Looking for a change? Want to do weird stuff with lovely people? Rogue is growing! Rogue is a UK, midlands based high end studio with specialism on high value gold, large gauge and heavy intimate work. We are looking for Piercers and Front of House for our new studio in the West Midlands. The roles will be full time with pay starting from £12/Hour and 4-5 days per week depending on experience level. Training on handling jewellery, handling clients, unusual piercings, working to industry standard etc will be offered. Applicants will be expected to become UKAPP members and all support will be given to achieve this including BBP, First Aid and attendance of the UKAPP conference.
At Rogue we offer a high end piercing experience with top quality products. Our main suppliers are BVLA, Industrial Strength, Anatometal, Neometal etc for jewellery and TTP, Kiwami and IS LLC for needles. We use sterile gloves for every piercing and use Statims for sterilisation. We are a blade needle studio but we aren’t against cannula and training will be given to convert cannula piercers to blade. It is important to us that you have the equipment you are confident with and the support to be the best piercer you can be.
For Front of House we will train in psychology of sales, jewellery ordering and public handling.
The ideal candidates will be confident at piercing/sales, comfortable in their own style, comfortable with the heavy work that Rogue offers (Intimate, Large Gauge, High value etc), a self motivated person and willing to travel (we regularly attend international conferences and guest around the world).
Since the beginning of time, body modifications (Body Modifications: The deliberate altering of the human anatomy or human physical appearance.) have been used as a way for people to reclaim their bodies for a multitude of reasons. Dying your hair, getting tattoos and piercings, to even more extreme modifications, such as tongue splits, are all different methods of modification used for body reclamation. This practice has been and is used in both the modern western world, and in earlier practices in the eastern world. It’s almost like an instinct to use our bodies to express and deal with heavy and distasteful emotions.
This blog does slightly touch on heavy negative emotions and abuse, which some people may find triggering.
What is Body Reclamation?
Body reclamation is about reconnecting with your body. Becoming more intimate and connected with yourself. About learning to explore who you are and gain a sense of power (or gain back that sense of power) or your self being.
This can mean different things for everyone. For some it’s about finding a sense of self and expressing themselves in ways they never could. For some it’s about re-identifying and learning to feel comfortable in the body they were born in. And for some it’s about becoming more intimate with themselves.
How does this entwine with piercing?
“Pain is not pleasant, I still don’t like it, but it is a tool, a teacher. My aim is what comes after. The head is quiet, time slows down. For a second, mind, body, and soul are perfectly aligned and connected.
As a young body piercer in the UK, I have bonded over personal emotions with many of my clients. I’m a bit of a talker when i’m in the piercing room, and I quite often ask ‘so, why this piercing today?’ , the replies vary, but quite often I hear:
-“I’ve always fancied it, I’ve just never been brave enough.” -“My ex partner never wanted me to have any, so now I’m getting everything I ever wanted.” -“I’ve just recently had a break-up/divorce and thought I’d treat myself.” -“I’m just having a bad time and knew this would make me feel better and relieve some emotion.”
And our clients aren’t the only ones too. I personally have quite often found getting a new piercing or tattoo can be a welcome distraction from personal hurt I’m feeling too. I also tend to find that the more people tell me to not get that piercing, or stop getting more, I go and do it with even more ambition. I hate that people think that they get to police how I choose to decorate my body. I use it as a defence mechanism to tell people ‘this is who I am’, and I love who I am with them.
For some people, using piercings and other body modifications is a way to heal through trauma, and let go of things that have been weighing them down. Some abuse survivors looking to reclaim their bodies through body piercing do it as a means of “reclaiming their bodies and body parts from memories and history of abuse”.
