As white as they come

White gold is not silver. People often times refer to white gold as silver since it appear and feel like the latter. Partly it is true, since in reality white gold is an alloy of gold and another white metal usually silver or palladium. The combination of silver or palladium eliminates the yellow gold look and creates the rather white silver appearance. But even if it is an alloy, white gold is still measured in Karats just like ordinary gold. Other white metals used to combine with gold include nickel and platinum. Each metal used to combine with gold yield varying properties. A nickel based gold alloy, for example, creates a strong and hard metal which makes it ideal to be used for rings and pins. While, white gold-palladium alloys are relatively softer and flexible which make them great for gemstone settings. However, the disadvantage of using white gold-nickel alloy in body jewelry is that is could cause various skin reactions since nickel is not bio-compatible. Some may have very mild reactions to the metal with only mild itchiness and skin rashes. However, these reactions might turn uglier if they lead to infections. It is therefore best to consider your body chemistry first before buying any type of body jewelry. Nevertheless, white gold is quite popular as body jewelry. You could find white gold gemstone rings, ladies jewelry, nipple and navel rings, nose studs, earrings and tongue piercing. The reliability of the material has been proven. A lot of people compare white gold to platinum especially when both are used in body jewelry. Platinum is better as far as jewelry is concerned since it is more abrasive resistant than any other metal available. It has a real white color unlike white gold which is actually a grey steel-like color. Platinum is heavier than gold and last longer. However, the most disadvantageous part in platinum based body jewelry is the costs. Whether you believe it or not, pure platinum costs a lot more than gold. Actually, white gold was created exclusively for jewelry precisely to find less costly alternative for platinum. It was in the 1920s when the alloy was first manufactured for the jewelry and gem industry. Today, the alloy is a well established material for body jewelry and has its own fashion sense and value. White gold is often used as settings for diamonds and other gemstones enhancing their appeal. Like what was mentioned earlier, white gold is also measured by means of karats. However, white gold can only be produced up to 21 karat. Now when hear a higher karat white gold, it doesn't mean the gold is whiter. White gold is a combination of gold and other metals. The color is affected by the properties of the metals we add to gold and not the amount of gold. Basically, white gold can be either nickel-whites or palladium-whites. The main difference of which is that nickel-white gold have a colder white color wherein the palladium whites' color is a little warmer. Also it is very hard to achieve a good nickel white unlike with palladium whites which tends to be softer thus easier to process. Because of the price of palladium, however, palladium whites are a little more expensive. When buying white-gold, always remember that majority of white gold on the North American market are nickel-whites. The problem with nickel is that around 12-15% of people are allergic to the metal. Skin contact with nickel can cause red skin rash or irritation.

Unique Body Jewelry

People see body piercing differently. Some call it hideous because this is not normally done even if a lot of cultures practice it. Those who are more open-minded consider it to be a work of art as it brings out one's personality. Whether people like it or not, this trend is here to stay. A lot of celebrities have also joined the hordes of those that have done body piercing. Two examples are Britney Spears and Cristina Aguilera that have each flaunted a fashion accessory. After seeing this in concert and on MTV, avid fans have also done the same thing. Such an example just shows that modern society has moved body piercing beyond the ears. Here are some examples of where some have decided to put it. Some women love to flaunt. Instead of just wearing a push up bra or clothes that are quite revealing, there are those who have had body piercing in the breasts. Some of the choices to choose from are nipple clamps, rings and shields with the option of even having a chain hanging from one end to the other. Another unique spot that can only be seen when the person is nude is in the clit. Those working in the adult industry have done it making this also possible by an ordinary woman. Believe it or not, men have also joined the unique placing body jewelry trend. Several have done this in the arms and the legs. Those that are quite bold have even done this in the male genitals. There are many who claim that body piercing is unsafe. In fact, some men and women have experienced allergies and infections. The truth is, such incidents are not always the fault of the professional. There are times that the client chose a particular section of the body that was not safe in the first place which resulted in the injury. Nevertheless, in order to prevent such accidents from happening, those who work in the industry have taken more precautionary steps so people will be able to enjoy rather than suffer from it. Some require the person below the age of 18 to get parental consent while others are advised to see a doctor first to make sure it is safe. Does body piercing hurt? This depends on the individual but some describe it to be similar to the kind of experience when this is done to the ears as this will be over in just a few seconds. The only way to keep the hole open is for the individual to always have something placed there. This means the maintenance process is the same when having a pair of earrings. Should it close, the customer will have to go back to the store and get another piercing. Fortunately, not all the body jewelry will require this because there are other options available. The person can use the type of body jewelry that can be clipped or glued to one's body thanks to an adhesive. Body jewelry comes in many shapes and forms and the way that a person is able to carry it makes it unique. The other way will be to have one custom made. By coming up with an intrinsic design, the manufacturer will be able to make it happen so this can be shown to the world.

