14K Gold Body Jewellery

What solid 14k actually means

Gold sold for piercings comes in four forms, and only one of them is gold all the way through.

Solid 14k is an alloy. 58.5% pure gold, the rest copper, silver, zinc or palladium depending on the colour. That alloy is the entire piece. Scratch it and there's gold underneath.

Gold-plated is a microns-thin layer of gold over another metal, usually silver or steel. It looks identical on day one and wears through with time and friction.

Gold vermeil is plating over sterling silver to a set minimum thickness. Better than standard plating, still a coating.

Gold-filled is a thicker bonded layer. Longer-lived than plating, still not solid.

Everything on this page is the first kind. Where we sell plated pieces elsewhere on the site, they're described as gold-plated silver. We don't use "gold" to mean "gold-coloured".

Why it matters for a piercing specifically: a plated piece sits in warm, moist tissue and rubs against skin every day, which is the fastest way to wear a coating through. A solid piece has nothing to lose.

Yellow, white and rose

All three are 14k. The difference is what the other 41.5% is made of.

Yellow gold is alloyed with silver and copper in balance, and it's the closest to what most people picture when they think of gold.

White gold swaps in palladium or similar to pull the colour cool and grey. Many white gold pieces are finished with a rhodium plating for extra brightness. That finish can wear over years and be reapplied by a jeweller, while the gold underneath stays as it is.

Rose gold raises the copper content, which is what gives it the warm pink tone. The more copper, the pinker.

None of the three tarnishes the way silver does, and none will change colour with normal wear.

Fit and fastening

Labret posts come in 6mm and 8mm. 6mm is the everyday length for a settled ear piercing; 8mm suits a lip, a medusa, or anywhere with more tissue to pass through. Ours are internally threaded. The thread sits inside the post and the top screws into it, so the part that travels through your piercing is smooth.

Clicker rings come in 7mm, 8mm, 9mm and 10mm inside diameters. 8mm is the usual septum size for most adult faces; 10mm hangs lower and reads from further away.

Gauge is the one number to get right, and it has to match the piercing you already have. 1.2mm (16g) is the UK standard for septums and most labrets, with 1mm (18g) common in ear placements. If you don't know yours, take your current piece to a piercer and have it measured before you spend this much. Our gauge-to-millimetre conversion chart converts both ways, and the measuring guide explains how to measure a piece you own.

For a new or healing piercing, ask the professional piercer who did it what they'd put in before you change anything.

Common questions

Is this solid gold or gold-plated?

Solid 14k gold throughout this collection: 58.5% pure gold alloyed for strength, all the way through the piece. Nothing here is plated, filled or vermeil. Our plated pieces live elsewhere on the site and are labelled gold-plated silver.

Will 14k gold tarnish or turn my skin green?

No. Gold doesn't oxidise the way silver and copper alloys do, and solid gold has no coating to wear through. White gold pieces finished with rhodium may dull slightly over years, and a jeweller can re-polish or re-plate that surface finish.

What size do I need?

Labret posts are 6mm or 8mm; clicker rings are 7mm to 10mm across. Gauge is the number that must match your piercing, and 1.2mm (16g) is standard for septums and most labrets. If in doubt, have your current piece measured rather than guessing at this price.

Can I return it if the size is wrong?

Unworn pieces can be returned within 14 days of delivery, in new condition. Because these are piercing jewellery, anything that's been worn can't come back for hygiene reasons, so check your size before you fit it, not after.