Cleaning Costume Jewelry and De-Yellowing Welo Opals?

[lah2001]

Hi All! Anyone know how best to clean tarnish off costume jewelry? I'm talking mystery metal costume, not sterling silver. I have a few pieces of costume jewelry in which the metal has discolored.

Also, anyone know if there's a way to remove the yellow cast to Ethiopian Welo opals? I have an opal necklace from ShopLC that I wore a few times, and kept in a jewelry box the rest of the time. I looked at it yesterday, and it had turned yellow. When I search online, all I get is info about hydrophane opals absorbing water and changing color due to that. But my opals have not been near water in a long time. Did they "dry out" or something, perhaps? Did I keep them in the dark for too long?

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[Bella]

Hi Lah2001! The subject of opals turning yellow have been discussed several times on the forum in the past and there are different opinions on why and how to remedy. Most say once they turn yellow it’s not reversible, that’s why I don’t buy any Welo opals. I have heard keep them moist, keep them dry, don’t use a tarnish free box for storage, put grains of rice in your jewelry boxes, the list goes on. I’m no expert so I can’t say one way or the other. Does anybody else on the forum know for sure?
As far as a good costume jewelry cleaner, I would Google one or check Amazon.

[Sea]

I had a nice Welo Opal set kept them in my jewelry box one day I looked and they were all yellow tried the soaking in water theory did nothing for them. I was so disgusted never knew this could happen would have never bought any if I did. What a big waste of money for me any time I see they having shows I say please know what can happen to the opals.

[CaribbeanGirl]

I have had the same thing happen. I bought matching wello opal, with blue apatite ring, necklace & earrings wore them 3 or 4 times, put them in a little zip pouch that Shop LC sent them in. About one month later I went to put them on & all of them had turned yellow. I was sick, I do not spend much money on things like this for my self, this was about 3 yrs. ago in better times. I had read about wellos ahead of time to see what care they needed & did not get them wet at all of course it was way too long since I bought them so I could not send them back. It really is not fair at all, I have read on here where many people have had this happen with wellos bought from SLC. I wish there was a way to fix them. I am keeping them just in case we get lucky.

[FarmMom]

Hi Lah, in regards to the "tarnish" usually it's actually metal coming off, not an oxidation, but you could try regular white toothpaste with an old toothbrush. But sadly it's possible it was rhodium over brass or something, and to refinish rhodium costs a fortune. You could take it to a jeweler and they might be able to test the metal, maybe even a high end pawn shop might be able to tell you.

In regards to the opals, Bella is right, there is a lot of speculation. I read exposure to perfume can do it, lotions, sweat, and chemicals or water. You could dry putting in a bag of rice for a week or two in case it IS a moisture issue. (Also as possibility that SLC uses resin filled opals which WOULD turn yellow and be irreversible, sadly).

But there IS GOOD NEWS guys . . .

IF, for whatever reason your opals DID turn yellow and you are certain they won't switch back (and certain it's NOT due to resin), you could try SMOKING THEM. Smoked opals are stunning, much like a black opal, and are smoked similar to cheese or something like that. You honestly could even put the whole ring in, and then carefully polish off the smoke from everything else with a mild solution of baking soda and water (keeping it away from your opal).

I think they even smoke bourbon or somethig like that (I've seen smoke kits, kinda cool).

but anyway, I would try that before throwing it in the trash

[colljoe]

Since it's already yellow what's the harm in trying different things right? I had the same thing happen with SLC opal necklace. It was tanzanite and opal (chip) necklace. So pretty together. But alas, took it out one day and How mustard can opals get? Very!
I took pic so I could compare before and after. So, I put in rice, for a week, nothing. I put in water and soaked, and noticed it lightened up, so soaked more. I also noticed tiny bubbles coming up. It DID lighten it, so in comparison, not so mustard yellow but still yellow. Now that it had gotten wet, I put back in the rice, where it sat for many weeks, and nothing. So now I have a tanzanite and yellow opal necklace. In comparison, I have nice opals from JTV. But they encase their opals, (doublet), so I still have nice ones, necklace, earrings and rings, from them. You have nothing to lose, give soaking a try. Best of luck. Remember, it still shows color and most people have no clue. So wear it and enjoy.
P.S.: as far as costume jewelry, I agree with FarmMom. Clean it up with brush and jewelry cleaner or toothpaste. It will make it look clean and a better sparkle.

[FarmMom]

Since it's already yellow what's the harm in trying different things right? I had the same thing happen with SLC opal necklace. It was tanzanite and opal (chip) necklace. So pretty together. But alas, took it out one day and How mustard can opals get? Very!
I took pic so I could compare before and after. So, I put in rice, for a week, nothing. I put in water and soaked, and noticed it lightened up, so soaked more. I also noticed tiny bubbles coming up. It DID lighten it, so in comparison, not so mustard yellow but still yellow. Now that it had gotten wet, I put back in the rice, where it sat for many weeks, and nothing. So now I have a tanzanite and yellow opal necklace. In comparison, I have nice opals from JTV. But they encase their opals, (doublet), so I still have nice ones, necklace, earrings and rings, from them. You have nothing to lose, give soaking a try. Best of luck. Remember, it still shows color and most people have no clue. So wear it and enjoy.
P.S.: as far as costume jewelry, I agree with FarmMom. Clean it up with brush and jewelry cleaner or toothpaste. It will make it look clean and a better sparkle.

I would say if it's in chip form most likely it's in epoxy or resin, which will yellow over time

[lah2001]

I have an email into customer service, a call into Personal Shoppers, AND a call into customer service to have someone who supposedly knows about Welo Opals get back to me about the yellowing issue. I don't want to continue buying Welo Opals if they're going to turn yellow.

I'll let you all know what response I get, if any. If I hear nothing, I'm going to write to Ankur.

[Bella]

I hope you hear back but I have my doubts. I would certainly like to know the reason, nobody seems to want to answer the question or even knows why.