07/08/2026
Not all gold is created equal. Spoiler: one of these isn’t even gold.
📣 PVD: a coating, not a gold content. A thin layer vacuum-bonded onto... something. We don’t know what, you don’t know what, and there’s no test certificate to enlighten either of us. „Gold PVD“ is often 0% gold — just a gold-toned finish slapped on a mystery metal. Hard pass from us. We like our piercings drama-free.
📣 Plated: a real (if thin) layer of gold over a base metal, usually something cheap doing the heavy lifting underneath. Cheapest option on this list, and it shows — zero requirements means it’s a gamble. Some pieces last years, some start flaking before your next shower.
📣 Vermeil: gold on top of sterling silver, minimum 2.5 microns, no cheap alloy hiding underneath. Precious metal, all the way through. Our Christine Bekaert statement pieces go even thicker, in 18kt, because we don’t really do „halfway.“ Honestly? Best bang for your buck on this whole list.
📣 Gold filled: a thicker layer, permanently bonded — not just plated on and hoping for the best. Fine jewelry energy, without the fine jewelry invoice.
📣 And solid gold? A jeweler writing you a suspiciously long essay on why their gold is cheaper than the boutique down the street doesn’t make it good quality. Only a test certificate does that — marketing copy doesn’t count. Jewelry worn through the body, not around it, needs to meet a different bar than a bracelet ever will. That’s why piercing jewelry requirements are so much stricter. Sadly, only a handful of companies on earth actually meat the bar.
Moral of the story: not all jewelry is made equal, and what’s perfect for your bestie might not be it for you. It all comes down to your style, budget and expectations. Just pick with your eyes open.
xo Gigi
