How to identify professional quality stainless steel for jewelry?
Not all stainless steels have the same characteristics. In DIY jewelry, the most common grades are 304 steeland 316L steel. These alloys offer excellent resistance to oxidation, humidity, and perspiration.
304 steel is currently the benchmark for most jewelry findings, chains, and components. 316L steel, sometimes called surgical steel, offers even greater corrosion resistance due to the addition of molybdenum in its composition.
For creations intended for daily wear, it is advisable to exclusively combine components of the same quality to ensure better visual consistency and optimal durability of the jewelry.
Professional quality also relies on the regularity of welds, metal thickness, precision of cuts, and the stability of gold finishes obtained by PVD or Ion Plating (IP) treatment.
To complete your creations, also discover our jewelry findings, our DIY jewelry chains, and our DIY jewelry beads.