Looking for gold jewellery that won’t fade? These are the brands to know

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping expertsSign up for our free IndyBest emailThe terms ‘fade-free’, ‘tarnish-free’ and ‘waterproof’ have been bandied around by a growing number of jewellery brands in recent months. In fact, it’s been hard to go onto any of our social media platforms without seeing a highly aesthetic advert pop up with a number of these words emblazoned across the front. But is it too good to be true?While gold jewellery is growing in popularity, with rings, earrings and bracelets topping many a wishlist, a fair few of us will know the disappointment that comes from buying a shiny new necklace that turns dull and drab within a couple of weeks. And those lacklustre-looking dark spots are all a result of tarnishing.Jewellery expert Caroline Chalmer, CEO of fine jewellery platform Finematter, said, ‘Only solid gold jewellery can be fully tarnish-free, so if you see this term associated with a gold-plated piece of jewellery, it’s too good to be true.’Gold-plated pieces of jewellery will permanently tarnish eventually, as the base metal reacts to the elements over time.’But let’s remember that solid gold jewellery can be rather costly, and our £100 – and often much lower – price limit can create quite a challenge. So, we wanted to find gold-plated jewellery that didn’t cost a fortune and, with a lifespan of around one to three years, actually stood the test of time.How we testedPiling on countless bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings, our tester spent two months putting gold jewellery through its paces. From swimming in the sea, scrubbing dishes and soaking in the tub, to the everyday rigmaroles of everyday life, they tried to keep as many pieces on as possible.Noting the shine and colour of each piece brand new, and taking regular inspections each week, they were able to spot which pieces began to tarnish at what rate, separating the cream from the crop below.Hey Harper (Hey Harper, Lauren Cunningham)Best: OverallRating: 5/5Pieces tested: Nassau gold bracelet (£35, Heyharpershop.com)Price range: £36 – £108Jewellery style: Layering everyday piecesHow to order: OnlineWarranty: LifetimeAdded perks: Seasonal charity donation campaigns, free ring sizer, regular offers across the siteHey Harper has been popping up on our Instagram feeds for weeks now, and with close to 200,000 followers, it’s certainly savvy when it comes to social media. Claiming to be ‘the original waterproof jewellery brand’, we initially had our doubts as Caroline explained only solid gold is truly waterproof. But, having worn the Nassau gold bracelet (£35, Heyharpershop.com) day-in-day out for eight weeks now without ever taking it off – for bathing, swimming, showering, you name it – we’re pleased to say it lives up to those claims. Our bracelet is just as shiny now as when it was brand new. There’s not one hint of dark spots, colour fading or tarnishing can be seen, and the clasp is still perfect too.Each piece is made from durable stainless steel, but instead of being regularly gold plated, the brand used a technique called PVD, which, in short, sprays a thin layer of gold particles onto the base material, giving it a look of solid gold while being more durable than gold plating. And the brand is so confident in its design process that it actually provides a lifetime warranty, meaning one simple email to customer service with images of your faded pieces will be immediately dealt with. Of course, a longer test of around a couple of years would have to be carried out for us to categorically confirm it is tarnish-free, but from what we’ve seen so far, and with almost every piece falling under £100, we can’t complain.Visit Heyharpershop.com now Pandora (Pandora, Lauren Cunningham)Best: Well-known brandRating: 4/5Pieces tested: Polished wishbone ring: £40, Pandora.netPrice range: £20 – £1,290Jewellery style: Varied but popular for charm braceletsHow to order: Online and in-storeWarranty: One yearAdded perks: Regular discounts and offers, loyalty programme, many stores for in-person try-ons, certified by the Responsible Jewellery CouncilWe can safely say that Pandora is one of the best-loved brands on the high street. But while doesn’t claim to be tarnish-free – and clearly states on its website that all jewellery will tarnish over time, and should be cared for with polish cloths and cleaning solutions to keep it looking spick and span – it does stock both solid 14k gold and gold-plated pieces. And it was the polished wishbone ring (£40, Pandora.net) that caught our eye thanks to its delicate design that can be easily stacked with other styles.It’s well worth noting that while necklaces, bracelets and earrings are easier to keep on day-in-day out, rings are best to be removed when washing or swimming in case they slip off into the water. They also get more of a beating when battered against different surfaces, rubbed against bag handles and arguably sitting against a little bit more sweat. Still, after two months of daily wear – trying as best we could to keep it on while bathing, swimming and showering despite instructions – it wasn’t quite as shiny as when brand