What gauge means
What gauge means in body piercing jewelry
Gauge measures wire thickness in body jewelry. The scale runs in reverse, meaning higher numbers mark thinner metal posts and rings.
Notes from the bench
Short pieces on the parts of this jewelry that are easy to get wrong: which number is the thickness, which is the length, how a hinge holds and what our steel actually is. Nothing here is advice about skin.
Length and diameter
Measuring length and diameter on body jewelry
Gauge gives you metal thickness, but the second number on our listings determines how the piece sits against your body. That number is either wearable length on a barbell or inside diameter on a hoop.
How a clicker closes
How a hinged segment hoop closes
A hinged segment ring opens on a tiny steel pin and shuts with a mechanical snap. We machine our clickers from 316L surgical steel in 16G, 18G, and 20G.
Flat back posts
How flat back labret posts fit and thread
A labret post combines a fixed base disc and a straight shaft. The front accepts a separate decorative top, like a bezel gem or steel bead.
Plug sizes in mm
Guide to plug sizes in millimetres
Sizing stretched jewelry causes confusion because maker marks shift between three measurement systems. We machine and carve our plugs and tunnels from 6mm up to 25mm.
The steel we use
Understanding 316L surgical steel in our jewelry
We build our core piercing jewelry from solid 316L surgical steel. This specific grade provides the rigidity needed for reliable threads, smooth hinges, and clean stone settings across our barbells and clickers.