Blue, purple, green and gold titanium confuse clients because the colour looks like a coating but isn't one. Understanding what anodizing actually does makes it easy to explain, and it settles the safety question in one sentence.
What anodizing is
Titanium naturally forms a thin, clear oxide layer on its surface. Anodizing runs a controlled electrical current through the jewelry in a bath, which thickens that oxide layer by a precise amount. The oxide is transparent; the colour you see is light interfering with itself as it reflects off the top and bottom of the layer, the same effect as oil on water or a soap bubble. Different thicknesses give different colours: bronze and gold at low voltage, purple and blue in the middle, green and yellow higher up.
Nothing is added. There is no dye, no pigment, no plating. The surface is still titanium oxide, which is what a polished titanium piece has anyway, just thicker.
Is it safe?
Yes, for the same reason polished titanium is. The base is ASTM F136 titanium and the coloured layer is its own oxide. This is why anodized titanium is accepted for initial piercings where plated or painted jewelry is not. The one caveat is the process itself: it needs to be done cleanly, with the jewelry properly cleaned afterward, which is a supplier quality question rather than a material one.
How it wears
- Fading. The oxide layer is thin and can be worn thinner by abrasion, which shifts the colour back toward the lower-voltage end and eventually to plain titanium. Rings and ends that get handled fade first; posts inside a piercing barely change.
- Body chemistry. Skin oils, sweat and some cosmetics can dull the colour over time. It varies by person.
- Autoclave. Anodized colour survives steam sterilization. Very repeated cycling can shift the tone slightly, so sterilize once before sale rather than repeatedly if colour accuracy matters. See our autoclave guide.
- Re-anodizing. Because nothing was added, a faded piece can be re-anodized. Studios with an anodizer can refresh stock or offer colour changes as a service.
Anodized versus PVD
Both give colour on implant-grade titanium; they are different processes. Anodizing thickens the oxide and gives the blue, purple, green, bronze and rainbow family; the colour is subtle and can fade. PVD deposits a hard bonded film and gives consistent gold and black; it's more durable and more uniform batch to batch. Gold tones are almost always PVD; blues and purples are almost always anodized. Our PVD gold guide covers the other side.
What to tell clients
"The colour is the titanium itself, not a coating, so it's the same material as the plain jewelry. It can soften over time with wear, and it can be refreshed. Keep it out of hot tubs and harsh cleaners." That is the whole conversation.
Stocking notes
- Colours vary slightly between batches. Sell pairs from the same batch.
- Photograph your stock under the same light you sell under; anodized colour shifts with lighting and clients compare to their phone.
- Keep anodized pieces in their own tray. They look like polished titanium under a drawer light and get mis-counted.
What we stock
Anodized colour appears in our catalog on selected navel rings and tops, listed as Ice Blue, Vibrant Purple and Vibrant Green, all on ASTM F136 titanium. See navel rings and tops and ends. Optional pouching and sterilization on every item.
Wholesale pricing is visible once your studio account is approved. Apply for a wholesale account; approved accounts receive a $50 credit.
Part of our wholesale titanium body jewelry guide for piercing studios.