14k body jewelry ?
Q.Maybe someone out there can help me. I'm looking for a line of 14k and sterling body jewelry. Navel rings and the like. Can someone refer me to a company that can supply me? You can reply directly to me if you you like. there's a problem with that. Most alloys of gold and silver contain at least some nickle, and many people's bodies react badly to that. Um, what? Sterling silver is silver and copper, almost always. White golds sometimes contain nickel, but the commoner yellow golds generally do not.
A.There is one common exception to this, where sterling silver does indeed present a nickel contamination problem for the wearer. And that is if the sterling silver has been rhodium plated to prevent tarnishing. While sterling silver itself contains nothing but silver and copper (and, in those few items cast in the new tarnish free versions, some tin), when it's desired to rhodium plate the sterling, it is necessary to apply a preplate of nickel, sometimes over a prior preplate of copper, prior to plating with rhodium. The nickle prevents the silver from contaminating the rhodium plating bath, and makes the plating much more adherant to the silver than it otherwise would be. However, I don't think I've ever seen anyone market body piercing jewelry other than earrings, with a rhodium plate on it, for precisely this reason, as well as that much of the piercing jewelry I've seen in sterling was attractively oxidized as part of the finish, and rhodium does not allow that. The black "oxidized" finish used on sterling is a silver and copper sulphide surface, similar to natural tarnish. While some folks might have trouble with that, I'd be actually surprised to hear of it. Also, as a minor "aside", note that silver metal is actually mildly antibiotic. Historically, for example, the canteens of the french foreign legion were silver plated on the inside because it was found that this prevented the water therein from becoming stale and unhealthy to drink... As such, I'd expect sterling silver to actually be a relatively GOOD metal to use for piercings, as it might tend to discourage infections. Copper too is slightly bacteriocidal, but it's much more of an irritant to the body as well, while silver is not really so. I can only recall a very few customers of my over the years who could wear gold pierced earrings, for example, but could not wear sterling silver pierced earrings. Those who cannot wear sterling, usually cannot wear gold either, due to copper sensativity. These people usually have had to use platinum. In gold alloys, yellow and rose golds don't contain nickel either, but as Jeanne notes, DO contain copper. Copper can be a problem for some people. Not as bad as nickel, but still, it can be an irritant. White golds may, or may not, contain significant quantities of nickle. There are white golds out there based on palladium, rather than nickle, and these won't contain nickel. But the normally used alloys in the U.S. and Canada, do contain nickle. Sometimes, enough to cause problems. But often the nickel is sufficiently tied up in the alloy that most wearers have not trouble with it. Depends on the alloy and the manufacturing processes used.
Other Questions :
Baby Phat Jewelry
I was in Brooklyn last weekend and I was listening to a rap station (97 something) and I heard a Nas song on the radio. It was f*cking great, they beeped out almost every other word, and it had some great beats like Eric B and Rakim and Slick R...
Diamond Drop Necklace.
I can say with considerable authority that Gloria did in fact drop at least three prop Hearts of the Ocean into the real, live Atlantic. Naturally, they were cheap fakes. I'd also heard that the shot from underwater showing her drop it over...
Costco Diamond Ring, Good Deal?
I am considering buying a diamond engagement ring at Costco. Sounds like a pretty good deal, but wanted to get your opinion. Here are the details: Carat: 1.00 Clarity: at least VS2 Color: at least I Cut: Princess Price: $3,800 - - stone...
Celtic Wedding Bands in Toronto?
Does anyone know where to get Celtic bands in Toronto, Ontario, Canada? I too am looking for something pretty rather than plain.Have you tried "The Irish Shop" downtown (Bloor and Avenue Road)? I'm not sure if they sell jewelry -- I think they...
Laci: Trying to figure out this whole jewelry thing
Robin Rocha, Laci Peterson's aunt, also testified that she and Laci inventoried the jewelry when the grandmother died and that after Laci disappeared, a watch and a pair of two-carat diamond earrings were missing. What inventory was Robin...