Are you selling pairs or singles?
All of our basic barbells and rings are sold individually. Plugs, tunnels and other earrings are sold as matched pairs. The prices published on our website are followed by "pair" or "each", so that's the best way to be sure.
Can I order a custom size or design?
Probably not, but you might try sending us a request anyways. We don't manufacture in-house, but might know where to find it. We have close relationships with makers and distributors all over the world.
Stainless Steel
Most of our stainless steel jewelry is made from 316L. We don't recommend stainless steel jewelry if you're hypersensitive to nickel. All stainless steel body jewelry will contain a small amount of nickel. Titanium and solid 14k gold are both highly recommended nickel-free alternatives. Stainless steel can be safely autoclaved, chemically sterilized or soaked in alcohol.
316LVM is a low carbon alloy that's been vacuum melted to eliminate any airborne contaminants that might adhere to the surface. It's more expensive and really only used by the very top (APP endorsed) name brand manufacturers. Today I ran across some externally threaded barbells advertised as 316LVM and priced at $2.99 retail. Please don't trust generic jewelry to be made from 316LVM stainless steel.
Anodized Titanium
About 90% of our colored titanium jewelry is anodized right here at the shop. How does anodizing create so many brilliant colors? Best Technology does an excellent job of explaining the science behind it... The anodizing process creates an "oxide layer on the surface of titanium to produce an 'illusion of color.' The titanium oxide layer gives the perception of color due to an interference phenomenon, similar to a prism. Light reflects from both the oxide layer and the underlying titanium at different angles and those reflections interfere with each other. Certain wavelengths of light cancel each other out or combine, so that the remaining light is perceived as color. Unlike aluminum anodizing, no dyes are required to produce the color perception, thus adding to the biomedical safety of the finished part."
Glass
Glass body jewelry is made from either 'hard' or 'soft' glass. Both are non-porous and hypoallergenic making them an ideal material for piercing jewelry. Soft or soda-lime glass is less expensive and commonly used in everyday glass products. Hard or borosilicate glass is more durable, non-reactive to chemicals and resistant to thermal shock. Pyrex is the most recognized brand name for borosilicate glass. We guarantee beautiful and well matched pairs, but jewelry shape and color may not exactly match the photographs on our website. Minor variances in the shape and sizing (+/-0.5mm) are considered normal for hand blown glass. Most glass is autoclave safe and should be cleaned with anything non-abrasive.
Hand Carved Organics
Natural materials like horn, bone, wood, and shell will include minor variations in colors and pattern. We guarantee all jewelry will be made from the correct materials as advertised, but it cannot be expected to exactly match the photographs on our website. Hand carved and natural materials will never yield two pieces of jewelry that are exactly the same. Minor variances in the shape and sizing (+/-0.5mm) are considered normal for hand carved body jewelry. We do our best to match two pieces that are most alike when you purchase a pair of plugs, tunnels or earrings. Organic body jewelry should not be used for initial piercing jewelry or freshly stretched piercings. It cannot be autoclaved or chemically sterilized. It's generally more fragile than other materials and may require some maintenance for an extended lifespan.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a popular material because it's inexpensive, lightweight and available in a spectrum of colors. Please clean gently with non-abrasive anti-bacterial soap, a warm water rinse and pat it dry with a soft cloth. Alcohol and other chemicals can quickly ruin most acrylic jewelry. Acrylic body jewelry can't be sterilized with an autoclave. It's not safe for unhealed or initial piercings. It's not recommended for long term wear. It may become warped, discolored and degraded by prolonged exposure to heat or sunlight.
Internal Threading
Remove the ends from an internally threaded barbell, and you'll see a little hole in the very tip. The removable ends are attached to a threaded post that screws into the hollow barbell. Some people refer to this as a "female" barbell with "male" ends. These are usually a bit more expensive, but definitely the better choice for initial piercings.
External Threading
Externally threaded jewelry will have visible threading on the exterior tip(s) of the barbell shaft. The removable ends will have a little threaded hole for the shaft to screw into. Some people refer to this as a "male" barbell with "female" ends. This is almost always the more economical choice and better suited for a healed piercing.
