Methodology
How we score tarnish resistance
Scores are mostly about what the jewelry is made of, then nudged by what real wearers report. No brand can pay to change a score.
Step 1 · Material base score
We classify each brand by its main line (the material the brand says most pieces are made of, or the mix it sells), using the brand's own material and care pages.
| 10 | solid gold 14k Solid gold 14k+ / platinum: gold alloys at 14k and above do not tarnish in normal wear. |
| 9 | solid gold mixed karat Solid 10k-14k gold: no plating to wear off; 10k has more alloy metals and can dull slightly. |
| 9 | titanium Implant-grade titanium: inert, doesn't tarnish. |
| 8 | steel pvd Stainless steel + PVD coating: steel won't rust/tarnish; PVD color is hard-wearing but can eventually wear at friction points. |
| 7 | steel plated Stainless steel + gold plating (method unspecified): steel base won't tarnish, but plating durability is less certain than PVD. |
| 7 | gold filled Gold-filled: a thick, pressure-bonded gold layer (by law ≥5% of weight) that lasts years with care. |
| 7 | solid gold and vermeil Mixed line of solid gold and vermeil: score depends heavily on which you buy. |
| 6 | pvd mixed base PVD/plating over a mix of stainless and brass/silver bases: check each product's base metal. |
| 6 | titanium and plated brass Mixed line of titanium (excellent) and plated brass (poor): check each product. |
| 5 | vermeil Gold vermeil (gold over sterling silver): thicker than plating but still wears and the silver underneath tarnishes. |
| 5 | plated silver Gold/rhodium-plated sterling silver: silver base tarnishes once plating wears, but it's restorable. |
| 5 | sterling silver Sterling silver: tarnishes naturally but polishes back; never turns skin green in the way brass can. |
| 4 | vermeil and plated Mix of vermeil and plated brass: plated pieces will wear; vermeil lasts longer. |
| 4 | plated mixed base Plating over brass or silver: thin plating that wears with daily use. |
| 3 | plated brass Gold/rhodium plating over brass: plating wears, then brass tarnishes and can turn skin green. |
| 2 | costume unknown Costume jewelry with unspecified base metals. |
Step 2 · Wear-report adjustment
We read public wear reports (Reddit, independent reviews, Trustpilot) and label overall sentiment:
- Mostly positive → +1
- Mixed, or not enough reports → 0
- Mostly negative → −1
Final score = base + adjustment, kept between 1 and 10.
What we don't do
- We don't invent facts. Anything we couldn't source is marked unknown.
- Warranty generosity is shown separately; it doesn't change the score.
- Breakage, stones and service complaints are noted but don't affect a tarnish score.
- Affiliate relationships never change a score. See our disclosure.
Mixed lines
Many brands sell several materials (for example Kendra Scott's plated "fashion" line and its solid gold "fine" line). We score the line the brand says is its main one, and list the others. Always check the individual product page.