Professional Grade Jewelry Matters
and here's why...
When it comes to quality, we don't take chances.
When it comes to professional body jewelry there are definitely DO’s and DON’T’s! At Nathan’s, we only utilize professional, implant grade body jewelry for your piercings. Meaning we only use threadless or internally threaded jewelry versus externally threaded jewelry (see picture).
Externally threaded pieces are not made from implant grade materials such as implant grade stainless steel and implant grade titanium; rather they are made from cheap metals that adversely affect the skin and potential healing of a fresh piercing. They are not smooth when entering a fresh piercing and can cause significant tissue damage and rejection of piercings. When piercing with externally threaded jewelry, one is basically shoving a screw through a nail hole (created by the piercing needle).
See the obvious difference between the externally threaded jewelry that is not implant grade that fades & tarnishes versus the internally threaded professional implant-grade jewelry that stays polished looking.
Implant grade stainless steel, implant grade titanium, as well as nickel-free gold, are the highest quality metals that one can get pierced with. These materials are used by doctors when implanting metals into the human body. We strive to use only the best and safest materials for your body.
We only use 14k and 18k gold pieces which is soft enough to bend if needed, but not so soft that pieces easily lose their shape in the body. Our white gold is 15% palladium, this replaces nickel which is most commonly used to alloy with, which comes from the platinum family and is the highest quality available!
Our jewelry is primarily manufactured in the United States, if not in California, if not even in Los Angeles itself! We stay as local as possible when offering you the best quality body jewelry for your piercings!
Make the RIGHT choice for your body! It’s cheaper to invest in the right jewelry now, rather than pay a hospital bill for a piercing gone significantly wrong!
Jewelry Materials
Of the numerous materials available, few have been proven appropriate for wear in fresh body piercings. Some metal alloys (mixtures) have been approved based on medical usage (often as medical implants) and have specific designations that represent a precise standard for the alloy and its quality as determined by the American (now International) Society for Testing and Materials Standard (ASTM) and/ or the International Standards Organization (ISO). Other materials, such as gold and obsidian (natural glass) have a long history of use in piercings dating back hundreds—and sometimes thousands—of years. The material worn in a healing piercing:
- Should be able to withstand the heat and pressure of autoclave sterilization.
- Should be inert and compatible with the body so it doesn’t cause irritation, allergy, or infection.
• Gold (yellow , rose, or white) is appropriate for initial piercings if it is 14k or higher, nickel- and cadmium-free, and alloyed for biocompatibility. Gold higher than 18k is too soft for body jewelry because it can easily be scratched or nicked. Gold plated, gold-filled, or gold overlay/vermeil jewelry is not acceptable for fresh piercings. All of these involve coating a base metal with a layer of gold. The gold surface (which is very thin—measured in millionths of an inch) can wear or chip off.
• Platinum is a heavy precious metal that is extremely inert and excellent for wear in body piercings. However, body jewelry in this material is rare and very expensive due to the high cost of the material and greater difficulty in manufacturing jewelry from it.
• Titanium is a lightweight metal that is ideal for people with concerns about nickel sensitivity. This material can be anodized to create jewelry of different colors without affecting the safety. Look for implant certified titanium (Ti6Al4V ELI) that is ASTM F-136 compliant, ASTM F1295, ISO 5832-3 compliant, or commercially pure titanium that is ASTM F-67 compliant.
• Niobium has been widely used by piercers with good results for many years. It is very similar to titanium, but does not have an implant-grade designation. Like titanium, niobium can be anodized to produce different colors. (And, unlike titanium, it can be anodized black.) Anodized niobium and titanium may fade due to body chemistry or when worn in friction-prone areas, but this is not harmful.
• Glass—Fused quartz glass, lead-free borosilicate, and lead-free soda-lime glass are inert and considered safe for initial piercings. They can also be sterilized in an autoclave.
Other Considerations for Jewelry Styles & Sizes
Must be of appropriate length or diameter for your unique anatomy and the placement of the piercing. Jewelry that is too tight does not allow for air and blood circulation or for the expulsion of normal secretions from the piercing. Ill-fitting jewelry increases the likelihood of swelling, embedding, and other complications if too small, or catching and excessive trauma, if too large.
Must be of an appropriate gauge (thickness). The body may treat jewelry that is too thin in gauge like a splinter, resulting in migration or rejection.
Must be of a style suited to your build and the location of the piercing. Rings are best for some areas, straight or curved bars for others, and specialty jewelry—such as a nostril screw or labret stud—for specific placements.
Implant Grade
Hand-polished implant-grade titanium & solid 14k–18k gold.
Safe for Initial
Nickel-free & lead-free — many pieces safe for fresh piercings.
Sterilized
Every order sterilized & prepared before shipment.
Made in U.S.A.
Crafted stateside & shipped nationwide via USPS.