Titanium vs Stainless Steel: Which Is Better for Piercings?
When shopping for piercing jewellery, you'll often come across terms like implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium, stainless steel, and PVD coating. If you're unsure what they mean or which material is right for you, you're not alone.
The material your jewellery is made from can affect its weight, comfort, durability, appearance, and suitability for sensitive skin. While titanium and stainless steel are both popular choices, they each have different characteristics and benefits.
In this guide, we'll explain the differences between titanium and stainless steel, what PVD coating is, how it compares with traditional plating, and how to choose the right jewellery for your piercings.
Jump to a section
- What Is Implant-Grade ASTM F136 Titanium?
- What Is Stainless Steel?
- Titanium vs Steel
- What is PVD Coating?
- PVD vs Plating
- Looking After Your Jewellery
- FAQs
What Is Implant-Grade ASTM F136 Titanium?
Implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium is one of the highest-quality materials used in piercing jewellery. Originally developed for medical implants, it's known for being lightweight, durable and highly biocompatible.
Its benefits include:
- Nickel-free.
- Lightweight and comfortable.
- Highly biocompatible.
- Strong and durable.
- Excellent corrosion resistance.
- Suitable for everyday wear.
Because it's so lightweight, titanium can feel especially comfortable if you wear multiple piercings or larger jewellery.
Many professional piercers also choose implant-grade titanium for fresh piercings due to its excellent compatibility with healing skin.
What Is Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel has been used in jewellery for decades and continues to be a trusted choice for everyday piercing jewellery. It combines strength, durability and a polished finish, making it suitable for a wide range of piercing styles.
Some of its key benefits include:
- Strong and durable.
- Excellent corrosion resistance.
- Great value.
- Comfortable for everyday wear.
Stainless steel does contain nickel, but the nickel release is typically very low because it's tightly bound within the alloy. Many people wear stainless steel jewellery every day without experiencing any problems.
If you've comfortably worn stainless steel jewellery before, it's likely to remain an excellent option for you. If you have a diagnosed or severe nickel allergy, however, implant-grade titanium is generally the more suitable choice.
Titanium vs Steel
Both materials are excellent choices, so rather than asking which is "better", it's more useful to look at how they differ.
Weight
Titanium is approximately 45% lighter than stainless steel. If you wear several piercings or larger pieces, that lighter weight can make titanium feel almost unnoticeable throughout the day. Stainless steel is slightly heavier, although many people enjoy the reassuring feel of a little extra weight in their jewellery.
Comfort
Both materials are designed for everyday wear. Some people prefer titanium because it's so lightweight, while others happily wear stainless steel for years without any discomfort. When jewellery fits correctly and is made to a high standard, both materials can be extremely comfortable.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive ears or a diagnosed nickel allergy, implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium is often recommended because it's nickel-free. For many people without nickel sensitivity, stainless steel is also a comfortable and reliable everyday choice.
Durability
Titanium and stainless steel are both exceptionally durable materials. They're resistant to corrosion, everyday wear and tarnishing, making either material a long-lasting investment.
Appearance
Visually, polished titanium and polished stainless steel look very similar. Both are available in silver finishes and can also be finished with a beautiful gold-coloured PVD coating.
What is PVD Coating?
PVD stands for Physical Vapour Deposition, an advanced coating process used to give jewellery a durable coloured finish. During the process, a thin layer of metal is bonded to the surface of the jewellery under high vacuum conditions, creating a hard, even coating that's well suited to everyday wear. Unlike traditional electroplating, high-quality PVD coatings are generally recognised for their excellent durability and resistance to everyday wear.
Titanium and stainless steel naturally have a slightly darker grey tone. PVD coating allows them to be finished in brighter colours while retaining the benefits of the underlying material.
Gold PVD is the most common finish you'll find across the jewellery industry. At With Bling, however, both our gold and silver jewellery feature PVD coating. While gold PVD provides a rich gold finish, our silver PVD creates a brighter, more luminous silver than the natural colour of titanium or stainless steel, giving each piece a cleaner, more reflective appearance.
PVD vs Plating
Although both PVD coating and traditional plating can be used to create gold and silver finishes, they're applied using different processes.
| PVD Coating | Traditional Plating |
|---|---|
| Applied using Physical Vapour Deposition | Applied using electroplating |
| Creates a hard, durable finish | Creates a thinner plated finish |
| More resistant to everyday wear | May show signs of wear sooner |
| Excellent colour consistency | Colour can vary depending on plating thickness |
| Can be used to create both gold and bright silver finishes | Commonly used for gold and silver finishes on fashion jewellery |
Looking After Your Jewellery
Whether your jewellery is made from titanium or stainless steel, good care will help keep it looking its best.
FAQs
Is titanium better than stainless steel?
