Septum Jewellery

Four ways a septum ring fastens

The fitting changes how often you'll wear it, more than the design does.

Clickers. A hinged ring with a segment that swings open and clicks shut. No loose parts, nothing to drop. The largest part of this collection by a distance, and the easiest fitting to put in yourself once the piercing has settled.

Seamless rings. A continuous ring with no visible join. You twist the ends apart sideways, never pull them open, then twist them back. The cleanest line we sell, and the fitting to choose if you want the ring to read as one unbroken circle.

BCRs (ball closure rings). A ring held shut by a small bead under tension. The traditional septum fitting, and the one most piercers still reach for. The bead is the fiddly part; ring-opening pliers make it a ten-second job instead of a ten-minute one.

Horseshoes. An open curved bar with a ball at each end. Flip it up inside the nose and it disappears entirely, which is why it's the fitting people pick when the piercing needs to be invisible on some days and not others.

Getting the size right

Two numbers, and they do different jobs.

Gauge is the thickness of the bar. It has to match the piercing you already have. This is not a style decision.

1.2mm (16g). The standard. Most UK septum piercings are done at this size.

1.6mm (14g). Common for a septum that's been stretched once.

0.8mm (20g) and 1mm (18g). Thinner, and more usual in nostril piercings than septums.

2mm (12g) up to 5mm (4g). For stretched septums, in the pieces made for them.

Diameter is the measurement across the inside of the ring, and it decides how far the ring hangs below the nose.

6mm to 7mm. Sits tight and high. Reads as small and deliberate.

8mm. Our most-stocked size, and the one that suits most adult faces.

10mm. Hangs lower and is clearly visible from the front.

12mm. The largest we carry, and unmistakably a statement.

If you don't know what you're wearing, take the piece to a piercer and have it measured. It takes seconds, and it's cheaper than ordering twice. Our full gauge-to-millimetre conversion chart covers every size in both directions.

The metals

316L surgical steel, in plain, gold, rose gold and black finishes. Hard-wearing, easy to clean, and the sensible choice for a piece you'll wear daily.

Sterling silver and gold-plated silver. Plated, not solid. We say so on the listing, because the colour does soften with wear and you should know that before you buy.

Brass and white brass. Warmer and heavier than steel, and the material behind most of our tribal-inspired designs.

Solid 14K and 18K gold. Around twenty pieces in this collection are genuine solid gold rather than plated, and they're priced and described as such.

Stones run through the range, including white and blue opal, turquoise, black onyx, black spinel, garnet, ruby, white topaz, iolite and lapis lazuli. Each is cut individually, so colour and marking shift a little from piece to piece.

Common questions

What gauge is a septum piercing?

Most UK septum piercings are done at 1.2mm (16g). 1.6mm (14g) is the next size up and common in a septum that's been stretched once. We stock 0.8mm (20g) through to 5mm (4g) for stretched septums.

What size septum ring should I buy?

8mm is the most-stocked diameter here and suits most adult faces. Choose 6mm or 7mm for a ring that sits tight and high, 10mm or 12mm for one that hangs lower and reads from across a room.

What's the difference between a clicker, a seamless ring and a BCR?

A clicker is hinged and clicks shut, with no loose parts. A seamless ring twists open sideways and has no visible join. A BCR is held closed by a bead under tension. Clickers are the easiest to fit yourself; seamless rings give the cleanest line; BCRs are the traditional septum fitting.

When can I change my septum jewellery?

Healing times vary from person to person. See the professional piercer who did your piercing before you change it for the first time.