Jewellery tarnishes when the metal reacts with sulfur, oxygen, sweat, perfume, lotion, or chlorine in the air or on your skin. Sterling silver tarnishes the fastest because the copper in the alloy oxidizes. 14K gold...

Warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush will safely clean about 90% of fine jewellery at home. Soak for 10–15 minutes, brush gently around the setting, rinse, and dry with...

**Platinum lasts the longest.** It's the densest white metal, naturally hypoallergenic, and it doesn't wear away — it develops a patina. **White gold** is yellow gold mixed with a white alloy and then plated with...

A karat (K) measures how much pure gold is in your piece, out of 24 parts. 10K is 41.7% gold, 14K is 58.5%, 18K is 75%, and 22K is 91.7%. Higher karat means more pure...