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Does gold tarnish or not?
Yes, gold tarnishes over time due to a combination of moisture, oxygen, sulfur compounds and other metals pure gold is alloyed with.
The higher the karat of gold, the less likely it’s to tarnish. For example, 18-karat gold rings take longer to tarnish because of their higher yellow gold content. And pure 24-karat gold is non-reactive and won’t tarnish at all.
However, most jewelry is made of gold alloyed with other metals, which means that jewelry can and will tarnish.
Below are all the questions people ask about tarnishing gold + quick answers to them. You’ll also learn how to intelligently protect your gold jewelry from tarnishing.
- What is Gold Tarnish?
- Does 24k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 22k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 20k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 18k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 14k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 12k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 10k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 9k Gold Tarnish?
- Does 8k Gold Tarnish?
- Does Gold Tarnish in Water? What about Saltwater and Chlorinated Water?
- Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide?
- Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Vinegar?
- Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Lemon Juice?
- Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Makeup?
- Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Nitric Acid?
- Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Bleach?
- Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Baking Soda?
- Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Alcohol?
- Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Toothpaste?
- Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Moisturized Air?
- Does White Gold Tarnish?
- Does Black Gold Tarnish?
- Does Rose Gold Tarnish?
- Does Green Gold Tarnish?
- Does Purple Gold Tarnish?
- Does Blue Gold Tarnish?
- Does Gold Vermeil (Sterling Silver) Tarnish?
- Does Gold-Plated Brass Tarnish?
- Does Gold-Plated Stainless Steel Tarnish?

Table of Contents
What is Gold Tarnish?
Gold tarnishing is a chemical reaction that occurs when the surface of gold reacts with oxygen, moisture, and sulfur compounds, causing a discoloration or darkening of the metal.
Here’s an example below of tarnished gold necklace.

Does 24k Gold Tarnish?
No, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish. 24k (pure gold) doesn’t tarnish because it’s a non-reactive metal that doesn’t easily combine with oxygen.
24k gold items are rare because pure gold is soft and malleable and easily scratched or damaged. So, most gold items you’ll encounter will be made of gold+ some other harder metal.
Note: fake gold is rampant on the market. Here’s someone on Reddit complaining their 24k gold bar started tarnishing and the owner found it hard to remove that stubborn tarnish.
Most redditors in the comments of that post suggested the gold bar is fake.
Pro tip: are you looking to buy 24k gold in the form of gold bullion?
Then you need to work with a reputable US gold investment company as you simply can’t afford to get scammed.
My number #1 recommendation is Augusta Precious Metals. They are one of the best gold IRA companies in the US and they have hundreds of raving reviews from their former customers posted on biggest consumer watchdog websites.
APMÂ can furnish you with 100% legit 24k gold which you can store at your home or in a specialized gold IRA depository. In the latter case you’ll need to open a gold IRA account but Augusta will help you with the process there.
Does 22k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 22K gold tarnishes over time. 22K gold is an alloy of pure gold (91.67%) and other metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, and silver (8.33%). Pure gold is immune to tarnishing, but these other metals react with oxygen, sulfur, and moisture, causing the gold to discolor.
For example, sterling silver is very susceptible to tarnishing.
In this post from Reddit a redditor asks whether they can shower with 22k gold bracelet. The other redditors advise against it because the gold will tarnish faster with repeated exposure to water (especially chlorinated water).

Does 20k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 20K gold tarnishes over time. 20K gold is an alloy of pure gold (83.33%) and other metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, and silver (16.67%). Pure gold is immune to tarnishing, but these other metals react with oxygen, sulfur, and moisture, causing the gold to discolor.
Does 18k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 18k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 18K gold is a type of gold alloy that’s 75% pure gold and 25% other metals (copper, silver, or nickel). It’s the presence of those other metals that cause the tarnishing effect given that 100% pure gold won’t tarnish.
Does 14k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 14k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 14k gold is a metal alloy that’s 58.3% pure gold and 41.7% other metals, (copper, silver, zinc, nickel…).
14k gold is a popular choice for jewelry because it’s durable and affordable, but the downside is that it tarnishes more easily than 24k, 22k, 20k and 18k gold.

