SPECIALISING IN FINE JEWELRY FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
A subsidiary brand of DR.TWL BIOMATERIALS specialising in earrings for sensitive skin. METALLURGY BY ME founded in 2022 by Singaporean dermatologist Dr Teo Wan Lin represents the best of fine jewelry designed for sensitive skin. Dr Teo’s expertise in skincare materials research forms the basis for her vision for this jewelry line created with implant grade metals. As the author of the “ideal face mask design” with biofunctional metallic textiles published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology1 in 2020, Dr. Teo specialises in materials for sensitive skin. This jewelry line is created from implant grade metals specialising in earrings for sensitive ears. The metals we specialise in include 316L surgical steel and titanium.
STYLES BY LIMITED EDITION COLLECTIONS
Our materials R&D focuses on creating unique designs with state-of-the-art metallurgy. They are all guaranteed tarnish-free, extremely durable and do not require polishing. All our jewelry comes with a 1-year warranty but is expected to last a lifetime.
For every collection, our metalsmiths creates the gold standard metal composition according to design for optimal durability and refinement.
FOUNDATION COLLECTION – 316L SURGICAL STEEL EARRINGS FOR SENSITIVE EARS
This series consists of earrings in geometric studs and dangling designs. 316L surgical steel is implant grade stainless steel with zero allergenicity. The material is tested by accredited third party laboratories to have non-detectable levels of environmental contaminants such as sensitising nickel. These are the same surgical steel used for body piercings, usually in simple studs or rings. The brand specialises in earrings for sensitive skin, uniquely designed for each collection. Available in studs and dangles.
With state-of-the-art metallurgy, we design and create the best earrings for sensitive ears
TITANIUM, A SUSTAINABLE METAL FOR MODERN FINE JEWELRY
Our titanium collection with our signature CUBAN LINK design is chosen for its highly intricate and durable structure. Our Titanium jewelry collection is inspired by the incredible tensile strength of pure titanium, the strongest pure metal that is also one of the lightest, corrosion and tarnish free.
JEWELER SPECIALISING IN EARRINGS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Here are the reasons why you should choose METALLURGY BY ME for your choice of earrings
Why does your brand specialise in earrings?
Earrings are the most common cause of skin sensitisation and irritation from jewelry. This has to do with the skin of the ears being part of facial skin, which is more delicate than body skin. Also as it is a pierced jewelry item, it has the highest direct exposure to the immune cells of the skin. The immune cells carry the memory of the exposure. This eventually leads to an allergic reaction many years later.
What is the difference your brand makes with earrings for sensitive skin?
Most earrings marketed for sensitive ears and skin are actually made from stainless steel. We have a niche in that we specialise in fine metals, specifically implant grade. Such as titanium and 316L surgical steel. With each collection, our metalsmiths create durable fine jewelry earrings with refined technologies in metallurgy.
I do not suffer from sensitive skin. Does the metals used in my jewelry matter?
Dermatologists recommend that you should always choose earrings for sensitive ears and skin. Even if you do not have an immediate reaction, many people develop nickel sensitisation from long term exposure (even at lower levels in stainless steel hypoallergenic jewelry) which may be due to the plating, or contamination as well. This means that after decades of wearing jewelry with no problems, you start developing sensitivity. So when you ensure that your skin is only exposed to implant grade materials (usually used only in body piercing prosthetic jewelry) you will not develop sensitisation which leads to ear sensitivity later in your life.
What is the difference with 316L surgical steel with other types of stainless steel?
Stainless steel has different categories. Food grade stainless steel such as 304 stainless steel is used for common stainless steel jewelry marketed for sensitive skin. These tend to have lower purity. Even if you do not have sensitive skin, exposure to nickel in costume jewelry will sensitise your skin over time. 316L surgical steel is significantly costlier than stainless steel. These also have to be processed separately to create sturdy structures for earrings. 316L surgical steel is what is used in medical implants and body piercings.
This is because normal stainless steel used in jewelry contain residues of nickel. Costume jewelry earrings are usually made of one of the following. Stainless steel, which contains trace nickel and still can sensitise ears over a period of exposure. Copper, brass which is a copper and zinc alloy. Individuals allergic to copper will also be sensitive to brass. Plated jewelry have base metals like copper or brass which can equally cause sensitive ears to have allergic reactions.
I have sensitive ears, are your earrings suitable for me?
Absolutely. What is little known is that many earrings marketed as hypoallergenic or suited for sensitive skin are actually made of regular stainless steel. This means that there are still contaminant metals which will eventually cause allergy. Nickel allergy is the commonest metal that causes sensitive ears. Our 316L surgical steel and titanium collections are made of implant grade metals. Refined by advanced metallurgy to produce delicate pieces of fine metal jewelry that have undetectable contaminants.