Gold is one of the least reactive elements on the Periodic Table. It doesn’t react with oxygen, so it never rusts or corrodes. Gold is unaffected by air, water, alkalis and all acids except aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid) which can dissolve gold.

What happens if you leave gold in water?

Wearing solid gold jewelry, white gold or yellow gold, in the shower will not harm the metal itself, however it can reduce the shine therefore it is not recommended. Showering with gold plated jewelry can eventually cause the gold layer to wear off completely, therefore you should definitely refrain from doing so.

What causes gold to corrode?

Gold alloys contain elements that do undergo oxidation. The more alloying elements that a gold alloy has, the more likely it is that gold corrosion will occur. Having compositions comprised of large amounts of alloying elements is usually how tarnishing of cheaper gold jewelry occurs.

More to the point, because gold and silver don’t corrode, you could store them in a water-filled fish tank. Rather than storing them in water, though, it’s recommended to store gold and silver in dry places like a depository, a safe deposit box, or an at-home safe.