The process used to black-coat jewelry is called PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition). It is an outer coating over a base metal (titanium or steel). This jewelry is fine for autoclaving or steam sterilization treatments.
What Are Threads?
Threads exist on body jewelry that has an end ball that screws on and off, like barbells – straight, curved or circular, and labret jewelry. A thread is a spiral ridge that winds around the metal like that on a bolt or the inside of a nut.
Externally threaded body jewelry has the thread on the end of the barbell, and it is placed inside a threaded hole in the ball. This means that when the jewelry is being passed through the piercing, the threads also pass through it, and then the ball is screwed into place.
Internally threaded body jewelry has a threaded hole inside the barbell, and then an external thread protruding from the ball. A smooth barbell passes through the piercing, and then the ball is inserted and screwed into place.
When the jewellery is made the gem is set into the piece so you will never have the fear of it falling out unlike glued gems.
Pressfit gems can be autoclaved, Glue cannot.
Unless otherwise specified, all the metal jewelry available is 316L Stainless Steel, which is the highest grade of stainless steel and is otherwise referred to as implant grade steel. It is a steel alloy that is the most common body piercing material in the world, because of its biocompatibility and convenience of use. It can be polished to a shine, and many people love the material because of its prolonged luster. Also, keeping the steel polished to a shiny luster will result in a protective layer of chromium oxide to help keep your piercing fresh and healthy.
Stainless steel by itself can be sterilized in an autoclave machine, but please remember to consider that certain jewelry types contain loose gems or other parts, which may result in the piece not being safe for an autoclave.
Being the most sought after precious metal throughout the history of mankind, gold does not require an in-depth explanation. It is a noble metal, meaning it is resistant to corrosion and oxidation in moist air, unlike other natural metals like iron or lead. Gold has been the standard for jewelry all over the world, and the body jewelry industry is no different.
Gold piercing jewelry with a lower purity than 14k should not be used for piercings, and gold jewelry should never be used in piercings that are still healing. Body fluids that may seep from piercings that haven’t fully healed can discolor the base metals in the gold and cause them to tarnish. All the gold products possess a genuine 14kt stamp in order to prove authenticity.
Gold should not be autoclaved, as the process can cause discoloring and corrosion.
We have a vast range of gold plated products, ranging from fancy navels and nipple shields to classic barbells and even plugs. All the gold plated products are plated with 14kt gold, and the quality is excellent. If you want to carry something that looks like gold (meaning expensive) at a fraction of the cost, look no further than our line of gold plated body jewelry.
Titanium is an extremely durable metal that is also used in aerospace technology and the medical field. Long before it was used to produce body jewelry, titanium has been used for surgical implants, with very few long-term allergies or other complications. It is precisely that reason why titanium has been such a popular material in the body jewelry industry.
Our jewellery only uses commercially pure grades of titanium, like grade 5 and grade 23. Titanium jewelry is lightweight (about 60% of the weight of stainless steel at the same volume), highly corrosion resistant, and has minimal reactions to body fluids. It is not magnetic, and often they are anodized (a chemical process that is used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metals) to create a variety of color options.
Titanium can be sterilized in an autoclave, but please always be aware that gems or other parts of a product may prevent you from being able to autoclave a particular piece.
Acrylic body jewelry, commonly referred to simply as “plastic,” is an extremely versatile material which a variety of body jewelry is made of. Most people will be very familiar with this material, as many everyday products are made of plastic. They are lightweight, flexible, and have many beneficial traits like low cost and commonality. If you are looking for an easy alternative to heavy metal jewelry, acrylic may be the way to go.
Acrylic body jewelry should not be autoclaved, as it can result in the product melting or being severely damaged.
DO NOT use alcohol or harsh chemicals to clean it. It will ruin the acrylic.
Biological organic materials are quite common in the world of body piercing, and these types of materials have been used to make body jewelry by many cultures throughout history. Organic body jewelry is the craze all over the world, with natural, raw materials being used to make the newest and most innovative styles in earrings, navel rings, plugs and tapers. All of our organic jewelry is handmade and carved by skilled craftsmen
There are several different types of raw materials that are used to produce organic body jewelry, such as wood, horn, bone, and even precious stones like turquoise, jade, and tiger’s eye. These materials are well suited as body jewelry because they are durable and easily shaped. Many even say that organic materials seem to allow your body to “breathe.” Please remember that organic materials should not be autoclaved, as these kinds of products are unsuited to high temperatures and may become damaged.
Bioflex and PTFE (polytetraflouroethylene, commonly called teflon) are both hypo-allergenic, flexible, safe alternatives for those that are looking for materials other than those traditionally used in body jewelry. Whether it is a pregnant individual looking for a flexible stop-gap, someone who is having trouble with regular body jewelry due to their sensitive allergies, or simply someone that needs a less visible retainer, bioflex and PTFE materials have it covered.
Both bioflex and PTFE are biocompatible, making them extremely safe to wear. Some even say it is the best type of body jewelry for piercings that are still healing. They are lightweight, bendable, not magnetic, not visible with X-Rays, and very stable. They are widely recognized as being medically suitable for implants and piercings.
