Every earring post we make is stainless steel. It's the one part of an earring that actually goes through your ear.
So this won't be a takedown of steel. Steel is excellent at a few things, and we use it exactly where it's excellent. The more interesting question is why the rest of the earring, and every ring we make, is built from something else.
What steel does brilliantly
Stainless steel protects itself. Its chromium forms an invisible oxide film on the surface, and according to Spain's stainless steel association, that film regenerates almost instantly when it gets scratched. Trade magazine JCK has described the metal as resistant to scratching, tarnishing, denting and bending.
It's also on the American Academy of Dermatology's list of metals to look for if you're sensitive to nickel, alongside high-karat gold, sterling silver and platinum. That's why it's on our posts.
For a plain band, a simple hoop or a chain you never want to think about, steel is a smart, affordable choice.
The same toughness works against detail
The quality that makes steel hard to damage also makes it hard to shape.
It melts at around 1,400°C, roughly 450 degrees hotter than brass and even more than sterling silver. One metalsmith writing for Ganoksin advises treating stainless more like platinum than gold, because it takes more time and effort at every step.
That shows up in three places:
- Sculpting. Bands that curve, dip and split, and charms with real dimension, are far harder to form in a metal that resists heat and tools.
- Setting stones. A prong or bezel holds a stone because a jeweler pushes metal over it. Steel is harder and less malleable, and it doesn't like to be pushed.
- Sizing. Jewelers generally can't resize a stainless steel ring, because the metal isn't built to be cut and heated the way gold and silver are.
None of that makes steel bad. It makes steel best at clean, simple shapes, which is where most steel jewelry lives.
Steel is brilliant at staying the same. Our designs ask metal to do a lot more than that.
The gold part is a coating, and often a mystery
Then there's the "waterproof" gold steel all over your feed. The steel underneath is tough. The gold color on top is a coating, and many sellers don't say what it is or how thick.
Typically it's a PVD coating such as titanium nitride, which is gold-colored without being gold, sometimes finished with a thin layer of real gold. One major coating company lists its decorative coatings at 0.2 to 2 microns.
At the cheapest end it gets vaguer still. One private-label supplier, the kind that sells ready-made jewelry for brands to put their own names on, says in its FAQ that it doesn't publish plating thickness and holds no sweat, salt-spray or wear-resistance test reports.
Plenty of steel brands do better than that. The point is that "stainless" describes the part you can't see. Ask about the part you can.
What we build instead
Our designs need metal that can be cast into fine shapes and worked by hand afterward. So our gold rings start as brass, a metal that takes fine, sculpted shapes, then get a silver barrier, 2.5 microns of real 18K gold and a clear protective seal. Our silver rings are solid .925 sterling silver, finished in rhodium like fine white gold. Every stone is set by hand. And we make almost every design in sizes 4 to 11, so you buy the right size instead of resizing.
Here's what that buys you:
Serpent, $95, is two open bands in sterling silver, wrapping past each other and lined with mismatched crystal shapes, each one set by hand.
“Love how luxurious it looks on the hand and the mismatched crystal is my favorite detail!”
Tutu, $89, is two gold bands, one plain and one pavé, joined by a link that moves, with a heart crystal set in prongs on top.
Sprinkle, $69, sets a pear-cut crystal in a deliberately lopsided spray of smaller stones, every one in its own prong.
And the Koi Earrings, $59, are sculpted gold hoops, half smooth and half rippled, on stainless steel posts. Each metal is doing the job it's best at.
Steel for the part that goes through your ear. Something far more sculptable for the part everyone sees.
Shop the story
Serpent Sterling Silver Ring
Tutu Ring
Sprinkle Ring
Koi EarringsQuestions about stainless steel jewelry
Is stainless steel jewelry good quality?
It can be. Stainless steel resists corrosion, scratches and dents, which makes it a good choice for simple shapes and earring posts. It's harder to sculpt, set stones in and resize, so detailed designs are usually made in other metals.
Can stainless steel rings be resized?
Usually not. Steel is too hard and heat-resistant for standard jeweler's sizing, so buy the right size from the start.
Does gold stainless steel jewelry fade?
The gold color on steel jewelry is a coating, and like any surface it wears with friction over time. How fast depends on what the coating is and how thick it is, so look for a brand that tells you both.
Is stainless steel good for sensitive ears?
Surgical-grade stainless steel is one of the metals the American Academy of Dermatology suggests for people with nickel sensitivity. Every Oomiay earring post is stainless steel. If reactions keep happening, see a dermatologist.
Can I wear Oomiay jewelry in water?
Our pieces are water-resistant, so hand washing and rain are fine. Take them off for showers, swimming and workouts.
Wink Ring
Spell Ring
Gold Double Hoop Dangle Earrings
Gold Star Bezel Tennis Necklace