Material & Care

Stainless Steel vs Gold Vermeil vs Solid Gold

17 Sept 2026 · 3 min read

Three materials, three price points, and three very different answers to "how long will this actually last?"

We sell one of them. Here's the honest comparison anyway — including the parts that don't favor us.

The numbers, side by side

	PVD steel	Gold vermeil	Solid gold
Gold layer	3 microns, bonded	2.5 microns min. (legal minimum), plated	Not plated — solid all the way through
Base metal	316L stainless steel	Sterling silver	None
Realistic lifespan	Years of daily wear	1–2 years before visible wear	Decades — passed down, not worn out
Water & sweat	Built for it	The thing that kills it fastest	Fine, but the base metal isn't the risk — scratching is
Typical price	€40	€150	€900+

Steel — the one that doesn't quit

A three-micron PVD gold layer bonded to 316L steel, with no reactive base metal underneath to push it off. It shrugs off the shower, the sea, sweat, and years of daily wear without flaking or tarnishing.

The trade-off: it's not solid gold, and it never will be. What you're buying is durability at a price, not an heirloom.

Gold vermeil — warmer, but it has a clock on it

Vermeil is real gold plated over sterling silver — by law, at least 2.5 microns. That's thinner than what we use, and silver is a reactive metal, so it tarnishes underneath the plating over time, especially with water and sweat exposure.

It photographs beautifully and it feels closer to solid gold on the hand. But realistically, most vermeil pieces show wear at the edges and high-contact points within a year or two of regular use — sooner if you shower or swim in it often.

Solid gold — the one you'll own for thirty years

No plating, nothing to wear through — the gold goes all the way through the piece. It can scratch and dent like any soft metal, but it won't ever reveal a base metal underneath, because there isn't one.

This is the material for the one piece you're not buying to match an outfit — an engagement ring, a piece you want to pass down. It's priced like it, too.

Which to buy for what

Everyday wear: steel. It's the only one of the three built to survive a daily routine without babying it.
Gym and the pool: steel, without question — the other two aren't designed for constant water and sweat contact.
Holiday and travel: steel — one less thing to worry about losing or damaging, and it handles sun cream and sea water without a second thought.
A gift: vermeil if the budget is mid-range and the look matters more than the lifespan; steel if you want it to still look good a year from now.
A milestone piece: solid gold. This is the one category where the price is the point.

FAQ

Is gold vermeil better than stainless steel?

It depends what you're optimizing for. Vermeil feels closer to solid gold and photographs warmer; PVD steel lasts far longer under water, sweat, and daily wear because there's no reactive silver base underneath to tarnish.

Does gold vermeil tarnish?

Yes, eventually — the sterling silver base underneath is a reactive metal, and the legally required minimum plating (2.5 microns) is thin enough that regular water and sweat exposure wears through it over one to two years.

What's the difference between gold filled and gold plated?

Gold filled uses a mechanically bonded layer that's far thicker than standard plating — closer to PVD in durability, though still not solid gold. Gold plated (including most vermeil) uses a thinner layer applied by electroplating.

Is stainless steel jewelry cheap-looking?

No — a good PVD finish is visually indistinguishable from solid gold at normal viewing distance. The difference is in the metal underneath, not how it looks.

We make the steel one. Now you know exactly why — and when it isn't the right answer.