Gauge conversion table

Material Types for Jewelry

Which metal is nickel free? - The short answer is Titanium will be best for those with metal allergies as there is no nickel at all in the base metal or as a result of manufacturing processes.

Even though 316L stainless steel can be considered "nickel-free" for some applications, it's not entirely accurate to say it's completely free of nickel. Additionally, the magnetism of 316L, and other stainless steels, is more complex than just the presence or absence of nickel. Cold working or other manufacturing processes can induce magnetism in austenitic stainless steels like 316L.

Brass is currently used as a metal type in some of the elaborate tops casings that are on clearance. Brass itself is not a part of any of the wearable posts (parts in contact with the actual piercing wound). Oxidization of the brass occurs because it is primarily made of of copper and zinc and when copper reacts with moisture, sweat or natural acids on the skin it can form copper salts. These salts have a greenish color, which can transfer to skin and is harmless and also not an allergic reaction. We suggest these pieces be worn as event pieces and not worn daily for this reason.

How is the jewelry colored?

PVD plating, or Physical Vapor Deposition plating, is a thin-film coating process used to enhance the appearance and durability of various materials, including jewelry and industrial components. It involves vaporizing a solid material in a vacuum and depositing it onto the surface of an object, creating a thin, durable layer. PVD plated jewelry is generally not recommended for fresh piercings, but it can be suitable for healed piercings under certain conditions. It does not transfer color to skin but can wear over years and exposure to chemicals.

Thread Patterns

As a rule the 14G internally threaded jewelry on our site is standard size which takes an internal thread pattern of 1.2mm and the 16G takes 0.9mm internal thread pattern. 

Please be aware that 18G jewelry is not a standardized thread. Some manufactures make it 0.8mm thread pattern so test your thread on your 18G by trying to successfully thread a 16G top which is standard 0.9mm thread pattern and if it fits then you know your 18G piece also has 0.9mm thread pattern and any 16G internal top will also fit. It has recently become far more common for factories to make 18G thread pattern the same as 16G fitting a 0.9mm thread pattern and individual tops in 0.8mm are not commonly made anymore to be sold separately as a result.

Also the extended threading in our piercers special labrets are not standardized threading regardless of gauge - and only fit the post it comes with although our newest manufacture of this item is creating them in standard gauges and we are starting to sell the tops separately in standard threading.

Threadless Jewelry - How it Works

When you purchase threadless jewelry it may or may not come pre-bent. Usually if it is sold as a 2 pc combo there is already a bend in the pin top, however, it still needs to be checked to ensure it is a tight enough fit.

When you buy a separate top and base you almost surely will have to pre-bend your top pin. 

Either way here is a helpful video that explains how but be warned you must be gentle and always apply pressure from the middle of the top not an end particularly if it is a long design. You must be gentle it is easy to break them if you bend repeatedly or too aggressively and this is not returnable for this reason.

Watch a Video on How to Bend Threadless Tops for Straigth Posts
What a Video on How to Bend Threadless Tops for Curved Posts

Synthetic Opal vs Natural Opal

We use synthetic opal stones in all our jewelry. Synthetic opal is made in a lab oratory and the components are similar to natural opal. Not only do they have high similarity to natura opal in appearance, but also have higher hardness and more stable chemical properties. This means that is is more resistant to wear and less susceptible to environmental erosion. In addition, due to the precise control of various parameters during the production process, the quality of the synthetic opal is more uniform including the color and texture characteristics.