Anodisation grows a transparent titanium dioxide layer that cannot chip or peel. PVD deposits a separate coating that delivers black titanium but can wear over time. Here is the full durability, safety, and colour-range comparison for piercers and clients.
What the full article covers
Anodisation grows the natural TiO₂ oxide layer on titanium through electrochemical voltage, it cannot chip, peel, or flake because there is no separate layer to separate
PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) deposits a thin-film coating in a vacuum chamber, it is the only way to achieve true black titanium, but it can wear and expose the substrate beneath
For a healing piercing, anodised titanium is the safer default: identical biocompatibility to bare implant-grade titanium, no foreign coating, no delamination risk
PVD is excellent for healed jewellery where black or exotic metallic finishes matter, but piercers should inform clients that PVD is a coating, not the metal itself
Voltage determines colour in anodisation (gold at 15V, purple at 50V, blue at 70V); PVD colour depends on the deposited material (zirconium nitride for gold tones, titanium aluminium nitride for black)
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First published on poliinternational.com. This is a summary of the original engineering article.
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