How to care for gold-plated jewellery: a simple everyday routine

Gold-plated jewellery gives you the warmth of gold at an everyday price. The trade-off is simple: the gold is a thin layer over a base metal (for CHICX, stainless steel), so the way you wear and store a piece decides how long it keeps that first-day shine.

The good news is that caring for it takes almost no time. These are the habits we follow ourselves.

Put it on last, take it off first

Make jewellery the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.

• Perfume, body lotion, hair spray and sunscreen all contain alcohols and oils that wear on plating. Let them dry fully before you put on a necklace or earrings.
• Take pieces off before you wash your hands, shower, swim or exercise. Water, soap, chlorine, salt water and sweat are the biggest reasons plating dulls early.
• Cooking and cleaning are best done without rings and bracelets — heat, oil and cleaning liquids are hard on any finish.

Wipe it after you wear it

A ten-second wipe does more than any deep clean.

1. After wearing, wipe each piece gently with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth (a spectacle cloth works well).
2. If a piece needs more, use a cloth that's barely damp with plain water, then dry it completely before you put it away.
3. Skip toothpaste, baking soda, jewellery dips and polishing cloths made for silver or solid gold. They're abrasive and can take the plating off with the dirt.

Store pieces apart, dry and closed

Gold-plated jewellery scratches when pieces rub against each other, and air and moisture dull it over time.

• Keep each piece in its own pouch or a lined box compartment. Your CHICX box is made for exactly this.
• Fasten chains before storing them so they don't knot.
• Store everything somewhere dry — not a steamy bathroom shelf.
• Add a small silica gel sachet to your jewellery box during the monsoon.

Rotate your favourites

If you wear the same ring every single day, it takes all the friction from steering wheels, laptops and bags. Rotating between two or three pieces spreads that wear out and keeps each one looking good for longer.

A weekly five-minute routine

Once a week, lay out the pieces you wore most:

1. Wipe each one with a dry soft cloth.
2. Check clasps and jump rings are closed properly.
3. Put each piece back in its pouch, chains fastened.

That's it. No special kit, no harsh products.

What to expect over time

Every plated piece wears gradually with use — that's true across the industry, not just for us. How quickly depends on how often you wear it and what it touches. With the habits above, your pieces will look their best for much longer.

If a piece arrives damaged or defective, tell us within 2 days of delivery from your order page and we'll replace or refund it. You can read the full details in our shipping and returns policy, and more about materials on our care page.