Sparkle, contain specialized, long-lasting anti-tarnish agents that remove oxidation, dirt, and oil while providing a protective, long-lasting shine. They are effective on various materials, including silver, gold, platinum, and diamonds. Take a look at our Town Talk offering:

Explore Town Talk Polishing

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Store your jewellery in a cool, dry place when it's not on display: under the counter or inside a well-curated display tray with a closable lid.

Keep pieces separate to avoid scratches by using partitioned display trays that can be stored under the counter, or spacious jewellery busts, ring columns, stands, etc.

Clean your pieces with anti-tarnish polishing products, such as Town Talk, or have a robust DIY cleaning protocol in place—whether it's every month or every quarter, make sure you're consistent!

Select gift packaging that does more than just look good. Every option in our catalogue is thoughtfully designed to shield your jewellery from everyday exposure, helping to reduce the risk of tarnish and keep each piece looking as it should.

Educate your customers that wearing their jewellery actually helps. Frequent wear can slow tarnish because natural friction prevents build-up. Leaving pieces untouched, in humid conditions, increases the risk (and rate) of tarnishing.

Advise your customers to remove their pieces before swimming, showering, and exercising (especially in humid environments), as this can dramatically slow the rate of tarnishing.

Above all else, for a jeweller aiming to sell valuable pieces and present a display that truly reflects the quality of their brand, a consistent and well-maintained cleaning protocol is essential.

Small improvements to how you store, clean, and present your jewellery can go a very long way. Preserving its shine, while creating an experience customers remember (and return for), will do your business wonders. Whether you’re building your own jewellery brand or investing in high-value pieces to resell, protecting them properly should be an essential habit.

We hope this guide helps you do exactly that.