Does Gold Plated Jewellery Tarnish or Turn Your Skin Green?
Gold plated jewellery turns skin green when the base metal beneath the plating — usually brass or copper — oxidises and reacts with sweat. The gold itself never causes it. Jewellery plated over 316L stainless steel cannot turn skin green, because the base alloy contains no free copper.
What the green mark actually is
The green tint is copper chloride. When copper in a base alloy meets moisture, salt and the mild acids in sweat, it oxidises, and that oxide transfers onto skin. It is harmless, it washes off, and it has nothing to do with the quality of the gold on the surface.
This is why the same person can wear one gold plated piece for two years without any reaction and turn green from another within a week. The variable is never the gold. It is what sits underneath.
The three things that decide whether a piece will react
- The base metal. Brass and copper contain copper by definition and will eventually react. Surgical-grade stainless steel does not.
- The plating method. Standard electroplating deposits a thin, comparatively soft layer. PVD plating bonds gold at a molecular level in a vacuum chamber and is far harder to wear through.
- Plating thickness. Measured in microns. Thin flash plating can wear through in weeks; heavier deposition survives years of daily wear.
Base metals compared
| Base metal | Contains copper | Turns skin green | Typical plating lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brass | Yes | Commonly | Weeks to months |
| Copper | Yes | Almost always | Weeks |
| Sterling silver (925) | Yes — 7.5% copper | Sometimes; also blackens | Months to years |
| 316L stainless steel | No free copper | No | Years |
How to check before you buy
Most listings will not tell you the base metal unless it is a selling point — which is itself the signal. Ask directly, and treat a vague answer as a no.
- Ask what the base alloy is. The answer should name a grade, such as 316L stainless steel, not just "alloy" or "premium metal".
- Ask whether the plating is PVD or standard electroplating.
- Check whether the brand states nickel-free. Nickel is a separate issue from green skin, but brands that track one usually track both.
- Be sceptical of "waterproof" used without any statement of what sits beneath the gold.
If it has already happened
Wash the area with soap and water — it is cosmetic and lifts off easily. The piece itself will keep reacting, so a clear barrier coat is a short-term fix at best. If it turned green once, it will again.
Where House of Zena sits
Every House of Zena piece is 18K gold plated over 316L surgical-grade stainless steel, nickel-free and lead-free. There is no copper in the base alloy for skin to react with. That applies across the whole range, from hoop earrings to pendant necklaces — not to a premium sub-line.
Frequently asked questions
Does gold plated jewellery tarnish?
The gold layer itself does not tarnish. What tarnishes is the base metal underneath, once the plating wears through. On a copper or brass base that can take weeks; on 316L stainless steel there is nothing underneath that tarnishes.
Will gold plated earrings turn my ears green?
Only if the base metal contains copper. Earrings plated over surgical stainless steel will not, because the alloy contains no free copper to oxidise.
Can gold plated jewellery get wet?
It depends on the base metal and plating method. PVD gold over stainless steel handles showers, sweat and swimming. Thin electroplating over brass degrades quickly with repeated water contact.
How long does gold plated jewellery last?
Anywhere from a few weeks to several years. Thin flash plating on brass sits at the short end; PVD plating on stainless steel at the long end.
Is gold plated jewellery real gold?
The surface layer is real gold, typically 18K. It is not solid gold, which is why it costs a fraction as much. What matters for durability is what the gold is bonded to.
