Does Target Jewelry Tarnish? (Quality, Reviews + More)

Do you know if Target jewelry tarnishes? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Target sells several lines of jewelry. The company offers everything from inexpensive costume jewelry for kids to fine jewelry with slightly higher price tags. Some Target jewelry does tarnish. Other pieces do not or won’t for quite a long time. It depends on what the jewelry is made of. 

The following article includes information about the quality of jewelry at Target and what you can expect from certain lines they sell. We’ll look at some reviews from existing customers that have purchased jewelry at Target and discuss some tips on how to care for your jewelry.

Learn what Target jewelry tarnishes below.

What Target Jewelry Does Tarnish?

Target sells various lines of jewelry. A New Day is one of their popular lines. Customers can find gold or silver colored jewelry pieces for low prices. 

A New Day jewelry is known to tarnish. Some reviews indicate the discoloring happens quickly while others state it wasn’t fast and they’re pleased with the jewelry.

The pieces are made of nickel-free metal and brass. Then they’re coated with the color. 

Over time, brass and other metals start to tarnish leaving a green residue on the metal that can transfer to your skin and anything else it touches.

It happens faster if the metal is exposed to moisture, so things like wearing jewelry in the shower or while working out cause the jewelry to tarnish faster.

Another line of increasingly popular jewelry at Target is Wild Fable. This brand launched almost five years ago. It’s focused on trendiness and a young, yet inclusive audience. 

Wild Fable jewelry is priced affordably. Some pieces are made of zinc alloy and acrylic with a gold-tone layer on top. Just as with the A New Day jewelry mentioned above, the rings do start to tarnish eventually.

You may find green markings on your fingers, neck, or ears from this line of jewelry, also.

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What Kind of Jewelry Doesn’t Tarnish?

Solid gold and certain solid silver jewelry do not tarnish. When metal tarnishes, it’s because of contact with oils, makeup, dirt, and other substances.

These cause chemical reactions that break down the metal leaving residue behind. That’s the discoloration that you find on your skin and the jewelry.

Gold and some silver, as well as other kinds of durable metals, are not susceptible to oxidation. These metals do not tarnish. Sterling silver does tarnish but is easy to polish back to a shine.

Though they don’t tarnish, they do require cleaning and polishing from time to time. You can easily clean them with solutions found at jewelry stores and other retail locations.

There are also specialized cleaning cloths for jewelry metals.

Do Gold and Silver Plated Jewelry Tarnish?

First, let’s talk about what’s meant by gold or silver plated. This type of jewelry has real gold or silver on the exterior but something else inside. They are not solid precious metals all the way through.

Various metals are used underneath the plating to create the jewelry. Some of the most common are copper or brass.

You may also find different alloys. There is often a layer of nickel in between the metal base and the gold or silver plating, as well.

Though the outside is coated in a precious metal that shouldn’t tarnish, the metal inside can. Plated jewelry will take much longer for tarnishing to appear, but it can happen.

The metal inside may tarnish and eventually make its way through the plating to the surface. 

Does Target Sell Solid Gold Jewelry?

Target sells what they deem as “fine jewelry” in their stores. This is a label that’s relative to other pieces they offer. Fine jewelry at Target is not the same as what you’ll find at the local jeweler’s shop. 

Target does not sell solid gold jewelry. You can find gold plated jewelry for affordable prices. For instance, A New Day offers Rose Gold Over Sterling Silver Halo Cubic Zirconia Stud Fine Jewelry Earrings in Target’s jewelry department. 

There’s no way for Target to offer solid gold jewelry and keep with their mission of bringing quality products to customers at discount prices. You can go to the Target website and search for 14k gold jewelry. Both yellow and white gold pieces will appear.

They aren’t sold by Target, though. They must be purchased online and they’re shipped through a Target+ partner called Pompeii3.

How Can You Keep Jewelry from Tarnishing?

