How to remove scratches from metal jewelry

No matter what you try out, you can’t save your precious jewelry from scratches at all. But that does not mean every time you need to go to the jeweler for the maintenance of polish. There are several homes based methods to remove scratches front of the jewelry available. 

And this is what we are going to discuss in this blog. LEt’s have a look at gold’s percentage to understand why some jewelry pieces are prone to scratches more while others are less under the influence. 

The higher the gold content in the jewelry, the more chances of scratches are there. Higher percentages make the jewelry soft which then leads to a large number of scratches. 

How to Remove Scratches from GOLD jewelry

You can stop gold alloys from receiving scratches and dents over time. Although there are several ways to reverse their shine and glow. One easiest way to polish your gold rings and other jewelry at home is using a polishing cloth, which is easily available at most stores. In case of lots of scratches, it is the soundest practice to have it buffed by a professional. Before using a polishing cloth on your jewelry, make sure it is neat & clean.

But before doing so, try using the soaking jewelry method. Soak your gold in warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Wait for a couple of minutes. Rinse and dry with a cloth. Next, apply the above procedure of using a polishing cloth (buy at a jewelry store) and buff the scratches out. Here, white vinegar can also be replaced with dish soap and cloth with toothbrush respectively.

Polishing cloths help remove fingerprints, oils, tarnish, dirt, scratches, and dullness from different metals such as silver, gold, steel, platinum, brass, and copper. … Rouge is a jeweler’s compound used to buff out scratches, dings, dents, and nicks in the metal.

How do professionals polish gold?

Professionals use multiple ways to bring back the originality of the gold. One of the most common tools used in the industry for gold polishing is the ultrasonic cleaner. All dirt, grime, and polishing compounds are removed using ultrasonic sound waves, heat, and cleaning solutions.

Other cleaning processes entail: 

• Use of steam, wash-out brushes, and 
• If the item needs to be plated, use electrolytic salts that remove even the smallest traces of organic matter.

Different workshops combine these techniques in different ways. Traditions play a large role in this. The jewelry piece is then dried thoroughly. Initially with compressed air. In order to remove remaining moisture, hollow pieces may be placed in absorbent material, such as sawdust or absorbent tissue. Once the jewelry is thoroughly cleaned, it can be plated if necessary. There is one more round of cleaning before plating begins in order to remove the last trace of organic matter. It involves electro-cleaning, acid baths, and neutralized water rinsing.

How to Remove Scratches from SILVER jewelry

A lot of silver jewelry is made using sterling silver (925 silver) which is quite soft in nature. This soft surface brings the possibility of more dents and scratches. Experts say that there is no way to remove 100% scratches from sterling silver but there are ways to make it less apparent. Its polishing methods include buffing with a special cloth or using the surface creme. 

The dish wash soap also works in the case of silver too as similar as in gold. For jewelry that is dull, filmy, or not yet discolored, mix a few drops of mild dish soap with warm water and dip it in. Rub the jewelry with a soft cloth, then rinse in cool water and leave it until dry. Mix a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water as an alternative to dishwashing soap in case it heavily tarnished silver. 

Although using baking soda, aluminum foil and home remedies like these can quickly remove tarnish from silver jewelry, some dealers caution against using it on antique silver pieces, as it can be too dangerous and ruin the finish (particularly if you’re doubtful of the origin and it’s likely that the components are not actually sterling silver).

How do jewelers repair damaged silver?

Moreover, if the silver jewelry cannot be restored with the above processes, then repair and restoration require extensive metalworking experience and handcrafting skills. Most silver is not designed to be restored due to being inexpensive.

To restore the silver color of the object, the jeweler rines the tarnished jewelry in several baths of distilled water. It is ensured that the metal is chemically prepared and free of contamination for the chemical plating process. Then the object is submerged in the plating tank, which contains a solution with rhodium or silver.