Stainless steel ear stud out of Surgical Steel 316L with zirconia and Black PVD-coating. Stone(s) are fixed in setting.

Surgical steel 316L, originally used in medical implants (e.g. artificial joints), has now become the most important material for piercings. It is characterized by its extremely shiny surface with practically no uneven traces. Surgical steel is also very scratch-resistant.However, it is not advisable to use surgical steel for first-time piercings since its nickel component as part of the alloy may become active when in contact with the sore salt of a newly pierced skin (we recommend to use Titanium G23 or Bioplast instead). Surgical steel can be worn without any trouble once the piercing hole is healed because Nickel cannot be absorbed by the body anymore. Allergies to surgical steel 316L are rare.

Zirconia (molecular formula: ZrO2, Zirconium dioxide) is synthetic substitute for diamond . Its hardness is almost as high as the one of diamond (8.5 as opposed to 10) which makes it resistable. However, it may scratch other material easily. Zirconia can be produced in different colours and levels of transparency. It is normally cut in faces (in the same way as glass).

PVD is the abbreviation for "Physical Vapor Deposition" and is a coating method. This is a purely physical process that takes place at high temperature and under vacuum. Black PVD coating mainly uses carbonitride or titanium nitride to increase resistance and durability. The jewelry gets a beautiful gray or black hue and is additionally protected by the PVD coating.