Will ammonia hurt white gold?

[eks6426]

Will ammonia hurt white gold? I want to use an ammonia/water mixture to clean my diamond earrings. I normally use fairly equal parts ammonia & water. Will it hurt the white gold (or the diamonds) to sit over night in the solution?

Would it hurt my platinum/diamond rings to do the same?

 

[pebbles]

I was told by my jeweler that if white gold is left in ammonia too long that it can wear down the rhodium plating sooner than normal and can also wear down the gold itself a bit too, especially in something like prongs where there isn''t a lot of gold to begin with. He recommended leaving it in ammonia solution for no more than 1/2 hour.

 

[pyramid]

Could any of the experts here comment about this?

 

[WinkHPD]

My experience is that with some alloys it will tarnish the silver in the white gold leaving a blackish look to the metal if left overnight. Thjis can usually be buffed away, but if you are wanting to soak your rings overnight then you will want to get a different product that is free of ammonia.

Wink

 

[princessv]

What is suggested to clean white gold with? I''ve been using a few drops of Dawn dish detergent and warm water. I''ve heard to add a few drops of Windex I''ll have to try that.

 

[Ann]

Not to hijack this thread, but what about chlorine's effect on gold?

After my 9yr. old tennis bracelet broke, my jeweler said it was getting old and brittle. I asked him about chlorine. I swam in it, hot tubbed in it, and showered in it. Cleaned it once a week in whatever solution was handy, usually sudsy ammonia and water. Maybe the combo of the ammonia and the chlorine broke it down?

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I was taught not to use ammonia in jewelry cleaner, and for the same reason to not expose gold to chlorine on an extended basis.

The molecules in ammonia & chlorine can combine with the molecules in gold, causing deterioration if there is long term exposure.

I use non-ammonia Mr. Clean. One part Mr. Clean to three parts water.