Both are excellent jewellery materials. Titanium is often chosen for sensitive ears and healing piercings because it's nickel-free and lightweight, while stainless steel is a durable and comfortable everyday option for many people.
Does ASTM F136 titanium contain nickel?
No. Implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium is nickel-free, making it a popular choice for people with sensitive skin or diagnosed nickel allergies. It's also highly biocompatible, which is why it's widely used in professional piercing jewellery and medical implants.
Does stainless steel contain nickel?
Yes. Stainless steel contains nickel, but the nickel release is typically very low because it's tightly bound within the alloy. Many people wear stainless steel jewellery comfortably every day.
Which material is best for sensitive ears?
If you have a diagnosed or severe nickel allergy, implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium is generally the preferred choice. If you don't have nickel sensitivity, both titanium and high-quality stainless steel can be comfortable options.
Is PVD-coated jewellery solid gold?
No. PVD-coated jewellery isn't made from solid gold. The gold colour comes from a durable surface coating that's applied to the underlying titanium or stainless steel.
Does PVD coating wear off?
Over time, every jewellery finish will experience some wear with regular use. However, high-quality PVD coatings are generally more resistant to everyday wear than traditional gold plating. How long the finish lasts depends on factors such as wear, exposure to chemicals, and how the jewellery is cared for.
Is PVD-coated jewellery hypoallergenic?
PVD coating itself isn't what determines whether jewellery is hypoallergenic. Instead, it's the underlying material that matters.
For example, gold or silver PVD-coated implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium retains the lightweight, nickel-free properties of titanium beneath the coating. If the jewellery has a stainless steel base, it will retain the characteristics of stainless steel.
Can I shower or swim with titanium or stainless steel jewellery?
Yes. Both implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium and high-quality stainless steel are highly resistant to corrosion and suitable for everyday wear, including showering and swimming.
To help keep your jewellery looking its best, we recommend rinsing it with clean water after exposure to chlorine or salt water and drying it thoroughly before storing or wearing it again.
Will the jewellery turn my skin green?
Neither implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium nor high-quality stainless steel is expected to turn your skin green during normal wear.
Occasionally, skin discolouration can occur due to factors such as skincare products, cosmetics, sweat, or reactions with other substances on the skin rather than the jewellery itself.
Can titanium or stainless steel jewellery rust or tarnish?
Both implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium and high-quality stainless steel are highly resistant to rust and tarnishing, making them excellent choices for everyday jewellery. Over time, jewellery may lose some of its shine due to everyday wear or surface residue, but regular cleaning will usually restore its appearance.
What's the difference between ASTM F136 titanium and Grade 23 titanium?
Grade 23 refers to the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Extra Low Interstitial), while ASTM F136 is the specification that defines the requirements for this alloy when it's manufactured for surgical implant applications.
When jewellery is described as implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium, it means the Grade 23 titanium alloy has been produced to the ASTM F136 standard. This is the material commonly used in high-quality piercing jewellery because it's lightweight, nickel-free and highly biocompatible.
What should I do if I think I'm having an allergic reaction?
If you experience redness, itching, swelling, irritation or discomfort that you believe may be related to your jewellery, stop wearing it and seek advice from a healthcare professional if symptoms persist or worsen.
If you've recently had a new piercing, it's important to remember that some redness, tenderness and swelling can be a normal part of the healing process. If you're unsure whether you're experiencing normal healing or an allergic reaction, your professional piercer or healthcare provider can help assess your symptoms.
I've had an allergic reaction. Can I return my piercing jewellery?
For hygiene and safety reasons, we can't accept returns of piercing jewellery that has been worn.
We take great care to accurately describe the materials used in each product so customers can make an informed choice before purchasing. As individual sensitivities vary, we're unable to accept liability for personal allergic reactions.
If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to certain metals, we recommend checking the product description carefully before placing your order. If you're unsure which material is most suitable, our customer care team will be happy to help.
Can I use this jewellery for a new piercing?
Our jewellery is intended for healed piercings unless otherwise stated. Initial piercing jewellery should be sterilised in an autoclave immediately before use. Most professional piercers supply and fit their own pre-sterilised jewellery to ensure appropriate hygiene and safety during the piercing procedure.
If you're looking for jewellery for a fresh piercing, we recommend speaking with your professional piercer about the most suitable options.
Is this jewellery suitable for children or babies?
Our piercing jewellery is designed for use in healed piercings and is generally intended for older children and adults.
We don't recommend our jewellery for babies or young children due to the small components, which may present a choking hazard if removed or swallowed.
If you're buying jewellery for a child, we recommend ensuring they're old enough to wear and care for piercing jewellery safely and that the jewellery is appropriate for their piercing and age.