Does 12k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 12k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 14k gold is a metal alloy that’s 50% pure gold and 50% other metals, (copper, silver, zinc, nickel…).
12k gold is a popular choice for jewelry because it’s durable and affordable, but the downside is that it tarnishes more easily than 24k, 22k, 20k, 18k, and 14 gold.
Does 10k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 10k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 10K gold is a gold alloy that’s 41.7% pure gold and 58.3% other metals (silver, zinc, copper, nickel, or palladium).
10k gold is the least pure gold form that can still be legally called “gold” in the United States and most other countries.
10k gold tarnishes much more easily than 24k, 22k, 20k, 18k, 14k and 12k gold.
Does 9k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 9k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 8k gold is an alloy of 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals (copper, silver, palladium, nickel…). 9k gold is affordable and durable, making it a popular choice for jewelry.
However, 9k jewelry tarnishes very easily compared to other higher karat gold types because of the much higher non-gold content amount.
Does 8k Gold Tarnish?
Yes, 8k gold tarnishes and isn’t immune to that effect. 8k gold is an alloy of 33.3% pure gold and 66.7% other metals (copper, silver, palladium, nickel…). 8k gold is affordable and durable, making it a popular choice for jewelry.
However, 8k jewelry tarnishes very easily compared to other higher karat gold types because of the much higher non-gold content amount.
Gold Alloy | Does it Tarnish? | Comparative Tarnishing Resistance |
---|---|---|
24k | No | Absolute resistance to tarnishing |
22k | Yes | Second-best resistance to tarnishing. |
20k | Yes | Excellent resistance to tarnishing, but still susceptible to it. |
18k | Yes | Excellent resistance to tarnishing, but still susceptible to it. |
14k | Yes | Medium-level resistance to tarnishing. Better than all lower karat gold alloys. |
12k | Yes | Poor resistance to tarnishing. |
10k | Yes | Poor resistance to tarnishing. |
9k | Yes | Poor resistance to tarnishing. |
8k | Yes | Poor resistance to tarnishing. |
Does Gold Tarnish in Water? What about Saltwater and Chlorinated Water?
No, pure, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish in water. All other karat gold alloys do tarnish in water depending on the presence of other metals in the alloy.
The least susceptible to tarnishing from water is 22k gold, while the most susceptible is 8k gold.
Does saltwater tarnish gold?
No, saltwater doesn’t tarnish 24k, gold (pure gold). This means you can swim in the sea wearing your favorite gold necklace, ring or bracelet.
Salt water tarnish all other gold karat alloys and tarnishes them faster than regular water.
Does chlorine in water tarnish gold and gold jewelry?
No, chlorine doesn’t tarnish 24k gold jewelry. Chlorine in water tarnishes all other gold karat alloys. It causes gold jewelry to appear darker, yellowish, greyish, or develop unpleasant white spots.
Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide?
No, pure, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to hydrogen peroxide. All other karat types of gold are also highly resistant to this chemical and you can use hydrogen peroxide to clean your gold jewelry and remove tarnish from it.
Hydrogen peroxide is strong enough to damage and strip away gold-plated jewelry and make it tarnish rapidly. Jewelry with imbedded gemstones isn’t safe as well.

Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Vinegar?
Yes, gold tarnishes when exposed to vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and can damage the surface of gold, especially if it’s plated or has intricate details.
You can use vinegar to clean tarnish from your gold items but you need to be careful as improper handling will further tarnish and corrode your gold coins, bars and jewelry.

Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Lemon Juice?
Yes, gold tarnishes when exposed to lemon juice.
Lemon juice is acidic and bathing gold in it causes it to tarnish and be damaged. Especially susceptible is gold alloyed with other metals which are even more reactive to acid in lemon juice.
Amateur jewelry owners often use lemon juice to test the authenticity of their gold. I don’t recommend this gold testing method because lemon juice can tarnish and discolor gold jewelry and bullion.

Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Makeup?
No, gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to makeup. However, exposure to makeup, especially liquid foundations and powders, can cause gold jewelry to lose its shine and potentially discolor slightly due to the chemicals and abrasives present in cosmetics.
Makeup can cause a significant tarnishing reaction when gold is alloyed with other metals like silver or copper.
In general, 24k gold is completely immune to tarnishing from makeup. Other gold karat alloys are more or less resistant based on other metals yellow gold is alloyed with.

Does Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Nitric Acid?
No, gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to nitric acid.Â
You can use nitric acid to test if your gold is real or fake. Genuine gold won’t react with nitric acid, while lower karat gold alloys containing other metals like silver or copper will show a reaction by dissolving slightly in the acid.

Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Bleach?
No, pure, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to bleach. This means 24k gold coins, bars and jewelry are immune to bleaches’ tarnishing effects.
However, gold alloyed with other metals is much more susceptible to bleach. Bleach causes a chemical reaction that disintegrates the alloys in gold jewelry over time and this is much more serious than simple tarnish.
Bleach can even completely destroy gold items submerged in it for long enough time.

Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Baking Soda?
No, pure, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to baking soda. This means 24k gold coins, bars and jewelry are immune to baking soda’s tarnishing effects.
You can even use baking soda to remove tarnish from your gold items. It’s easy to do but you need to be fast and gentle when cleaning gold items with it.
Especially be careful when cleaning thinly plated gold items as baking soda will often eat right through them.
Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Alcohol?
No, pure gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to alcohol. You can even use alcohol to clean your pure gold jewelry without any issues.
However, alcohol easily tarnishes gold vermeil and plated gold. Keep in mind that many products contain alcohol, often hidden deep down in the ingredients list. Some of the alcohol containing products are various perfumes, cosmetics, hand sanitizers, nail polish removers….
These products can react with non-24k gold over time causing it to discolor and tarnish.
Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Toothpaste?
No, pure gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to toothpaste. Pure gold is highly resistant to oxidation and doesn’t readily react with chemicals, including those found in toothpaste.
You can even use toothpaste to test your gold for authenticity, though the method is rudimentary and far from being the best.
Does Pure Gold Tarnish When Exposed to Moisturized Air?
No, pure, 24k gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to moisturized air. Authentic gold is a very inert metal and doesn’t readily react with oxygen or moisture.
However, gold jewelry that is alloyed with other metals (copper, silver steel, iron…) will tarnish due to the reactivity of those alloyed metals with air and moisture.
Basically, 24k gold is unaffected by moisturized air. 22k, 20k, 18k, 14k, 12k, 10k, 9k, and 8k all tarnish when exposed to moisturized air. Higher karat gold tarnish less and slower than lower karat gold.
Does White Gold Tarnish?
No, white gold doesn’t tarnish. White gold is made of an alloy of yellow gold and rhodium and neither of these two precious metals tarnishes.
However, the rhodium coating can wear away over time, causing the white gold to change color to a pale yellow hue.
This isn’t tarnish though.

