You've seen it before — beautiful gold jewelry that turns green, fades, or leaves a mark on your skin after just a few weeks. Here's why that happens, and how to make sure it never happens again.

How Gold Plating Works

Standard gold-plated jewelry is made by electroplating — using an electric current to deposit a thin layer of gold onto a base metal (usually brass or copper). The gold layer is typically just 0.5 to 2.5 microns thick. Beautiful at first, but that layer wears away with friction, moisture, sweat, and time, revealing the base metal underneath.

That's why gold-plated rings leave green marks on your fingers. That's why your necklace fades after a summer. That's why so much affordable jewelry disappoints.

How 18K Gold PVD Works

PVD — Physical Vapor Deposition — is a completely different process. Gold is vaporized in a high-vacuum chamber and fused onto the metal at a molecular level. The result is a bond 5 to 10 times more durable than standard electroplating.

With PVD, the gold doesn't sit on top of the metal. It becomes part of it. Water, sweat, chlorine, salt — none of it can break that bond. That's why Purajoia jewelry is fully waterproof and tarnish-free, not just water-resistant.

The Truth About 'Water Resistant' Jewelry

Many brands say their jewelry is 'water resistant' — which means it can handle light splashes but not swimming, showering, or the gym. That's standard gold plating with a vague promise.

Waterproof means exactly that — you can swim in it, shower in it, sleep in it, work out in it. That's 18K Gold PVD. At Purajoia, we don't say 'water resistant.' We say never take it off — because you genuinely don't have to.

How to Tell the Difference When Shopping

Look for these keywords when buying gold jewelry: • 18K Gold PVD or Gold PVD coating ✓ • Surgical stainless steel base ✓ • 'Remove before swimming' — this is gold plated ✗ • 'Avoid perfume and water' — this is gold plated ✗ • Hypoallergenic and nickel-free ✓