The hard metal for your body

Ti in the periodic table, has an atomic number of 22, and is quite known for its lightness, strength and corrosive-resistant properties. We're referring to Titanium, the metal that is white-silvery in color. For industrial and other purposes titanium can be easily combined with other elements like iron and aluminum to create strong lightweight alloys which are used for jet engines, missiles, chemical plants, automotive industry, agriculture, medical science, sports and more. It was William Gregor of England who discovered the metal in 1791, however, it was Martin Heinrich Klaproth who coined the name titanium after the Titans of Greek mythology. Aside from the industrial uses of titanium, nowadays the metal is used for body jewelry. Jewelers are preferring titanium over other metals because of its properties. The metal doesn't react much to stimuli making them ideal for people who are sensitive to other materials. Plus, it is very durable, light weight and will not rust, or corrode under normal use. In fact, titanium's ability to resist corrosion is one of its most notable properties. The metal comes very close to platinum in terms of anti-corrosive properties. The metal can endure most acids like sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. It can withstand exposures from moist chlorine gas and chloride solutions, as well as salt solutions. The metal can be made more corrosion-resistance by exposing it to elevated temperatures. But even if you store or use the metal in room temperatures, it will still resist tarnishing. Other properties of titanium include paramagnetic or being weakly attracted to magnets and low electrical and thermal conductivity. Why do people become allergic to metal body jewelry in the first place? The amount of nickel usually determines how safe and how allergen risk it is. The problem with nickel is that it is usually not bio-compatible. This causes problems when the jewelry metals is used or pierced through the skin. When buying body jewelry, you should therefore check the metal and nickel contents of the body ornaments. Sterling silver, for example, is only .925% silver. The other percent is made up of other metals which can cause irritation, tarnishing when it comes in contact with air and body fluids. Gold, especially the higher grades like 24karat gold, contains less nickel than sterling silver. However, the problem with gold and sterling silver is that they are soft. Both metals are susceptible to nicks and dents which can be breeding grounds for bacteria which in turn causes infections and allergic reactions. Surgical stainless steel (SSS) is perhaps the most popular metal used for body jewelry. The metal is strong and has virtually flawless finish. Plus, allergic reactions are much less for SSS compared to silver and gold. However, SSS still does contain nickel and irritations from the use of the metal as body jewelry is possible especially if the person has a terribly low tolerance of nickel The next best thing after SSS is Niobium. This metal is a little heavier than SSS but is also a little stronger. What is good about Niobium is that it is non-reactive. Most people are able to wear them as body jewelry with little or no problem at all. The only problem that would arise is the higher costs of buying the metal. Still, Niobium is cheaper than Titanium and most people will choose Niobium as the middle ground between SSS and Titanium. Titanium is the hardest and highest grade of metal available which has almost no presence of nickel at all. The metal has less than .05% of Nickel. Scratches and dents will not occur on the surface of the metal because of its strength.