Does Black Gold Tarnish?
No, black gold doesn’t tarnish. Black gold is made from non-tarnishing yellow gold plated with either cobalt oxide or rhodium.
And both of these material don’t tarnish as well.
Does Rose Gold Tarnish?
Yes, rose gold tarnishes.
The yellow gold within rose gold will never tarnish, but the copper content of pink gold will oxidize and cause rose gold to darken and develop a patina.
Some people love the way rose gold with patina looks, and some don’t and seek to remove it.

Does Green Gold Tarnish?
Yes, green gold tarnishes. It’s because green gold is a natural gold alloy that contains silver and silver can tarnish.
Still, there’s only an average of 25% silver in typical green gold and this means tarnishing will take a lot of time and will be barely noticeable.
Does Purple Gold Tarnish?
No, purple gold doesn’t tarnish. Purple gold is an alloy of yellow, 24k gold and aluminum in the standard percentage ratio of 75:25.
24k gold is immune to tarnishing, and so is aluminum.
Note: purple gold can still change its appearance due to aluminum content. Even though aluminum is immune to tarnishing it can still corrode when repeatedly hit with water, humidity, acidity, and other harsh chemicals.
Deep scratches and abrasions also expose the aluminum to corrosion.
Does Blue Gold Tarnish?
Yes, blue gold tarnishes when yellow gold is alloyed with gallium. Gallium is a metal that’s stable in dry air, but slowly oxidizes in moist air to form a protective film. In blue gold this would be seen as tarnish and blemish on the surface of the jewelry.
Blue gold doesn’t tarnish when yellow gold is alloyed with indium. Indium is resistant to tarnishing and even corrosion unless you drop strong acids on it.
Does Gold Vermeil (Sterling Silver) Tarnish?
Yes, gold vermeil tarnishes. Gold vermeil is a type of jewelry that combines an authentic sterling silver base with a thick layer of gold plating. The outer layer of gold won’t tarnish, especially if it’s made of 24k gold.
But if the outer plating is damaged and silver is exposed, silver will start to tarnish over time.
Does Gold-Plated Brass Tarnish?
Yes, gold-plated brass tarnishes. The gold plate around the brass won’t tarnish, especially if made of 24k gold. But if the plate is damaged and brass is exposed then tarnishing will happen as both copper and zinc tarnish when exposed to water, moist air and other substances.

Does Gold-Plated Stainless Steel Tarnish?
No, gold-plated stainless steel doesn’t tarnish. Gold plate doesn’t tarnish, especially if the plate is made of 24k gold. And the stainless steel base won’t tarnish as well because stainless steel contains chromium.
Chromium reacts with oxygen to form a protective layer over the metal and this layer prevents moisture and oxygen from reaching the metal, thus preventing tarnishing.

Does Gold Tarnish or Not (Including Info on Tarnishing Gold Jewelry, 18K Gold, 14K, 9K…)- Conclusion
Real gold doesn’t tarnish. Gold alloyed with other metals tarnished and how much depends on the metal it’s alloyed with.
Pure gold jewelry doesn’t tarnish, but gold-plated jewelry that’s mostly made of silver, brass, stainless steel or even iron will tarnish and potentially oxidize and corrode.
Have questions?
Shoot them in the comment section below.
References:
- Why Does Jewelry Tarnish & Does Gold Filled Jewelry Tarnish Over Time?- https://s-kin.com.au/blogs/s-kin-studio-diaries/why-does-jewelry-tarnish-does-gold-filled-jewelry-tarnish-over-time
- Why is this happening? sterling silver gold plated earrings tarnishing but only the part that stays inside the skin. https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/comments/y8bzfp/why_is_this_happening_sterling_silver_gold_plated/
- How long Gold Plating over brass will last? Will the zinc discolor plating?- https://www.finishing.com/534/24p2.shtml
- Tarnish on 18K rose gold band after holding it once. Did I get scammed?- https://www.reddit.com/r/EngagementRings/comments/1126sm4/tarnish_on_18k_rose_gold_band_after_holding_it/
- Why is my white gold tarnishing?- https://www.jodiegearing.com/why-is-my-white-gold-tarnishing/

Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.