I wear mainly nickel and lead free metal alloys (such as zinc) because I have sensitive skin, so this is what I have been using in my shop. I'm in the process of upgrading my materials, and I thought it would be helpful to get a little feedback before I purchase new supplies! Thanks guys!
For my store, everything is currently gold fill/vermiel or sterling silver. When I buy for myself (which actually isn't often) it's either the metals I just mentioned or real gold. Gold plated loses its gold coating far too fast or makes me itch.
I don't have any allergies, so I usually go with silver tone metal since I prefer the look of silver and it's cheaper than sterling (I'm also broke). I love copper jewelry too, but I don't own as much of it.
I rarely buy jewelry for myself anymore, since i just make what I want, but I will usually go for something that is solid metal, as opposed to plated, which doesn't last that long with me. But usually sterling of fine silver, what I work with...
I wear sterling, gold-filled, gold, and platinum. For earrings the earwires need to be surgical stainless steel, 14K gold-filled, 14k gold (or higher).
I wear solid gold or sterling silver. Recently I got some silver and gold plate, gold plate didn't last...silver plate is doing ok so far, got new wires - silver plate over surgical steel, the name makes me trust it but didn't wear it yet...
thank you Melanie! i just changed all my earrings over to surgical steel cuz i thought it was the one people would be least allergic too...and no one was mentioning it.
thank goodness! :) im not allergic to any metal that i know of. so i just buy what i like. :)
I wear gold (wedding rings are gold) but make and sell sterling almost exclusively. Once in a while, I get a request for gold. Antiqued/oxidized silver with a touch of gold seems to sell the best in the boutiques.
my personal favorite is copper, but i don't go out searching for copper jewelry... whatever pulls me in is what i purchase, and it really doesn't matter on the metal type, or the stone type, or the color. i have a lot of those just.. BAM moments... doesn't everyone?
thank you Melanie! i just changed all my earrings over to surgical steel cuz i thought it was the one people would be least allergic too...and no one was mentioning it.
thank goodness! :) im not allergic to any metal that i know of. so i just buy what i like. :)
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that's a good move! stainless steel and sterling both have traces of nickel and i don't like either they bug me sometimes. i love surgical steel!
Yes, Katie! I always considered surgical steel to be a go to metal for earrings and body piercings, but the APP (Association of Professional Piercers) requires their members to pierce with titanium jewelry. Apparently there are many grades of surgical steel and only a couple are considered "biocompatible".