“Started getting piercings at 14. They’re all out now after 5 years in the military. But I’m covered in tattoos, starting at 17. Sleeve, hand, hips, back, belly. Without them I’m just a regular looking suburban white lady. With them I feel a sense of armor and protection. I’m made of rice krispies on the inside, and having an unapproachable exterior gives me a sense of protecting my vulnerability. I also do my best to not be flirty. I don’t want to draw positive sexual attention from the world at large. It gives me a sense of control over a body I haven’t always been able to protect.” -Unknown
Many transgender people use piercings as a gender affirming tool. This can be as simple as a Trans Femme client getting her first lobes done as a step into ‘womanhood’, the same way little girls get their first piercings. It can also be more intense genital work which can provide a better sense of self intimacy and belonging in their own bodies.
“I just recently got my ears pierced, for me it’s just a natural thing wanting to be more fashionable with that part of the body and feeling in line with cis-women.”
People choose to get pierced for a variety of reasons, it’s not always to reclaim their bodies, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be aware of those who do. We can help make that experience a little bit better, and provide more options to further assist in their journey. Empathise and be a friend to those who need it, but don’t push boundaries when not needed.
At Rogue we always like to provide the best experience no matter your reason behind the piercing, but if you are looking for additional support we are always here to assist in that journey to self expression, identification and love. We are available 7 days a week, and offer a wide range of piercings between our 4 members of staff that cover the body head to toe. Do not hesitate to reach out for guidance.
If you have been affected by any of the topics that have been touched upon in the blog, please don’t hesitate to reach out for support.
It’s hard to know when the time is right to step away from something and often we’re not aware until it’s too late. There are many times in our day to day life where it is so important to take a break from what we’re doing. This applies to every one, not just Piercers and enthusiast.
Have you ever worked in front of a PC at an office? It’s recommended that you step away from the screen every 2-3 hours to give your eyes a rest. In most manual jobs, you will be given designated breaks throughout the day to rest, re-hydrate and eat. Even a small break from work is important, but how does this apply to Piercers and people being pierced? We/You need breaks too!
“I love my job, I could work all day!”
While this is a great mentality to have in theory, an over-worked Piercer is less likely to give each client 100% of their best self and when you are putting your trust in us, we want to make sure we always give you the best experience possible.
For Piercers:
Piercing people all day everyday can be emotionally, physically, mentally and socially taxing. We spend several hours a day, many hours a week, interacting with the public in the studio and online. This can quickly drain our social batteries, leaving little left for after work activities. Spending all day making small (or big) talk with clients, companies and colleagues can leave little energy left for socialising with friends and family once the day is over at the studio. Even on the best day, with the best clients and piercings, it can take a toll just to be present for that long. During your day, it is important to take small moments where possible to step away, here is a list of things you can do to take a small break during your shift as a Piercer
Take a moment somewhere quiet to take slow, steady breaths and lower your cortisone levels
Schedule your lunch break! A hungry Piercer is a shaky Piercer
Hydrate yourself
Step outside for some fresh air and sunlight. Being indoors for 10 hours is no good for your body or your brain
But I’m a piercing/modification enthusiast, how does this apply to me?
I hear you. But have you considered how often you are having piercings or tattoos? Have you got the ‘itch’ for new modifications and a bucket list of ideas you are desperate to get through? Take a break! We don’t recommend healing more than 3 piercings at any time but we often don’t take into other modifications such as tattoos, fillers and even dental care. All of these things can have an impact on your healing and your immune system. Even if you feel tip top after 4 or 5 piercings, your body needs time to heal. Wherever you are in your modification and self expression journey, consider taking small breaks to rest and recover before moving on to the next step.
It’s also important to consider other aspects of your life. We know a lot of people like to get a piercing to represent an important change in their life. New job, new house, start or end of a relationship, visiting a different country. All of these things impact our health. This is not to say we don’t want you to punctuate a significant event with a piercing, but it is important to factor in the stresses of life and how that can take it’s toll on the healing of a new piercing. In the process of moving house? Maybe take a little break (a few days, a week) before you book that tattoo appointment. Rough break up? Get the piercing you always wanted, but schedule a few days to rest, recover and indulge in some self care before the next big thing.
