One of the most sought-after jewelry pieces by fashion enthusiasts around the world in 2024 is stainless steel jewelry. The reason for its popularity is not unrelated to the durability and versatility it offers.
The quality of stainless steel jewelry directly influences the wearing experience, and PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition), a cutting-edge technology that give stainless steel jewelry a real gold layer, ensures that users get the most of their jewelry.
Is Stainless Steel Jewelry Healthy to Wear? Do People React to Stainless Steel?
Yes, most stainless steel jewelry is healthy to wear. Stainless steel is hypoallergenic, which means that it is suitable for all kinds of skins and people of different ages. In certain cases, stainless steel alloy could contain nickel, which can trigger allergic reactions if the user is allergic to nickel. However, food grade/surgical stainless steel is safe for sensitive skin.
Out of the over 60 grades of stainless steel, 304(food grade) and 316L(surgical steel) are the best for jewelry because of their safety. Food grade stainless steel is made of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, while surgical stainless steel contains less chromium, typical around 16%, and more nickel, in addition to molybdenum.
Considering the fact that these grades of stainless steel are biocompatible, they do not have any chemical or biological effects on the body. Stainless steel jewelry is confirmed to not leach into the bloodstream, or interfere with medications or medical procedures a person underwent or is presently undergoing. In short, stainless steel jewelry of high quality causes no adverse effects at all.
Is it Okay to Shower/Swim With Stainless Steel Jewelry?
Yes! It is absolutely okay and safe to carry out most of your daily activities with stainless steel jewelry, and this includes showering. Stainless steel does not rust, tarnish, and slight discoloration does not kick in until after 2 years.
In daily life, fresh and clean water has no adverse effect on stainless steel jewelry, hence, making it safe for showers. Unlike electro gold plated jewelry which is much more tender, with a high susceptibility to scratching, and silver which is quick to tarnish, stainless steel jewelry is able to maintain the same shine it had at the time of production, over a longer period of time, even when given very little care.
For swimming, stainless steel is also good to go, but only if it’s in a private pool and you are sure that the water does not contain much chlorine to affect stainless steel. If you are going to swim in a public pool, it is best to leave your jewelry at home. This is because most pool water contains chlorine, which is not good for stainless steel.
Does Stainless Steel Jewelry Lose Its Shine?
All things being normal, it takes a very long time for stainless steel jewelry to lose its shine. Stainless steel does not tarnish, nor rust, but eventually, it will give a darker/dimmer tone when compared with new ones. This makes it the best statement jewelry option. Stainless steel jewelry will not scratch.
Generally speaking, stainless steel is very durable when it comes to wear and tear, it will not lose its shine when used under normal conditions, however, this might still happen after a long period of time. How a person uses their stainless steel jewelry will typically determine how long it remains in optimal condition.
That being said, the risk of stainless steel jewelry losing its shine on time is very low, compared to jewelry made from other metals such as copper or silver. With the right amount of care, stainless steel jewelry is proven to last for many years, without any noticeable wear or tear. It can only suffer tarnishing and discoloration quicker than usual if exposed to harmful chemicals.
The best way to maintain long-lasting stainless steel jewelry, without it losing its shine, is to store it in a dry and cool place, avoid exposure to extreme heat, keep it away from harsh chemicals, and most importantly, ensure that you get your jewelry from a reputable stainless steel jewelry manufacturer.
How to Shine Stainless Steel Jewelry
As a result of the durability of stainless steel jewelry and the processes involved in producing it, very much less care is required for its maintenance, when compared to softer metals like sterling silver. Stainless steel is very hard to shine/polish, this is evident in how difficult it is to produce, making it difficult for consumers to use regular methods to polish them.
Seeing how hard it is to shine stainless steel jewelry, you can only do little to maintain it. We recommend these few easy steps:
Materials Needed to Shine/Clean Stainless Steel Jewelry
- A neat soft cloth or brush with soft bristles
- Gentle dishwashing liquid/detergent
- Warm water
- A little elbow grease
The Shinning Process
- Prepare a soap and water solution: get a small bowl and fill it with clean warm water, drop some mild dishwashing agent into the water, then mix thoroughly. For best results, you can soak your stainless steel jewelry inside this soap and water solution for a few minutes before moving on to the next step.
- Clean the jewelry: deep the neat soft cloth or brush into the soapy water, then use it to scrub your stainless steel jewelry, be gentle with it. Brushes are best to remove any debris laying inside the parts of the jewelry that are hard to
- Final Wash: for this step, use a piece of cloth and clean water to wash off the soapy water used from your jewelry.
- Dry and Polish: next is to dry the jewelry thoroughly with cloth that absorbs moisture easily. Afterwards, use elbow grease to polish the stainless steel jewelry for an even better shine. If you use a matte type of stainless steel jewelry though, you might not need to apply this last polish.
More Shining Tips
Below are some more helpful tips that gives your stainless steel jewelry sparkly shine and helps it last longer:
- Before putting on your jewelry, always make sure you have already applied your body lotions, hair products, and perfumes. This is to avoid contact with aerosols and other substances that might be harmful to your jewelry.
- When not in use, keep your jewelry away from direct sunlight, preferably in a drawer. You should also develop a habit of storing jewelry in air airtight containers, boxes, or ziplock bags.
- While stainless jewelry will not easily get scratched, avoid using abrasive materials and harsh chemicals on it.
What Affects the Wearing Experience of Stainless Steel Jewelry?
Material grades
The overall quality of your stainless steel jewelry is dependent on the material grade, which in turn affects the wearing experience you get from it. If you purchase stainless steel jewelry made with inferior materials, it might start rotting from the inside and cause a very bad smell.
Typically, stainless steel jewelry comprises iron, chromium, and carbon materials. A steel is said to be stainless steel if it contains at least 10.5% chromium by mass, and carbon of not more than 1.2%, this is according to the European standard EN 10088-13. It is these components that prevent carbides, which are a threat to the material, from forming.
Other elements that can be added to the stainless steel grade to give it some interesting properties include nickel (for mechanical properties), molybdenum and titanium (for stability and resistance from corrosion). Nickel homogenizes alloy and makes the material more flexible, malleable, and resilient.
Stainless steels are classified into 4 groups according to their composition, namely:
- Austenitic (group A)
- Austeno-ferritic (group AF)
- Ferritic (group F)
- Martensitic (group C).
Polishing
Intense and fine polishing is the key to premium quality stainless steel jewelry. Without it, the indicated parts on a jewelry piece can greatly affect the aesthetics.
Stone setting
Stone setting ultimately transforms the look of your stainless steel jewelry, giving it a more luxurious look and making the wearing experience even more sophisticated. This process involves the setting of stones into jewelry.
Compared to brass/silver, stone setting on stainless steel jewelry can be quite a challenging task, due to the hardness of the material, and how difficult it is to shape the prongs. Limited types of techniques can be used to safely attach stones to stainless steel jewelry.
Conclusion
Stainless steel jewelry has become a popular choice for those looking for a durable, hypoallergenic, and cost-effective option. Its resistance to tarnish and corrosion, coupled with its ease of maintenance, makes it an excellent choice for daily wear. Compared to other metals like gold, silver, and platinum, stainless steel offers more advantages regarding affordability and durability.