QuestionI have a 9ct gold pendant, it is square with raised Chinese lettering on the front and a patterned design around all four sides. There is black staining, or some kind of dirt build up around the edges of the lettering and in between the patterned design. I have tried cleaning it with warm soapy water and a toothbrush and was unsuccessful. Could you please tell how, or what I should use to remove these stains. Thank you.
AnswerMaria, thanks for the question.
If the stain is tarnish on the metal that explains why normal cleaning will not remove it. My suggestion is to take the pendant to a jewelers and ask if they can put it in "silver dip" for a while, meaning less than a minute. Often, that will remove tarnish from gold. Otherwise, the best approach since your efforts have not done the trick, is to have jeweler polish the piece. Soft rotary brushes and polishing compounds are used and this will provide a sheen as well as remove tarnish.
It the black was there from the start, it may be a deliberate patina used to accentuate the recessed areas and highlight the higher areas. If a chemical finish buffing will remove. If more of a solid substance or baked on, buffing will not remove the finish. In that case, I suggest having the pendant polished and cleaned, leaving the patina in the recesses.
Let me know with a follow-up if you need more info on this.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas. June 5, 2008 7:25PM
