What Makes Rowan’s Earrings Hypoallergenic?

You may have heard us use the expression “incredibly cute and actually good for your lobes,” but how can you be sure that you are getting the best of the best when you choose Rowan? 

Rowan's earrings and accessories are always hypoallergenic.

Unlike many other jewelry brands on today’s market, Rowan never uses brass, zinc, or nickel, which are the most common metal allergens. Not only are these materials common allergens, they are not safe for the body, even for those who do not experience allergic reactions.

We always test our earrings and accessories to verify that they are made of the highest quality before we sell them in our store or online, or ship them to our Nurses for their piercing appointments.

We want everyone, including those with ultra-sensitive skin, to be able to enjoy our earrings worry-free, regardless of their personal style!

That’s why we only use the hypoallergenic materials listed below in our earrings.

Sterling Silver

When shopping Rowan’s range of accessories, you may notice that our earrings and earring backs have a tiny “925” engraved on them. This mark indicates that the jewelry is genuine sterling silver, as sterling silver consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent mixed metal alloy. Fine silver, which is not as durable as sterling, has a higher percentage of silver in its makeup.

Gold Vermeil

If sterling silver is not your thing, you may find yourself shopping Rowan’s styles in gold vermeil -- but what does gold vermeil mean, exactly? 

Gold vermeil (pronounced ver-may) is actually sterling silver jewelry that has been plated in real gold. To be considered a true gold vermeil, the layer of gold must be a certain thickness -- 2.5 microns, to be exact. 

Not all gold-plated jewelry is gold vermeil, however. If the gold layer, regardless of its thickness, is placed over anything other than sterling silver (a solid, fine metal), it is not vermeil. We work closely with our manufacturers to confirm the gold layer on Rowan’s vermeil pieces meets the thickness requirement of 2.5 microns. Our jewelry is special and we want it to last for years to come, so this process is essential.

14K Gold

We also offer 14-karat gold earring options in store, online, and at piercing appointments for our customers and clients. This is the most popular option amongst our customers.

A little known fact is that 14-karat gold consists of 57% solid gold and 43% metal alloy. 24K gold is the purest form of gold, making it susceptible to nicks, scratches, and dings. We use 14K gold because it is more durable and is used most often in jewelry to reduce the risk of scratching.