[SouthDixie]

does not tarnish

Gold does tarnish, it is a matter of grade that allows it to tarnish more or less.

[Bernard Marx]

Gold does tarnish, it is a matter of grade that allows it to tarnish more or less.

Pure gold does not tarnish. The "grade" depends on the amount of alloy metals like silver, copper, nickel, zinc mixed with the gold which do tarnish. 10 karat gold, for instance, is only .4167 % gold, so tarnishing of the alloys is quick and obvious. 18K gold is 75% pure gold and the alloys will tarnish more slowly over time. In neither case does the gold tarnish.

[docbnj]

It is pretty hard to tarnish pure gold.

Bear in mind that gold used in jewelry is far from pure. Pure gold is 24-karat, American-made jewelry is usually 14K (which means 14/24 Au). European jewelry is 18/24 Au. That means that even European jewelry is at best normally only two-thirds gold.

[bert]

Gold never tarishes. If the alloy contains so little gold there is oxidation, it is the other metals that oxidize.