new.That said, the fading was minuscule and without a very critical beady eye the effects would probably go unnoticed. So, be aware Pandora’s pieces may not remain glistening gold forever, but with the proper care and cleaning routine, we’d expect them to stay with you for a good few years.Visit Pandora.net nowD. Louise  (D. Louise, Lauren Cunningham)Best: For seasonal collectionsRating: 4.5/5Pieces tested: Pleated ring: £50, Dlouise.co.uk and paperclip bracelet: £40, Dlouise.co.ukPrice range: £22 – £86Jewellery style: Layering everyday piecesHow to order: OnlineWarranty: LifetimeAdded perks: Carbon neutral, plastic-free packaging, regular offers and events, loyalty programmeAlso claiming to be ‘waterproof’, D. Louise’s USP is that you never have to take it off, as the products have been designed to be worn every day without tarnishing or going green. Using the same design process as Hey Harper, stainless steel is the base metal of each piece, while a PVD coating process said to be ten times thicker than standard gold plating creates the glistening gold colour.Testing the pleated ring (£50, Dlouise.co.uk) and paperclip bracelet (£40, Dlouise.co.uk), our tester fell in love with the look of each design. And so far, after daily wear for two months, they’re still looking spick and span. Due to wear and tear, the ring is scratched, so there are little marks across it but there are no black spots or signs of tarnishing and the bracelet still looks brand new. While the ring was more difficult to wear in the bath and while swimming – for fear of it falling off – the bracelet was never removed, and we certainly saw no green tinge on our skin, so have to confirm, so far, that the D.Louise mission is accomplished.Similarly to Hey Harper, the brand is so confident in its claim it also offers a lifetime guarantee, though we certainly don’t need to be cashing in on that just yet.Visit Dlouise.co.uk nowSeol and Gold (Seol and Gold, Lauren Cunningham)Best: Colourful gold jewelleryRating: 4/5Pieces tested: 9k solid gold thin plain band ring (£55, Seolgold.com) and twisted knot ring in 18k yellow gold plating (£35, Seolgold.com)Price range: £8 – £249Jewellery style: Large variety with a lot of colourful accentsHow to order: Online and in-storeWarranty: Free re-platingAdded perks: Free re-plating service, student discount, regular offers, free shipping over £30Seol and Gold is one of the most affordable jewellery brands around, selling both 9k solid gold pieces and gold-plated pieces from prices as low as £8. However, unlike some of the other retailers included in this round-up, the brand doesn’t push any claims of being tarnish-free, waterproof or fade-proof – apart from with its solid gold pieces that is. In fact, it actually recommends removing jewellery when showering, applying lotion, exercising and any other activities which could speed up the rate of tarnishing. But it does offer a free re-plating service which is pretty incredible.We fell in love with the designs of the 9k solid gold thin plain band ring (£26, Seolgold.com) and twisted knot ring in 18k yellow gold plating (£39, Seolgold.com). Although, after around one month of daily wear, swimming, lotioning and all the things we were told not to do with it on, the gold-plated ring did, predictably, start to fade.A further two month on though and there’s still no dark spots on the ring, and the fading isn’t too noticeable. With heavy scrutiny, it is a little lacklustre compared to brand new but, considering the free-replating service, this shouldn’t be an issue for long. We predict you’d want to send it off for a refresh after around six months to a year which is still impressive considering we broke the rules.Visit Seolgold.com nowWanderlust  (Wanderlust , Lauren Cunningham)Best: Dainty tarnish-free gold jewelleryRating: 5/5Pieces tested: Sofia chain necklace (£62, Wanderlust.co.uk) and solstice petite hoop earrings (£42, Wanderlustlife.co.uk) Price range: £20 – £128Jewellery style: Delicate dainty jewelleryHow to order: OnlineWarranty: Six months on gold-plated silverAdded perks: Regular discounts, personalisation, loyalty scheme, free shipping over £30Stocking a range of 14k gold-plated silver and gold fill pieces – similar to PVD and claims to last a lifetime at a lower price than solid gold – Wanderlust is the place to go for those who love dainty, delicate pieces. Testing the Sofia chain necklace (£62, Wanderlust.co.uk) and solstice petite hoop earrings (£42, Wanderlustlife.co.uk), our tester wore both pieces solidly for two months, rarely taking them off. And despite putting these pieces though their paces, we’re yet to spot any signs of tarnishing.Although claiming gold fill pieces will last a lifetime, there’s no claim of being tarnish-free or waterproof on the site, and similar to Pandora, the brand has provided care instructions too. Care services are also available for a fee – rings can be re-plated for £15, for example, to keep your jewellery looking spick and span. But, from what we’ve seen so far, you should get a good amount of wear before having to go down that route.Visit Wanderlustlife.co.uk nowBeaches and cream  (Beaches and cream, Lauren Cunningham)Best: Costume jewelleryRating: 4/5Pieces tested: Bosphorus