As long as you follow the care instructions below, the chain and pendant will  maintain their finish and continue to resemble real, shiny gold.  Fashion Jewelry Care Instructions: Try to keep the chain and pendant separate from your other jewelry pieces to avoid scratches.Avoid exposure to cosmetics, chemical solutions, water, and soap, which can cause rust or discoloration to develop over time. Most importantly, avoid exposure to perfumes, which can contain lots of different chemicals that are not suited to fashion jewelry. To preserve and enhance shine, you can rub your jewelry with a soft cloth. If the jewelry gets wet, gently dab the piece dry with an absorbent, non-pilling cloth as soon as possible. Depending on how often you wear your jewelry and how it is cared for, the finish of the pieces could change slightly over time but there will be no tarnishing or discoloration if you follow the care instructions. However, we can tell you that we wear our letter necklaces all-day every-day, and by following the above steps, they all still look pretty much brand new !