"Green-Ear" What You Need To Know!....If you are a vintage or modern doll collector, you have either had first hand experience dealing with or have heard of Green Ear. I firmly believe by being an educated consumer on this topic, you can navigate through some of the hype and fear. Green ear is the after effect of junk metal that has tarnished over years which is brought on by a multitude of conditions & outside factors. (moisture, heat, chemical reactions etc) All junk metal (including plated) contains one common green ear danger "BRASS & JUNK METAL ALLOYS" When brass & junk metal alloys tarnish, it creates a greenish build up over time. That slime (sometimes crusty) builds up over time and leaches into the vinyl/rubber of both vintage and modern dolls. To prevent this condition I use ONLY 14K GOLD FILLED or NYLON posts ONLY in all my earrings. (I DO NOT use WHITE vinyl coated florist wire either, see why below) Gold Filled does not contain any junk metal or brass alloys which produces green ear in the first place. Several eBay sellers who offer earrings for both Barbie & the Revlon's are selling them on WHITE coated vinyl wire. When this wire is bent or straighten from a roll the coating on the wire cracks & chips exposing the metal wire underneath. That metal wire is made with, YES, you guessed it, brass & junk metal alloys. There is also no such things as "High Quality" vinyl coated wire. If the conditions are right, (and they are in every home in America, with the rise and drop of temperature & humidity in your home) by using this type of product, you will have just created the ideal situation to set your doll up for green ear. Vinyl coated wire is not safe to use on any doll...PERIOD! No matter who you purchase from, be an educated consumer and ask questions as to what they are using in their products. Once you receive them, test them to make sure they are safe. You can do this using a magnet. If you can pick up the posts of the earrings with a magnet, they are brass & junk metal alloys and should never be used. (gold filled WILL NOT be attracted to the magnet).

Also, please be careful if following the instructions given on making jewelry pieces for your precious dolls. Not only will Vintage & Modern dolls develop green ear from wearing plated & junk metal earrings, they will also develop a greening of the neck, if plated metals are used for making drop pearl necklaces.

Directions on how to treat greening, if you have a doll who has it, can be found in my next guide!