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Did Bleach Strip Gold from Wedding Ring?

I was cleaning my apartment last night and used a toilet bowl cleaner [affil links]. I (stupidly) added bleach to the bowl and was met with near toxic fumes and a bubbling reaction.

This morning, my wedding ring has lost it's shine and now resembles a brass colour - have I stripped the gold from it?! Is there a solution available to restore the gold effect?

Please help before my wife notices!

Fraser Hamilton

2006

Hi Frazer,
If the ring is between 10-14k gold (stamped), the gold is still there. The reaction of the toilet bowl cleaner and bleach discolored the ring. It probably attacked the alloys in the ring more than the gold. Pure gold is 24k pure. 14k gold is alloyed with 10 parts of other metals such as copper, nickel, zinc, so the ring can withstand normal wear. I would take the ring to a good jeweler and they can try to polish it up for you. The external layer most likely has a stubborn oxide film that can only be removed by professional polishing. Good Luck!

Mark Baker

2006

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