Jewellery Materials

Information about Jewellery Materials
Available body jewellery metal and jewel colours

Silver etc is a specialist sterling silver and body jewellery internet retailer with stylish quality products at competitive prices.
All Silver etc jewellery is made top quality materials as listed below. All comply with the EU Nickel Directive (European Directive 94/27/EC).

Titanium (Ti 6AL4V)
Nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for initial (unhealed) and healed piercings

Named after mythological Greek giants - the titans - this is truly a space-age material that is increasingly in demand for medical and aerospace applications. Titanium makes up 60% of the structural components of the space shuttle.

While titanium is the 4th most abundant structural metal on earth, it can only be found as a variety of ores. These ores must undergo a multi-step process in order to extract the titanium. With a negligible trace of nickel it is ideal for those sensitive to nickel. Titanium is also 'bio-compatible' and is used extensively by the British and American medical associations for implants due to its total resistance to attack by body fluids.

Titanium can also be anodised to give a thin oxide layer. While this layer is just as biocompatible, it gives an incredible range of colours due to the light refracting off the oxidised surface. These colours then vary depending on the depth of the oxide layer.

The titanium used by Silver etc is an extremely lightweight, highly polished and very tough product (three times stronger than steel), excellent for body jewellery applications.

Niobium
Nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for initial (unhealed) and healed piercings

Niobium is a pure element named after another mythological Greek, the Princess Niobe. Like Titanium, Niobium has a very low level of nickel, but is denser than Titanium resulting in less usage in bodypiercing. The colours from Niobium are created in the same way as Titanium - the metal is anodised to give a thin oxide layer. This layer is just as biocompatible, it gives an even wider range of colours than Titanium with the light refracting off the oxidised surface.

Low Nickel Steel
Nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for initial (unhealed) and healed piercings

Low Nickel Steel is another alternative for use in initial piercings, and for those sensitive to Nickel. It is a very hard alloy to machine, considerably more difficult than 316L that leads to the higher price.

PTFE
Nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for initial (unhealed) and healed piercings

PTFE is a non-stick substance that is ideal for use in initial piercings, especially effective for tongue piercings. It's flexible nature makes it popular in navel piercings for women during pregnancy. Silver etc would advise that it you are in any doubt, it would be better to remove all navel jewellery during pregnancy, and in any case you should ask your Doctor or Midwife.

316L Surgical Stainless Steel
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for healed piercings

This material is a high quality metal with a bright shiny finish. For the majority of people, it is ideal for use as replacement jewellery in healed body piercings. Silver etc offers a large range of 316L Surgical Steel jewellery. There are other grades of surgical steel, but only 316L or the slightly superior 316LVM Surgical Steel as sold by Silver etc are suitable. Within the EU, 316L Surgical Steel should not be used for initial piercing and should only be worn when the piercing is fully healed.

UV Acrylic Jewellery
Suitable for healed piercings

This is an exciting acrylic material that jumps to life when subjected to Ultra-Violet light. Perfect for clubbing and any other activities after-dark! Acrylic jewellery is not heat resistant and should not be autoclaved. Therefore, acrylic jewellery should not be used for initial piercing and should only be worn when the piercing is fully healed.

Gold Plate Jewellery
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for healed piercings

The gold-plated body jewellery supplied by Silver etc is 316L Surgical Steel coated directly in 24ct hard gold plate giving a high quality finish. There are no intermediary layers of other metals that can sometimes lead to complications. It is an ideal low-cost alternative to solid gold jewellery. It should be realised that all gold plate will wear off over time, even high quality gold plate as supplied by Silver etc. Within the EU, Gold Plate Jewellery should not be used for initial piercing and should only be worn when the piercing is fully healed.

316L Surgical Steel with Silver Barends
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for healed piercings

All silver supplied by Silver etc is 925 Sterling Silver except where otherwise stated. We have a large range of designs of 316L Surgical Steel bars with 925 Sterling Silver barends that are only to be found from Silver etc. Within the EU, 316L Surgical Steel and 925 Sterling Silver should not be used for initial piercing and should only be worn when the piercing is fully healed.

Silver Jewellery
Nickel Release Rate lower than 0.5µg/cm2/week
Suitable for prolonged skin contact

All silver supplied by Silver etc is 925 Sterling Silver except where otherwise stated.

Information about Jewellery Sizing
Available body jewellery metal and jewel colours