Written by Katelyn Joy Campbell
Niobium jewelry offers an opportunity to embrace flair and style without a high price tag or allergic response. With its durability, versatility, and hypo-allergenic qualities Niobium allows you to indulge in the beauty of your favourite metal hue without sacrificing gentleness on your skin.
Many people with skin sensitivities have lost enthusiasm for wearing jewelry. Surgical Steel was first said to be the hypo-allergenic choice, and when that caused discomfort, they were turned toward the high ticket items of Gold-filled, Titanium, and Platinum. When attempting Gold and Silver plated jewelry as the affordable alternative, it was discovered that the plating can be as low as .001mm thick and the base metal beneath can cause allergic reactions, not to mention the plating may chip or rub off. The inert metal Niobium was a clear choice for our earring hooks, below we unpack some of the reasons why.
The Benefits of Niobium
- Hypo-allergenic – One of the most significant advantages of Niobium is its hypo-allergenic quality. Although long regarded as hypo-allergenic, both surgical steel and stainless steel contain a percentage of copper and nickel. Niobium, being inert, strong and malleable, is ideal for being used as a standalone element – not mixed in an alloy. It is during the refining process that Niobium, with its very fine grain quality, shows its worth, needing less refining -there is less room ‘between grains’ to trap impurities; making it ideal for biological uses like medical implants and on-skin use. In addition, there is low friction on skin when used for jewelry fixings like earring hooks.
- Durability – While Niobium is not as strong as Titanium or Platinum it is very ductile - able to be deformed without loosing strength, and it is often added to alloys to increase strength, malleability, and weldability. As a jewelry fixing you will notice its durability most in its lack of tarnishing. While other hypo-allergenic metals like surgical steel and stainless steel can tarnish green, in turn leaving a greenish hue on a ring finger or earlobe, this is not the case with Niobium as it is not an alloy -it is entirely Niobium in composition – it is corrosion resistant and does not tarnish green.
- Versatility – One beloved quality of Niobium is its ability to be subjected to anodization, changing colour through means of electricity. Thus Niobium has quickly found its place at the forefront of the body-jewelry scene. All manner of colours and shapes of Niobium jewelry can be found. Another way Niobium is versatile is in implementation in everything from Aerospace applications to nuclear processing plants and cutting tools.
- Affordability - Solid gold, silver, or titanium jewelry can be quite expensive, while Niobium offers a more budget-friendly option without compromising strength, colour, or hypo-allergic qualities.
Enhance your personal style and create playful funky looks with a skin-gentle metal that you forget you're wearing.
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