The metals

Colored metals

Updated October 20, 2026

A coloured metal gets its colour one of three ways. The colour is the metal itself, like rose gold, and it never fades. The colour is bonded on, like PVD-coated stainless steel or anodized titanium, and it lasts years. Or the colour is plated on, a thin layer that can wear through in weeks or months. Before you buy a coloured piece, find out which one it is.

The colour is the metal: it never fades

Rose goldGold alloyed with copper. The more copper, the pinker.Permanent: the colour is the metal

Green goldGold alloyed with silver, which pales it to a soft green-yellow.Permanent

White goldGold alloyed with palladium or nickel. Usually rhodium plated on top for extra whiteness, and that plating wears and needs redoing.Alloy permanent; the bright rhodium coat wears

Purple and blue goldPurple: gold with aluminium. Blue: gold with indium or gallium. Both are brittle, so they turn up as small inlays and set stones, not chains.Permanent, but fragile

Mokume-ganeA Japanese sword-fitting technique: layers of gold, silver and copper fused and carved into a wood-grain pattern.Permanent

TimascusLayers of different titanium alloys fused, then anodized, so each layer takes a different colour. Like Damascus steel, but titanium.Pattern permanent; colour can be re-anodized

Copper, brass, bronzeThe metal's own colour. They darken and patina over time, and copper can leave a green mark on skin.Permanent, but tarnishes

Chains where the colour is the metal

Amazon prices as of October 20, 2026, 08:59 UTC. Prices and availability are accurate as of that date and time and are subject to change; the price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.

IGOBATA 14K solid rose gold box chain Solid 14K rose gold: the pink is the copper in the alloy. Choose the width on the listing. about $130 on Amazon →

IGOBATA 14K solid white gold box chain The same chain in solid 14K white gold. about $110 on Amazon →

14K tri-colour gold mariner chain, 5 mm Yellow, white and rose gold in one chain, made in Italy. Hollow links. about $940 on Amazon →

Bonded colour: lasts years

PVD or IP coated stainless steelPhysical vapour deposition: in a vacuum chamber, titanium or chromium compounds are vaporised and bonded onto the steel. Gold (titanium nitride), rose gold, black, blue, purple and rainbow are common.Years of daily wear; slowly dulls on rubbing points. Chlorine, bleach and perfume speed it up

Anodized titaniumNo dye at all. An electric current grows a clear oxide layer on the titanium; light bouncing off its top and bottom creates the colour, like oil on water. A thicker layer means a different colour, so the voltage picks the shade.Years; a deep scratch shows grey, but it can be re-anodized

Anodized niobiumThe same oxide-colour trick, in even more vivid shades. Niobium is hypoallergenic, so it is used in body piercings.Years; softer than titanium

Heat-blued steelSteel heated until a thin oxide layer turns deep blue: the classic blue of fine watch hands. Heat-tinted titanium works the same way.Durable as a finish, but blued carbon steel can rust

DLC blackDiamond-like carbon: a very hard black coating used on watches and tools.Very scratch-resistant

Bonded-colour chains

VEXXS gold PVD Cuban chain Two PVD gold coats over 316L steel, the listing says. about $35 on Amazon →

Gold PVD rope chain roll, 3 mm, 16.5 ft 18K gold-colour PVD over stainless steel: cut your own lengths. about $25 on Amazon →

ChainsHouse black Cuban chain Black-coated 316L steel. The listing does not say PVD; choose the black colour. about $20 on Amazon →

FOSIR black rolo chain Black-coated stainless steel; the listing does not say how the colour is applied. about $10 on Amazon →

Pandahall black satellite bead chain roll, 16 ft Black-coated steel with little beads along it, for making your own. about $14 on Amazon →

Plated colour: wears off

Electroplated gold or colour over brassA thin layer deposited in a chemical bath. The cheapest coloured finish.Weeks to months of daily wear

Rhodium platingA bright white plating on white gold, silver and brass. Harder and longer-lasting than gold plating.Long, but wears at contact points; can be re-plated

Black rhodium or rutheniumA dark plating over silver or gold. It wears first on the high spots, which some people like.Wears on high points

Oxidized (blackened) silverSilver darkened chemically, then polished back on the raised parts to show detail.Rubs off the high spots by design; can be redone

Plated chains worth buying

Miabella rhodium-plated sterling rope chain, 1.5 mm Real 925 sterling under a bright rhodium plate, made in Italy. The plate can wear at contact points and be redone. about $30 on Amazon →

Miabella 18K gold over sterling Singapore chain, 18 in Gold plate over solid sterling (vermeil): when the gold wears, real silver shows, not brass. about $25 on Amazon →

No rainbow, blue, anodized titanium or black rhodium chain passed our checks yet: the ones we found could not be verified yet, or failed on clasp, wear or metal. Want to make your own? See jewelry making supplies. Amazon links are affiliate links.

Which to choose

A coloured chain on a budget: PVD-coated 316L stainless steel. Blue, black and rainbow are easy to find, and it is waterproof.
Light, skin-friendly and vivid: anodized titanium or niobium.
A colour that lasts a lifetime: solid rose gold or green gold.
Avoid for everyday wear: "colour plated" or "tone" pieces over brass, unless you only wear them now and then.

To compare the precious metal labels (sterling, vermeil, gold filled, plated), see the metals comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does blue stainless steel fade?

Slowly. Blue stainless steel is usually PVD or IP coated, where the colour is vacuum-bonded to the steel. It lasts far longer than electroplating, typically years of daily wear, but it can dull where it rubs, and chlorine, bleach and perfume speed that up.

Is rainbow titanium dyed?

No. Anodized titanium has no dye or paint. The colour comes from light interfering in a thin clear oxide layer on the surface, the same effect as a film of oil on water. The thickness of the layer decides the colour.

Is rose gold real gold?

Solid rose gold is real gold: gold alloyed with copper, stamped 10K, 14K or 18K like any gold. "Rose gold plated" or "rose gold tone" is a thin coloured layer over another metal, usually brass or steel.

Which coloured metal lasts longest?

Metals whose colour is the alloy itself, such as rose or green gold, never fade. Next come bonded colours: PVD-coated stainless steel and anodized titanium last years. Electroplated colour over brass wears off first, sometimes within months.