Dispute between mother and aunt

[pyramid]

Two old nine carat gold lockets one bought about a year before the other. One has tarnished the other has staying bright which my mother believes is because it was stored in a box with cotton wool. Would this be the reason or is it in the different mix of the alloys or something other? Just curious

 

[strmrdr]

The way its stored can have a huge effect on how well an item survives over time.
My guess is that the storage differences is a very large part of it.

 

[Hest88]

How was the other stored? If the cotton wool kept the first locket from being exposed to air then it could very well have helped.

 

[pyramid]

Thank you for your replies.


The other locket was being worn when they first noticed it and was ONLY 1 year old. When my mother got hers she started keeping it in a box with cotton wool when not being worn and it has stayed bright. My aunt wears her locket occasionally but unless polished does not stay bright although she said it was shiny when she got it originally. The lockets are both about 40 years old now and were about the same price when bought new. Both are 9 carat gold bought in the United Kingdom.