What Is PVD Gold? PVD vs Gold Plating vs Vermeil in the UAE Heat

By Pellington · Published 21 October 2026 · Our pieces use PVD, so we have an interest in this topic. We've stuck to what the standards and the published research say, and we cite them at the end.

The short answer. PVD, gold plating and vermeil are three ways of putting a thin layer of gold-coloured metal on top of another metal. None of them is solid gold. Vermeil has a set definition in the US FTC's jewellery guides: gold of at least 10 karat, at least 2.5 microns thick, over sterling silver. Gold plating (electroplating) is usually much thinner. PVD is a vacuum process that produces a hard, thin coating. It is often used over stainless steel, and in the UAE heat what's underneath matters as much as the coating itself.

What is PVD gold?

PVD stands for physical vapour deposition. The piece goes into a vacuum chamber, a metal source is turned into vapour, and that vapour settles on the surface as a thin, tightly bonded film. Watchmakers have used decorative PVD for decades, because the coatings combine colour with good resistance to wear (Society of Vacuum Coaters).

Two things are worth knowing:

• "PVD gold" doesn't always contain gold. Titanium nitride, a common PVD coating, is naturally gold-coloured and contains no gold at all. Many gold-tone PVD finishes use a titanium nitride base with a gold layer on top. Others are titanium nitride only. If gold content matters to you, ask the brand whether its PVD includes a gold layer and what karat it is.
• PVD is still a thin coating. Thickness varies by manufacturer, and most brands don't publish it. PVD is generally harder than ordinary electroplating, but it's not thick like vermeil. It will still wear at friction points over time.

Is PVD gold plating real gold?

Where the PVD process includes a gold layer, the surface contains real gold, but the piece is not gold. The same is true of all plating: "18k" on a plated piece describes the gold layer, not the metal underneath. A PVD-plated piece has no bullion or resale value. Anyone who sells it as "real gold" without the word "plated" is overstating it.

What is gold plating?

Traditional gold plating is electroplating. The piece is placed in a liquid containing gold, and an electric current deposits a layer of gold on the surface. The US FTC's jewellery guides give an example of an acceptable "gold electroplate" marking: gold of at least 10 karat, with a minimum thickness equivalent to 0.175 microns of fine gold. "Heavy gold electroplate" means at least 2.5 microns (16 CFR § 23.3).

The FTC used to say that thinner coatings could be called "gold flashed" or "gold washed". It dropped that advice in its 2018 revision, because its evidence showed shoppers don't read those words as meaning a thinner layer (FTC). So "flashed" or "washed" on a listing doesn't tell you the thickness either. These are US guides. We haven't found an equivalent UAE rule on plating thickness, and many listings never mention it. What "gold plated" means on a label is covered in our gold-plated jewellery guide.

What is gold vermeil?

Vermeil (pronounced "ver-may") is the most tightly defined of the three. Under the FTC guides, a piece should only be called vermeil if it is:

• a base of sterling silver (925),
• coated with gold of at least 10 karat,
• at a minimum thickness equivalent to 2.5 microns of fine gold throughout (16 CFR § 23.4).

If there's a nickel or other base-metal layer between the silver and the gold, the FTC says this must be disclosed. Vermeil's gold layer is thick, but the silver underneath can still tarnish wherever the gold wears through or where the layer is porous, and sterling silver is a soft metal.

PVD vs plating vs vermeil, side by side

Which copes best with UAE heat, sweat and water?

In the Gulf, the coating isn't the whole story. Sweat and sea air contain salt, and humidity stays high for months, so what's under the gold decides how a piece ages once the surface starts to wear. In order of how well the base metal copes:

1. 316L stainless steel resists salt and sweat well because of its molybdenum content, and it doesn't tarnish like silver or brass.
2. Sterling silver (vermeil) tarnishes where it's exposed, especially in humid air.
3. Brass or copper darkens and can leave green marks on skin once the gold wears through.

So for everyday wear in the UAE, a hard coating such as PVD over 316L stainless steel is a sensible combination. Vermeil gives you a thicker layer of gold, but over a softer metal that tarnishes. Neither will last forever. For more on water, see our waterproof jewellery guide, and for tarnish see does gold-plated jewellery tarnish in the UAE.

Is 18k gold plated jewellery real or fake?

Neither word quite fits. It's real gold plating on a non-gold base. It isn't fake, but it isn't solid gold either, and the price should reflect that. Solid 18k gold is priced by weight at the daily gold rate, which is why a solid gold bracelet costs many times more. Our 18k gold plated vs solid gold comparison explains the price gap.

Questions to ask before you buy

1. What is the base metal, and which grade?
2. Is the gold applied by PVD or electroplating?
3. If PVD, does it include a gold layer, and what karat?
4. Do you publish the thickness?
5. If it's sold as vermeil, is the base sterling silver and the gold at least 2.5 microns?

What we use

Pellington pieces are 18k gold plating, applied by PVD, on 316L stainless steel. Our PVD finish includes a layer of 18k gold, so the answer to question 3 is yes. We don't publish a thickness figure. We don't sell vermeil, gold-filled, silver or solid gold. Every piece is waterproof and costs AED 79–169 at full price, with free delivery to all seven emirates. Full details are on our brand facts page. A few examples:

• Domed bangle (Kaveri) (AED 139)
• Woven chain necklace (Tulum) (AED 149)
• Stacked band ring (Izza) (AED 79)

See every piece in the waterproof jewellery collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is PVD gold?

PVD gold is a thin, hard coating applied by physical vapour deposition, a vacuum process. Some gold-tone PVD finishes include a real gold layer; others use titanium nitride, which is gold-coloured but contains no gold.

Is PVD gold plating real gold?

If the PVD process includes a gold layer, the surface contains real gold, but the piece itself is not gold and has no bullion or resale value. Pellington's PVD finish includes an 18k gold layer over 316L stainless steel.

Is PVD better than gold plating?

PVD coatings are generally harder than ordinary electroplating and are widely used on watches. Thickness varies by maker, and both are thin coatings that wear at friction points over time.

What is the difference between gold vermeil and gold plated?

Under the US FTC guides, vermeil must be sterling silver coated with at least 10 karat gold, at least 2.5 microns thick. Gold plating can be over any metal and is usually much thinner: the FTC's example for gold electroplate is 0.175 microns.

Is PVD gold plated stainless steel good for the UAE?

It's a sensible choice for everyday wear. 316L stainless steel resists salt and sweat, and a hard PVD coating wears slowly. Rinse pieces in fresh water after a long swim in the pool or sea.

Does PVD gold tarnish?

The PVD coating itself doesn't tarnish like silver. Over time it can wear thin where the piece rubs. On 316L stainless steel, the metal underneath also resists tarnish.

Sources

• US Federal Trade Commission, Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries, 16 CFR Part 23: § 23.3 (gold electroplate, heavy gold electroplate) and § 23.4 (vermeil). § 23.4 text, full Part 23.
• FTC, Statement of Basis and Purpose for the Revised Jewelry Guides (2018), on dropping the "gold flashed" and "gold washed" examples. ftc.gov (PDF).
• Bouix & Dumortier, "Colour Trends in PVD", Society of Vacuum Coaters, on gold-coloured titanium nitride and PVD in watchmaking. svc.org (PDF).