# Question about Coach gold hardware



## anabg

Hi. I have a question about Coach hardware.  I have a small Madeline that I bought a year and a half ago.  I don't use it much.  It has probably spent the last 8 or 9 months in the closet.  I pulled it out today and most of the hardware has turned.  Is this normal for Coach hardware?  I own some Coach but nothing in comparison to some of you guys.  All the other Coach bags I have are holding out great, even bags from the early 2000's. TIA.


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## donutsprinkles

I only have 2 Coach bags with hardware and the silver hardware from 2012-ish MFF is still perfectly silver with no strange turning/rusty colors. I usually wipe it down and put it in a cloth bag in my closet.

Do you wipe the hardware and bag before storing it in a dust bag?

Not blaming you, just trying to see if that's the difference? It's possible Coach is using cheaper materials than before. It's kind of upsetting, considering that I have costume jewelry from Fossil that hasn't turned but everything else does these days. 

I wonder, does anyone here paint their hardware in clear nail polish?


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## anabg

donutsprinkles said:


> I only have 2 Coach bags with hardware and the silver hardware from 2012-ish MFF is still perfectly silver with no strange turning/rusty colors. I usually wipe it down and put it in a cloth bag in my closet.
> 
> Do you wipe the hardware and bag before storing it in a dust bag?
> 
> Not blaming you, just trying to see if that's the difference? It's possible Coach is using cheaper materials than before. It's kind of upsetting, considering that I have costume jewelry from Fossil that hasn't turned but everything else does these days.
> 
> I wonder, does anyone hear paint their hardware in clear nail polish?




Hi.  Thanks for your reply.  I don't do anything to the hardware before putting the bag away.  I only clean or moisturize the leather as needed.  I have the Coach products for that.

I love this bag and I am considering asking Coach if they can replace at least some of the hardware.  Would that be something they do?


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## alansgail

anabg said:


> Hi. I have a question about Coach hardware.  I have a small Madeline that I bought a year and a half ago.  I don't use it much.  It has probably spent the last 8 or 9 months in the closet.  I pulled it out today and most of the hardware has turned.  Is this normal for Coach hardware?  I own some Coach but nothing in comparison to some of you guys.  All the other Coach bags I have are holding out great, even bags from the early 2000's. TIA.


Before contacting Coach about it I would recommend getting a polishing cloth and see if that does the trick. I've never had any of the newer hardware turn on me, just the older brass which is to be expected and it can be polished up.


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## anabg

alansgail said:


> Before contacting Coach about it I would recommend getting a polishing cloth and see if that does the trick. I've never had any of the newer hardware turn on me, just the older brass which is to be expected and it can be polished up.



Thank you. I will try that first.  Some of it does feel like it's "chipped" when I run my fingers on top. Also, where the hardware was touching the leather, the leather turned green.  But I think the green will come off.


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## Hyacinth

anabg said:


> Thank you. I will try that first.  Some of it does feel like it's "chipped" when I run my fingers on top. Also, where the hardware was touching the leather, the leather turned green.  But I think the green will come off.



If the leather is turning green, it sounds like verdigris caused by a problem that often affects brass and brass-coated metals I sht emetal turning green too?. It's common with older Coaches and with Legacy leather bags from the 2006 65th Anniversary collection that used a different kind of brass plating.

Pictures would help. The experts at the Rehab & Rescue thread might be able to help once they can actually see what the problem areas look like.


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## anabg

Hyacinth said:


> If the leather is turning green, it sounds like verdigris caused by a problem that often affects brass and brass-coated metals I sht emetal turning green too?. It's common with older Coaches and with Legacy leather bags from the 2006 65th Anniversary collection that used a different kind of brass plating.
> 
> Pictures would help. The experts at the Rehab & Rescue thread might be able to help once they can actually see what the problem areas look like.



Thank you, Hyacinth. I will post pics today. I already removed the green from the leather, though, but you can still tell where it happened a little bit. And funny enough the hardware didn't look green.


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## anabg

Here are some.  The leather turned green where the long crossbody strap connects to the handles, but the clasp of the strap doesn't look green at all,  just the color has chipped.
The first picture best represents what most of the hardware looks like now.


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## barcoimage

Did we ever get an answer to this? I took sandpaper to one of the dogleash clips on a novelty strap and it started turning pink. Does that mean the hardware is made of nickel?


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## Hyacinth

barcoimage said:


> Did we ever get an answer to this? I took sandpaper to one of the dogleash clips on a novelty strap and it started turning pink. Does that mean the hardware is made of nickel?




Almost all the hardware - clips, buckles, etc., on Coaches made after approximately 1990 are just PLATED metals. We don't know what kind of metal was used underneath. I don't know why you used sandpaper but if the plating has been sanded off that was obviously a mistake. I've never heard of using sandpaper on Coach hardware, not even if it's SOLID brass.

I suggest you ask at the Rehab and Rescue Forum for advice but I doubt if the damage can be fixed. And please start a new thread, we don't recommend resurrecting six-year old posts.


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