Silver
Fans of silver jewellery are in luck. Silver is a good material for sensitive skin because it's chemically not very reactive. That keeps your jewellery in good condition, and silver doesn't react with your skin or body tissue.
925 silver is better for jewellery than pure silver
Pure silver is allergy-free, but 925 silver is better suited to jewellery. Pure silver oxidises quickly and turns black. 925 silver contains other metals that protect it from that. So your 925 silver only tarnishes slowly and you enjoy it for longer.
Some makers mix nickel, zinc, germanium or silicon into their 925 silver. Don't worry: you won't find nickel in Maitea jewellery. We only use copper in our 925 silver, so our final product is as pure as possible.
Copper can cause your reaction to silver jewellery
Copper is good for mixing with silver: it adds durability without changing the colour. But copper isn't allergy-free. Some people with very sensitive skin react to it, especially with longer skin contact.
So if you react to 925 silver, it's probably the copper. In that case, choose stainless steel jewellery, which doesn't cause skin rashes.
Stainless steel
A common misconception: pure gold is the best material for sensitive skin because it's expensive. In fact, stainless steel isn't just affordable, it's also very resistant to corrosion, rust and tarnishing. It doesn't change and doesn't irritate the skin. That makes it the real best choice for sensitive skin. And it's extremely durable: with the right care, you'll wear your stainless steel jewellery for a lifetime.
There are different grades of stainless steel
Two grades are especially kind to skin: 316L and 304. These materials are used in medical implants and body jewellery, so you don't need to worry about allergic reactions.
316L is also known as medical stainless steel. It's the safest option for sensitive skin because it's especially corrosion-resistant.
304 stainless steel is slightly less corrosion-resistant, but only slightly. It's still a good choice for sensitive skin.
At Maitea, we use a mix of both grades. Everything that goes into your ear is 316L, so only the highest grade touches your skin there. 316L can't be made from recycled materials, so for some other parts we use recycled 304 stainless steel. That keeps our jewellery as climate-friendly as possible while staying safe for sensitive skin.
Pure gold
If your heart beats for gold, we have good news: 24-karat gold (pure gold) is one of the least reactive metals there is. A good option for sensitive skin or metal allergies.
Just so you know: it isn't cheap. A ring in pure gold easily costs €300. Luckily, other materials can be coated with gold, so you can enjoy skin-friendly jewellery even with allergies, without breaking the bank.
Our gold jewellery is gold-plated silver or gold-coated stainless steel
At Maitea, we coat stainless steel and 925 silver jewellery with 18-karat gold. Why 18 karat and not pure gold? 24-karat gold is very soft and malleable and wouldn't survive everyday life. A durable piece with a 24-karat coating would need a very thick layer of gold, which would push the price so high our jewellery would no longer be affordable.
