How to Care for Gold Plated and Sterling Silver Jewelry (So It Lasts)

Good jewelry care isn't complicated, but it does make a real, measurable difference in how long a piece keeps its finish. The habits below take seconds to build into your routine and apply to every ring, bracelet, necklace, bangle, and pair of earrings in our collection.

The Golden Rule: Last On, First Off

The single most damaging thing for both gold plated and sterling silver jewelry is chemical exposure — perfume, hairspray, lotion, and sunscreen all contain ingredients that react with metal surfaces and accelerate wear. Make it a habit to put your jewelry on as the very last step of getting ready, after every spray and cream has fully dried, and take it off as the first thing you do when you get home.

Caring for 18K Gold Plated Stainless Steel

• Wipe the piece with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth after each wear to remove skin oils before they build up on the surface.
• Avoid direct contact with water where possible — showering, swimming, and washing dishes all accelerate plating wear over time.
• Never use abrasive cloths, jewelry polish meant for solid gold, or ultrasonic cleaners on plated pieces — they can strip the gold layer faster than normal wear would.
• If a piece needs more than a wipe-down, a very light touch with a barely damp soft cloth followed by immediate, thorough drying is the safest approach.

Caring for 925 Sterling Silver

• Wear it often — the natural oils in your skin genuinely help slow tarnish, so pieces worn regularly often stay brighter than ones left untouched in a drawer.
• For light tarnish, a soft polishing cloth is all you need — gently buff in straight lines rather than circles for the best finish.
• For heavier tarnish, a mild soap-and-water clean followed by thorough drying works well; avoid toothpaste or baking soda pastes on pieces with cubic zirconia stones, since these can be abrasive around the setting.
• Never use chlorine-based cleaners or submerge silver in a chlorinated pool — it will visibly discolor the metal.

Storage: The Step Most People Skip

How you store jewelry between wears matters almost as much as how you clean it. A few rules that make a real difference:

• Store pieces separately. Tossing multiple pieces into one drawer or pouch causes them to scratch each other — chains tangle, and harder stones can scuff softer metal surfaces.
• Keep jewelry dry and out of direct sunlight. Humidity accelerates both plating wear and silver tarnish, and UV exposure can dull some stone settings over time.
• Use the original packaging. Every Kee Accessories order arrives in a pouch or box specifically to double as long-term storage — it's not just gift presentation.
• Keep sterling silver in an airtight bag when possible. Limiting air exposure is one of the most effective ways to slow the tarnishing reaction between silver and sulfur compounds in the air.

What About Pieces With Cubic Zirconia Stones?

Many of our tennis bracelets, tennis necklaces, and statement rings are set with hand-selected cubic zirconia. These stones are durable, but the metal prongs or channel settings holding them can still be affected by the same wear factors as the surrounding metal — so the same rules apply: avoid harsh chemicals, remove pieces before swimming or exercising, and store them separately from other jewelry to avoid scratching the stone's surface against harder materials.

A Realistic Expectation

With these habits, gold plated pieces built on a stainless steel base — like ours — can hold their finish for years of regular wear, and sterling silver pieces can be kept bright indefinitely with the occasional polish. Neither metal requires special tools or expensive cleaning kits; a soft cloth, a little consistency, and the "last on, first off" habit go a long way. Explore our full jewelry collection knowing that a little care will keep every piece looking the way it did the day it arrived.