Jewellery is rarely something you just throw on without little thought. It’s usually something that has meaning behind it, whether that’s a piece of memorial jewellery that holds part of a loved one, something personalised that says something about you or even something beautiful that goes all too well with your outfit. No matter which it might be, it has to be jewellery that lasts.
At Inscripture, we’ve always believed jewellery should fit real life. It shouldn’t be something you’re afraid to wear or something you have to take off constantly. It should be jewellery that lasts with you, no matter what your day looks like. That belief is what led us to introduce 18k PVD gold jewellery across many of our memorial designs, a material chosen for its longevity, comfort and beauty. If you’re unfamiliar with the material itself, we also explain what 18k PVD gold is and why it’s become so popular for everyday jewellery.
Why Does Material Matter So Much in Jewellery?
As we mentioned, your jewellery is typically chosen because it’s a part of you; a part of your personality, your story and what you want to showcase to the world. Memorial jewellery is especially important, often carrying something irreplaceable like real handwriting, a fingerprint, pawprint, ashes or a photo.
Because of that, the material used in your jewellery matters in a deep way. It needs to withstand daily life, showers, swimming, sleep, movement and emotion. This is exactly why waterproof jewellery matters, especially for pieces designed to be worn every single day. It needs to look the same years from now as it did on the day you first put it on. And it needs to feel comfortable against the skin, even when worn constantly.
Is 18k PVD Gold Jewellery Waterproof?
Yes, and this is one of the reasons we chose it.
Our 18k PVD gold jewellery is fully waterproof, meaning it’s designed to be worn in the shower, in the bath, while swimming and through everyday life without losing its colour or finish. You don’t need to remember to take it off, put it somewhere safe or worry about damaging it. Instead, it can join you throughout life’s adventures, whatever that might look like.
For many people, especially those grieving, that matters more than they expect. Memorial jewellery often becomes something you wear instinctively without thinking, becoming part of you. Waterproof jewellery supports that by removing the need for caution when water gets in the way. It allows your memorial piece to stay with you through everything.
How is 18k PVD Gold Different From Gold-Plated Jewellery?
Gold-plated jewellery may look beautiful on its first wear, and be slightly more affordable, but there’s a reason for that. Because unlike 18k PVD gold, gold-plated jewellery is made with a thin layer of gold that sits on the surface. This thin layer over time, especially with regular wear, ends up fading away and changing colour when it’s exposed to things like water, perfume, sweat and even just the natural oils in your skin.
Sadly, that means that gold-plated jewellery has to be removed when showering, swimming or even before bed. Because too much wear eventually fades the thin plating on the metal’s surface, eventually revealing the silver beneath it.
This might work for some pieces, but for memorial jewellery in particular, it’s a metal that doesn’t feel worthy. 18k PVD gold jewellery on the other hand, works much better. The term PVD, stands for Physical Vapour Deposition which is a process that bonds a thicker gold layer at a molecular level. The result is a finish that is far more durable, resistant to fading and designed to last through everyday wear. This added durability is a huge part of why 18k PVD gold lasts longer than traditional gold-plated jewellery.
Why is 18k PVD Gold Ideal for Memorial Jewellery?
When someone chooses memorial jewellery, they’re often choosing something they want to wear every day like a waterproof gold necklace that carries handwriting, a bracelet engraved with a fingerprint or a ring that holds ashes close to the heart.
Solid gold can be beautiful, but it isn’t always accessible or practical for everyone and as mentioned, gold-plated jewellery isn’t durable enough. For anyone comparing materials more closely, this guide to 18k PVD gold vs vermeil vs gold-plated brass explains the differences in much more detail. 18k PVD gold jewellery sits in a thoughtful middle ground offering the look and warmth of gold, combined with durability and affordability that makes daily wear possible without compromise.
It’s hypoallergenic too, making it suitable for sensitive skin, which is important when jewellery is worn constantly. It doesn’t irritate, discolour the skin or feel uncomfortable over time.
For us, this material makes sense for memorial jewellery because it respects the reality of grief. It recognises that people don’t want jewellery that lives in a box; they want jewellery that lives with them.
What Materials Are Best for Memorial Jewellery?
We believe that when it comes to memorial jewellery, the materials used are just as important as the design itself. These are pieces made to hold meaning, memory and emotion, often worn every day, and sometimes for a lifetime. Because of that, every material needs to be chosen for how it feels and lasts over time.
As you can probably tell, 18k PVD gold jewellery is one of our most loved materials for memorial pieces. It offers the warmth and richness of gold while being waterproof, tarnish-resistant and hypoallergenic. Alongside this, we also work with 925 sterling silver, a classic choice for memorial jewellery as it’s also strong, comfortable to wear and allows for incredibly fine detail, which is essential when engraving handwriting, photographs or prints.
Across every material we use, the same principle applies. The jewellery must support the memory it holds and not distract from it. From engraving placement to polishing and finishing, nothing is an afterthought. Each material is chosen to honour what it carries and to ensure that the piece remains a source of comfort and connection.
Conclusion: Jewellery That Lasts
At the heart of all this is the simple belief that if jewellery is going to carry someone’s memory; it should be able to carry time too. That’s why we chose to add 18k PVD gold to our memorial jewellery collections. Yes it’s impressive and yes it’s beautiful, but more important than that, it creates jewellery that lasts.
You can explore our 18k PVD Gold Jewellery collection which includes best-selling designs of handwriting jewellery, photo jewellery, fingerprint jewellery and ashes jewellery, whenever you’re ready.
