What is hypoallergenic jewelry? [with examples]

Approximately 15% of the population has some reaction to certain metals, which is why hypoallergenic jewelry has become more in demand. Many people have a misconception about hypoallergenic jewelry, as few really know what it means to acquire this type of piece.

In this blog we will help you clarify important concepts that will help you to know how to identify a hypoallergenic jewel and its benefits.

What is hypoallergenic jewelry?

Hypoallergenic jewelry is one that contains metal alloys that have been carefully selected, as jewelers seek to minimize the possibility of causing an allergic reaction.

Surely you have decided to wear a jewel and minutes after wearing it your skin suffered from reactions such as itching and irritation, this means that your skin is not compatible with some metals of the jewel , it is mostly caused by nickel, since it is a metal allergenic, due to this problem and as a prevention, the concept of hypoallergenic jewelery arose.

An incorrect information that many jewelry lovers believe is that hypoallergenic jewelry does not cause allergies; however, the existence of allergies is reduced as much as possible , but the reality is that the risk cannot be completely eliminated.

What is behind hypoallergenic jewelry?

The solution to the problem of the skin when wearing jewelry is summed up in hypoallergenic jewelry , as we saw, a large percentage of people can suffer from this problem, however, it is important that you identify that the concept of nickel-free and hypoallergenic jewelry are not the same, because when a piece is identified as hypoallergenic jewelry, it may or may not contain the minimum percentage of nickel, that is, it is below what could cause skin problems.

It should be noted that nickel is not the only cause of allergies. Bronze and copper could also cause an allergic reaction in some people, even gold and silver can cause some discomfort, since in its purest form it becomes very soft, which is why it needs to be mixed with other metals for better hardness and color.

This is how many jewels that claim to be hypoallergenic contain nickel to improve their properties. Therefore, this term does not mean that it does not contain this metal, but rather that the amount it contains is slightly allergenic and does not cause as many problems.

Metals that contain a hypoallergenic jewel

Surely you have heard that the purer the metal, the less alloy it contains. An example is gold, the higher the number of carats the purer it is. But gold is not the only safe metal, we have other options:

• Titanium: This is an element, not an alloy metal. And by nature it does not contain nickel, it is undoubtedly one of the purest metals, with it you can avoid allergic reactions.
• Niobium: Similarly, niobium is an element, so it does not contain nickel.
• Surgical stainless steel: Although it is not 100% nickel free, it is certainly a good option to avoid allergic reactions.
• Platinum: This is considered one of the purest metals for jewelry. By acquiring jewelry of this metal, you can be sure that you will not have any mishaps.
• Silver argentium: It is made of recycled material made of silver, ecological and free of allergens. This is why it is called the whitest metal on the market.
• Sterling silver: It is a common metal in the market. So many people have had no problems when using them. Even though most silver is nickel-free, it's always best to be sure.

• Rhodium -plated silver: Rhodium is a hypoallergenic metal , so it does not produce skin reactions or allergy to direct contact with the skin, unlike nickel, cadmium or chrome and may be present in Sterling Silver, 18k gold and stainless steel. . All our Vicari pieces are made with rhodium plated silver , so you will avoid the possibility of skin problems.

Metals that a hypoallergenic jewel does not contain

Perhaps you have found some jewel that you liked a lot, but if it contains any of these materials, it is better that you check before acquiring it if you are not allergic to avoid them in your jewelry:

• Nickel: As we have already explained during the blog, nickel is not a good option to use in your jewelry if you suffer from any type of allergy.
• White gold: Perhaps the shine of a gold jewel does not always mean that it is the best option. This shine could be the cause of an allergy.
• Brass: Another metal that causes allergies. Contains copper, nickel or zinc and is clearly not hypoallergenic.

Get to know our hypoallergenic rhodium silver jewelry

Rhodium is essential for our pieces to have that characteristic shine and silver color , an example is our different ring models . By using rhodium-plated silver we avoid the oxidation of silver over time, for this the pieces of jewelry are submerged in an electrolytic bath so that this metal adheres to the base metal of the jewel.

Rhodium is a noble metal and its price exceeds that of gold, rhodium is found in few countries on the planet. For this reason, our pieces ensure the quality, finishes and durability you need, rest assured that you will reduce the possibility of skin problems, because not only is it hypoallergenic jewelry , but our pieces are nickel-free.

Do you want to know more about jewelry? We invite you to read our article: What is the difference between 950 silver and 925 silver?