fish earrings (£35, Beachescream.co.uk) and olive branch earrings (£45, Beachescream.com)Price range: £15 – £60Jewellery style: Costume jewelleryHow to order: OnlineWarranty: NoneAdded perks: Small independently owned business, small run of designsGold tone jewellery isn’t all dainty and delicate, so of course we had to include something for those looking to make a real statement, and Beaches and Cream does just that. Testing the Bosphorus fish earrings (£35, Beachescream.co.uk) and olive branch earrings (£45, Beachescream.com), our tester had great fun playing dress up in these pieces, but obviously we couldn’t test them quite as thoroughly as their less colourful counterparts.You won’t be surprised to know we didn’t sleep in these earrings, nor did we shower, swim or go to the gym in them, as although our testers take every step to trial each product, that may have been a step too far. What we can say though, is that through wearing these earrings to various dinners and even whole days at a time, we fell in love with them. And they sure did glisten in their gold tone.Gold plated, they don’t have any of the fancy design features such as gold fill of VPD, nor do they claim to be tarnish-free. But, by the nature of the product, the fact you’re unlikely to wear them every day, we’d be very surprised to see these start to fade. Just be cautious with hairspray and perfume, two key culprits for speeding up the tarnishing process.Visit Beachescream.co.uk nowGalleria Armadōrō (Galleria Armadōrō, Lauren Cunningham)Best: Chunky gold jewelleryRating: 3.5/5Pieces tested: Speira large band ring (£87.57, Galleria-armadoro.com) and small catena gold plated bracelet (£49.79, Galleria-armadoro.com)Price range: £10.59 – £389.73Jewellery style: Chunky gold and silver jewelleryHow to order: Online and in-storeWarranty: LifetimeAdded perks: Regular discounts, outlet site, personalisation availble on some pieces, free shipping, carbon neutral deliveriesWe’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, rings are notoriously difficult to look after. By nature, they’re prone to be scratched, nicked and bent more than any other piece of jewellery, so the brands which we only tested rings for really did have a harder task. Sitting somewhere in between dainty and delicate and chunky costume jewellery, Galleria Armadōrō is the brand to go to for those wanting to make more of a statement with their everyday jewellery.Although, Galleria Armadōrō doesn’t make any claims of being tarnish-free and clearly states on the website that ‘pieces will eventually fade with time’. So, it’s nice to see the brand be open and honest. And as the most expensive pieces in the round-up, we had high hopes for the beautiful speira large band ring (£87.57, Galleria-armadoro.com) and small catena gold plated bracelet (£49.79, Galleria-armadoro.com).Wearing the bracelet daily and the ring as much as possible, the ring took more of the wear and tear but scratched more than it tarnished – which it hasn’t yet – and the bracelet is yet to show any signs of tarnishing, although we expect it will happen eventually.Visit Galleria-armadoro.com nowAstrid and Miyu  (Astrid and Miyu , Lauren Cunningham)Best: All-round gold jewellery brandRating: 4/5Pieces tested: Cubic zirconia huggie hinge hoop earrings in gold/ruby (£55, Johnlewis.com) and elemental ring (£65, Astridandmiyu.com)Price range: £35 – £195Jewellery style: Delicate everyday piecesHow to order: Online and in-storeWarranty: Eight months depending on pieceAdded perks: Regular dicsounts, recycling programme, charity donations, mentorship programmeLaunching to fame back in 2012, Astrid and Miyu is best known for its piercing bars, welded bracelets and affordable jewellery, which is loved by thousands across the country. The brand makes no claims about being tarnish-free and clearly states on the website that all pieces need to be kept away from water, sweat and cosmetics, noting that 18k gold pieces need to be looked after in order to last.Although the brand stocks a whole range of pieces, it was the cubic zirconia huggie hinge hoop earrings in gold/ruby (£55, Johnlewis.com) and the elemental ring (£65, Astridandmiyu.com) that grabbed our attention. While the earrings show no tarnishing after two months of wear, the ring – which we admittedly rarely took off to give it a real thorough testing – does have visible dark spots and tarnishing after being worn in the sea, shower and with multiple lotions and potions.Visit Astridandmiyu.com nowTada and Toy  (Tada and Joy, Lauren Cunningham)Best: Tarnish-free gold ear cuffRating: 4.5/5Pieces tested: Emerald ombre ear cuff (£70, Tadaandtoy.com)Price range: £37 – £1,095Jewellery style: Large varietyHow to order: Online and in-storeWarranty: None, but you can raise issues with the customer service teamAdded perks: Charity donations, made in Responsible Jewellery Council certified factories, recyclable packaging, use of recycled materials in most piecesEar cuffs aren’t for everyone, granted, but Tada and Toy do them exceptionally well. Donning the emerald ombre ear cuff (£70, Tadaandtoy.com) for as long as possible, our tester was instantly sold on this subtle yet standout design.Although you have to be careful when