The gold won't "chip," but it will wear away - particularly on the bridge if you're a palm muter. Same with Gibsons, though - its not an Epi quality issue.
Both of my Customs are Alpine White - you can see that the older one has changed considerably - and looks like the antique. I like the "naturally" aged LP - but if you don't want to wait for it - the antique is a great choice!
