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Materials
All of the surgical stainless steel, gold and platinum used at Chicago Piercing Company are to exact industry standards and all meet the professional standards of the Association of Professional Piercers. Our stainless steel body jewelry is 316LVM Surgical Stainless Steel (ASTM-F138-86). Our Gold body jewelry is Solid, not plated, 14 karat yellow and 14 karat white gold. Our Platinum body jewelry is of the highest quality solid Platinum.

316LVM surgical stainless steel (ASTM-F138-86)Autoclave
Our surgical stainless steel is 316LVM surgical stainless steel (ASTM-F138-86), it is an alloy, by this we mean that it is a metallurgical substance composed of two or more metals. The number "316" is the alloy's designation, a combination of specific elements were used to create this new metal. The "L" denotes a low Carbon content, a necessary component for the alloy's resistance to corrosion. "VM" denoted "vacuum melted," whereby the metal is produced in a zero-oxygen, vacuum environment so as to eliminate the introduction of dust particles and other debris from the metal's composition. 316LVM is made up of eight primary elements, with a number of trace elements. This metal has proven to be a comfortable and durable metal in body jewelry. All of our stainless steel body jewelry is fully annealed making it easier for you to manipulate the jewelry when inserting or removing.

14 Karat Gold
Our 14 Karat Gold is an alloy of the element Gold, along with trace amounts of metals such as Nickel, and Aluminum. These additional elements act to harden the alloy, as pure gold is too soft and malleable for most body jewelry applications. Allergic reactions are only slightly higher than 316LVM Surgical Steel body jewelry, and are still quite uncommon.

Platinum
Our Platinum is relatively new to the body jewelry word but is quickly gaining popularity. One of the rarest precious metals, platinum is also one of the strongest and heaviest, making in gain popularity in the body jewelry industry. It is a popular choice for setting gem stones and for standard body jewelry.