Moisture is one of the main reasons jewelry tarnishes. You should try to keep your jewelry dry. Store it in a dry environment. Many people store jewelry in their bathrooms.

This is not a good idea. The bathroom is likely the most humid room in your home. It’s better to store jewelry in a closet or a jewelry box in your bedroom.

Keep like jewelry together when stored. You should separate all pieces of one type of metal into one drawer and all pieces of another into a different drawer. Also, it’s best to keep costume jewelry away from fine jewelry.

You should also make a point to clean your jewelry at regular intervals. Even if all you do is wipe it down with a jewelry polishing rag or use a jewelry cleaning wipe, it helps keep tarnish from building.

What Metals Tarnish the Most?

Brass is a common metal used to make jewelry. It’s known for tarnishing and especially if it gets wet. The same is true of copper. You don’t want to wear these types of metals in the shower or to the pool. Try to keep them as dry as possible. 

Sterling silver is another metal that tarnishes easily. The silver starts turning black. It’s easy to polish it off, though. So, keep your sterling silver out of the bathroom and make sure to have a jewelry polishing cloth handy.

Any gold that’s 14k or above does not tarnish. If you have any gold jewelry that does tarnish, chances are it’s not real. It may be gold plated.

Real gold does not react to any of the substances that cause tarnish. 

Can You Clean Tarnished Jewelry?

Most tarnished jewelry can be cleaned. You just have to know what to do. Here are some cleaning tips for specific metals that tarnish.

Cheap Jewelry Cleaner: How to clean fake jewelry >> Check out the video below:

Sterling Silver

Most of us are familiar with sterling silver and what it looks like when it tarnishes. It goes from shiny polished silver to dull black metal.

The good news is it’s easy to polish black tarnish off sterling silver with a polishing cloth. 

Here’s another little tip. Sterling silver reacts well to natural skin oils. That means if you wear it all the time, the oils in your skin help keep your silver jewelry looking clean.

You don’t need more than the polishing cloth in most cases. However, there are some silver cleaners and creams on the market.

It’s ok to use them, but you want to be diligent about reading the directions and using them accordingly because the chemicals in them can be dangerous with improper use.

Brass

You can also polish brass with a polishing cloth. If you do this regularly, that should be all you need. 

If you have a more difficult tarnish mess to clean up, you can mix up some soap and water. Don’t use a harsh soap.

Stick to something gentle like Dawn and warm water. Then, gently wash your brass jewelry with a soft cloth. Make sure to dry the jewelry completely.

Do not leave any moisture behind. This will cause worse tarnish than you started with.

Copper

Copper jewelry tarnishes just like a penny does. It takes on a dark brown color and loses its shine. You can clean your copper jewelry with a simple solution made with ingredients you’ll likely have at home.

Start with a bowl. Pour in some water, about a tablespoon of baking soda, and a few drops of lemon juice. 

Place your copper jewelry in the bowl to soak it for at least a few hours. You can leave it overnight if you prefer.

When you take it out of the solution, rinse it well and use a soft cloth or soft-bristled brush to remove any tarnish left.

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Jewelry Maintenance FAQs:

What jewelry can you wear in the shower?

Some jewelry is fine to wear in the shower. The moisture doesn’t affect certain metals like it does others. These are ok in the shower:

• Solid gold
• Platinum
• Stainless steel
• Sterling silver

Should I take my jewelry off to sleep?

It’s recommended to take jewelry off when sleeping. It’s not safe and you risk breaking a piece. You could also cause some jewelry to tarnish more quickly.

Does Target gold tarnish?

Target gold will likely tarnish as it’s gold-plated, not solid gold.

Final Thoughts

Target jewelry does tarnish but you can help prevent it or slow it down. If you maintain your jewelry by cleaning it regularly and storing it in a dry environment, your jewelry will stay in good shape.

You’ll find many beautiful pieces of jewelry at Target for the discount prices you know them for, so take advantage of it and make use of our easy tips above.

References

https://www.target.com/