Less Common Plug & Tunnel Shapes
These shapes appear to be different sizes, but they've all got the same circumference (or perimeter). Squares will definitely look smaller and triangles often make customers ask WTF? We're simply comparing the basic shapes and not accounting for probable flares. Please be aware that unusual shapes are often more difficult to insert for smaller sizes.
- Circle (1" diameter) ≈ 3.14" circumference ≈ 0.79 square inch area
- Square (.785" x .785") ≈ 3.14" perimeter ≈ 0.62 square inch area
- Triangle (1.047" equilateral) ≈ 3.14" perimeter ≈ 0.47 square inch area
- Teardrop shapes vary, but we estimate an area of 0.71 square inches for this comparison
How To Measure Body Jewelry
|
Captive Bead Rings
Be sure that you are measuring the interior diameter of your ring. People commonly make the mistake of measuring the outer diameter.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Interior Diameter
C. Bead Size
|
Circular Barbells
Be sure that you are measuring the interior diameter of your circular. People commonly make the mistake of measuring the outer diameter.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Interior Diameter
C. Ball Size
|
Curved Barbells
Barbell length is the distance between the two ends. People commonly make the mistake of measuring the overall length of the entire barbell.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Barbell Length
C. Ball Size
|
Labret Barbells
Barbell length is the distance between the two ends. People commonly make the mistake of measuring the overall length of the entire barbell.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Barbell Length
C. Ball Size
D. Disc Diameter
|
Plugs & Tunnels
Sizes are most commonly expressed as a gauge or fractional inch for larger sizes. Regardless of the flare style, all of them are measured squarely in the middle (A).
 |
| (side views) |
|
A. Gauge
B. Wearable Area
Common styles:
1. No Flare
2. Single Flare
3. Double Flare
4. Screw-on
|
Septum Retainers
We're showing a basic septum staple, but the shape can vary a bit.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Interior Diameter
C. Length
|
Straight Barbells
Barbell length is the distance between the two ends. People commonly make the mistake of measuring the overall length of the entire barbell.
 |
A. Gauge
B. Barbell Length
C. Ball Size
|
Conversion Chart for Most Common Sizes
|
| Gauge/Inch (fraction) |
Inch (decimal) |
Millimeters |
| 20g |
0.032 |
0.81mm |
| 18g |
0.035 |
1.0mm |
| 16g |
0.050 |
1.2mm |
| 14g |
0.064 |
1.6mm |
| 12g |
0.080 |
2.0mm |
| 10g |
0.101 |
2.5mm |
| 8g |
0.128 |
3.2mm |
| 6g |
0.162 |
4.1mm |
| 4g |
0.204 |
5.1mm |
| 2g |
0.250 |
6.5mm |
| 0g |
0.312 |
8.2mm |
| 00g |
0.375 |
9.2mm |
| 7/16" |
0.438 |
11.1mm |
| 1/2" |
0.500 |
12.7mm |
| 9/16" |
0.563 |
14.2mm |
| 5/8" |
0.625 |
15.8mm |
| 11/16" |
0.688 |
17.4mm |
| 3/4" |
0.750 |
19.0mm |
| 13/16" |
0.813 |
20.6mm |
| 7/8" |
0.875 |
22.2mm |
| 15/16" |
0.938 |
23.8mm |
| 1" |
1.000 |
25.4mm |
| 1-1/16" |
1.063 |
27.0mm |
| 1-1/8" |
1.125 |
28.6mm |
| 1-3/16" |
1.188 |
30.2mm |
| 1-1/4" |
1.250 |
31.8mm |
| 1-5/16" |
1.313 |
33.3mm |
| 1-3/8" |
1.375 |
34.9mm |
| 1-7/16" |
1.438 |
36.5mm |
| 1-1/2" |
1.500 |
38.1mm |
| 1-9/16" |
1.563 |
39.7mm |
| 1-5/8" |
1.625 |
41.3mm |
| 1-11/16" |
1.688 |
42.9mm |
| 1-3/4" |
1.750 |
44.5mm |
| 1-13/16" |
1.813 |
46.0mm |
| 1-7/8" |
1.875 |
47.6mm |
| 1-15/16" |
1.938 |
49.2mm |
| 2" |
2.000 |
50.8mm |
