is pvd gold real gold? an honest answer

what pvd actually means

pvd stands for physical vapor deposition. in a vacuum chamber, gold is vaporized and bonded to the steel at a molecular level using heat and pressure. that's different from electroplating, where a thin layer of gold is dipped or painted onto a reactive base metal like brass or copper. the pvd layer ends up roughly 5 to 10 times thicker than standard plating, and because it's bonded rather than deposited, it doesn't peel, chip, or wear off with daily use.

so is it real gold?

it's real gold, used as a coating. we're not going to tell you it's solid gold, because it isn't, and anyone who does is hoping you won't ask. solid 14k or 18k gold is gold all the way through, and it costs what it costs, hundreds of dollars for a simple chain. our pieces are real gold bonded to surgical-grade stainless steel, which gives you the look and the durability of fine jewelry at a fraction of the price. that's the whole trade, and we'd rather you know exactly what you're buying.

does pvd gold tarnish?

no, not the way cheap plating does. tarnish happens when the base metal reacts with air, water, and sweat and bleeds through a thin plating layer. pvd's thick, molecularly bonded coating over non-reactive stainless steel doesn't give that reaction anywhere to go. with normal wear you get years out of it, which is why we back every piece with a lifetime tarnish guarantee. if yours ever tarnishes, we replace it, free.

is it hypoallergenic?

yes. the base is stainless steel, which is naturally nickel-free, so it's one of the safer choices for sensitive skin and ears. no green marks, no itch.

pvd vs the other kinds of gold jewelry

if you want jewelry you never take off and never baby, pvd and solid gold are the two that hold up to true everyday wear. we build on pvd so that look costs $50 instead of $500.

why we're this blunt about it

most jewelry brands blur the line on purpose because "solid gold energy" sells. we'd rather be the brand you trust. we tell you it's a coating, we tell you exactly what that coating does and doesn't do, and we stand behind it with a lifetime tarnish guarantee.

and because good things should do more than one job, 1% of every order goes to kids in foster care, a cause our founder alexandria grew up inside of.

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