10 Tried & Tested, Tarnish-Free “Gold” Jewellery Brands

Tarnish-free gold jewellery sounds too good to be true and often it is, unless you’re ready to really invest. With "waterproof", "sweat-proof" and "swim-proof" jewellery styles dominating social media, how do you avoid the dreaded green-tinged fingers? Or be certain that "gold" necklace won’t resemble a rusty spoon after a couple of swims in the sea? Forever sceptical of grand marketing claims, I set out to find out. 

Gearing up for a strenuous month of jewellery styling, I loaded my wrists, ears and neck with a good helping of pretty gold pieces — think Daisy Jones bangle tambourine wrists — to see which ones still glistened after a few weeks of wear. It’s a tough life, I know. 

The general consensus among jewellery experts is that solid gold is the only way to guarantee your jewellery will remain tarnish-free. That said, many budget-friendly brands have put a new gold-plating technique into practice and so far it’s seen impressive results. Known as ​​physical vapor deposition (PVD), this new technique is ten times thicker than regular gold plating, making pieces much less susceptible to corrosion, tarnishing or fading. Comparing the real-deal investment pieces with these cost-friendly PVD picks, I’m yet to notice a difference in the tarnish-free stakes following several showers, sea swims and sweat sessions. 

Keep scrolling to read my reviews of tarnish-free jewellery brands to suit every budget, from standout styles you’ll want to save up for to payday pick-me-ups that seem to last just as long.