316L Stainless Steel
316L stainless steel jewellery, built to be worn every day
Surgical-grade 316L is the material that solved the two complaints fashion jewellery always had: it does not tarnish and it does not turn skin green. It is the line we put first for volume, for men's collections and for anything marketed as waterproof.
Categories
Eight categories, one material
Every category below is a page of its own, with the pieces we hold in stainless steel, the weight and size range for each design, and the price band it lands in.
Best Sellers
Six designs per material that buyers reorder rather than replace: the shapes that sell without a campaign behind them.
6 designs
Trending
The designs moving fastest at the moment, and what is driving each one.
6 designsRings
Rings are the hardest category to get right, because sizing is where the returns live.
4 designs
Necklaces
Chain length decides who the necklace is for, and clasp quality decides whether it comes back.
4 designs
Bracelets
A bracelet is the piece customers tighten, drop and lose, so the closure matters as much as the design.
3 designs
Earrings
Earrings touch skin all day, so the finding matters as much as the front.
3 designs
Charms
Charms are the cheapest way to add a second purchase to a first one, and the easiest to get wrong on the jump ring.
2 designs
Sets
A matching set raises the average order and turns a piece into a gift.
2 designsThe material
316L Stainless Steel
316L is specified by its chemistry, not by a marketing name. It carries 2–3% molybdenum and 10–14% nickel, and the low carbon content (the L) keeps it stable through the heat of casting and polishing. Molybdenum is the part that matters: it is what resists salt water and sweat, and it is the reason 316L does not pit the way 304 does.
That difference is also how you check what you were sold. A magnet tells you nothing useful — 316L becomes slightly magnetic once it has been worked and cast. The practical test is a molybdenum testing liquid, or a material test report for the batch.
The finish decides whether the piece still looks right in six months. In a vacuum chamber (PVD) the coating bonds at a molecular level and is harder than electroplated gold, which is applied in a tank and is more prone to peeling at the edges. Heavy electroplating can be laid on thicker — several microns is possible — but it stays softer. We quote plating as its own line, with the thickness stated in microns, so your specification is not a guess.
- ✓316L with 2–3% molybdenum — not 304, and we will send the material report if you ask
- ✓Waterproof: no reaction to sweat, perfume or salt water
- ✓PVD, ion plating or electroplating, each quoted per micron
- ✓Gold, rose gold, black, steel-blue and rhodium finishes
- ✓Testing for REACH, RoHS and EN 1811 nickel release available to your specification
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grade | 316L surgical-grade — molybdenum 2–3%, nickel 10–14%, low carbon |
| Against 304 | 304 has no molybdenum and pits; ask for the molybdenum test or the material report |
| Water resistance | No tarnish or green marking; salt water and sweat resistant |
| Magnet test | Unreliable on finished pieces — worked 316L reads slightly magnetic |
| Plating | PVD in a vacuum chamber, ion plating for colour, electroplating in a tank |
| Coating thickness | Stated in microns on the quotation, per item |
Worn
How 316L stainless steel reads on a person
316L is specified by its chemistry, not by a marketing name. It carries 2–3% molybdenum and 10–14% nickel, and the low carbon content (the L) keeps it stable through the heat of casting and polishing. Molybdenum is the part that matters: it is what resists salt water and sweat, and it is the reason 316L does not pit the way 304 does.
- ✓Built to match the catalogue look, so you can compare the material on a person with the same material on a plain background
- ✓Styling imagery — every design has its own product photography on its product page
Pricing
Indicative pricing for stainless steel
Ranges are ex-works and published per item type. The final quotation is itemised against your own weight, size and plating, so it will sit inside — or explain why it sits outside — the band you see here.
| Item | Typical specification | Indicative ex-works | What it assumes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charm or small pendant | Steel base | $0.60 – 1.60 | At 500 pcs. Plain, engraved or with a CZ stone |
| Ring, plain or signet | Steel base | $0.70 – 2.40 | At 500 pcs. 2–8 mm band, sizes 5–12 US |
| Earrings, per pair | Steel base | $0.90 – 3.20 | At 500 pcs. Studs, huggies, hoops, threaders |
| Necklace with chain | Steel base | $1.20 – 4.20 | At 500 pcs. 40–60 cm, cable, box, rope or snake chain |
| Bracelet or bangle | Steel base | $1.40 – 4.80 | At 500 pcs. 16–21 cm, or a fixed 55–65 mm bangle |
| Heavy chain or Cuban link | Steel base | $2.60 – 8.50 | At 500 pcs. 5–12 mm width; weight is the cost driver |
| Matching set, 2–3 pieces | Steel base | $2.80 – 9.50 | At 500 pcs. Chain plus bracelet, or three-piece stacking set |
Care
What your customer has to know
Every material has one honest caveat. Print it on the card and you will not see it again in a return.
- Warm water and mild soap is all it needs — no polishing cloth required.
- Remove before heavy gym contact; the steel survives it, the plating edge is what wears first.
- Do not use silver dips or abrasive creams on PVD-coated pieces.
- Store separately so harder steel does not scratch softer plated items in the same pouch.
Stainless Steel FAQ
Questions buyers actually ask about stainless steel
The answers a supplier usually softens. We would rather you had them now.
How do I know I am getting 316L and not cheaper 304?
Is stainless steel jewellery really waterproof?
What is the difference between PVD and electroplating for my order?
Can you supply nickel-release and REACH documentation?
What is the minimum order for stainless steel?
Price list
Request the stainless steel price list
Send the basics and you will get our current price list for this material, plus stock availability and lead time.
What you get
Quoted line by line, not as a lump sum
- ✓Metal or base, plating in microns, stones and packing priced separately
- ✓Weight and dimensions on the drawing before anything is cast
- ✓A physical sample approved by you before any bulk run
- ✓Photographs of your pieces at every production milestone
- ✓Freight quoted for your route — courier, air or sea
Reply within one working day. No obligation, and no design file needed to start.
Keep reading
Guides and the other two materials
925 Sterling Silver
Priced on the gram, with the weight published for every design. The precious-metal line for brands selling real silver at boutique price points.
Brass & Copper
The gold look at a fashion price point. Detailed casting, rich 18K colour, and plating quoted per micron so you choose the lifespan.
Silver vs steel vs brass
The same design in three materials, and what each one does to your retail price and returns rate.
Plating & finishes
Microns, PVD against electroplating, and how to specify a finish that survives the customer.
MOQ and the first order
How to size a first run you will not be stuck with.
Get the price list
Send your line sheet. Get a price list the same day.
Tell us the material, the pieces and the quantity. You will get our current price list, stock availability and lead time — and if it is a custom design, a CAD drawing within 48 hours.
- ✓Price list per material, with MOQ and lead time on every line
- ✓CAD drawing in 48 hours on custom designs
- ✓Physical sample before any bulk run
- ✓Photographs of your pieces at every production milestone
Price list
Price list, one working day
Two minutes to fill in. No design file needed to start.