This is a career that piercers are incredibly passionate about and as such, we tend to take the job home with us. Making an 8 hour work day into a 24 hour day. Some things that are important to create a work/life balance include:
Setting times for when you will respond to work related questions and not responding outside of that (ie studio hours)
Consuming content that isn’t piercing related (is your IG feed just piercers posting work? make a second account for dog content instead!)
Having activities outside of the studio such as painting, gaming, running, yoga or just hanging out in your pjamas
Evaluating your social circle to include people outside of the industry, this can help to get a fresh perspective on things that as Piercers we feel mountains, but in reality may just be mole hills
Scheduling actual holiday time. And no, Conferences do not count as holidays. Take a week to step away from work and just be a person who is on holiday. Whether that be on a sunny ol’ beach or your sunny ol’ sofa, take a rest from the studio and do something different. It’s so good for your brain.
Coming back to work after a break can be daunting but you should hopefully feel refreshed, rejuvenated and excited to be back. Don’t let piercing just become another mundane 9-5 that you begrudge. Step away and step back with a new sense of appreciation for what you do. And for our clients, we promise we are better people and better Piercers when we’ve had a little break. This means when you see that we are on lunch and you give us the space to be alone for that time, we are extra appreciative and extra nice when your appointment time comes!
Emerald, that gorgeous glossy green that has been a fan favourite since the dawn of time, and the perfect stone to ease us into the warmer spring season.
May only has one birthstone, and it’s definitely hard to compete again that grassy-green. However, for the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
Just like Aquamarine, Emerald is a form of Beryl – a mineral which can grow up to a foot in length, and with six sides. Typically Emeralds can range from light green to that typical deep and rich green associated with Emeralds. However, there are arguments whether or not these lighter forms are beryl’s are true emeralds! The deeper the green, the more valuable the stone, the rarest emerald gemstone is an intense green-blue colour. And yet again, just like aquamarine, the way the colour presents depends on how well its cut by a skilled gemmologist.
Mining of Emerald dates back to as early as 330BC in Egypt, but some estimate that the oldest emeralds are 2.97 (nearly 3!) billion years old! However old they are though, they have been a long time royal favourite. Cleopatra is one of the most famous historical figures to have an affair with emeralds. During her reign shed actually claimed ownership over all Emerald mines in Egypt.
The green gemstone is now mined all over the world. It has mainly been mined in Colombia for over 500 years, and has actually set the standard at which all other emeralds are now measured at. The Muzo mine in Colombia is actually one of the most noteworthy! They had such hidden and prized mines that it took the Spanish conquistadors nearly 20 years to actually find them.
The May gemstone is also found in Brazil, and one of the most productive emerald mines is the sophisticated Belmont mine. They can also be found in Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan!
Wildly considered the definition of Green, emerald has been loved for thousands of years. It is seen as the perfect stone to welcome spring, and along with that brings the belief that it invokes rebirth and renewal and new beginnings. It is believed that it brings loyalty, wit and intelligence to the wearer! It was also once believed to cure cholera, malaria and other diseases (although I’d still highly recommend checking with a doctor for these before self medicating with a stone). Now a days however, it is used as the stone given for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries!
Unlike last months birthstone (Diamond), Emerald only falls at a 7.5-8 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, making it more susceptible to scratching. Quite often the stone is treated with methods such as dyeing paler stones, or filling fractured stones with oils/waxes/resins. This is to help improve colour and clarity of the stone.
Emeralds require special care. They should be avoiding exposure to heat and harsh chemicals. They should also never be placed in an ultrasonic. This can cause any filler in the gem to ‘sweat’ out from any fractures. Filled emeralds can also be damaged by hot water. They should only be cleaned with mild and lukewarm soapy water, and a soft bristled brush (a tooth brush designed for babies would be perfect).
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
Welcome back to the blog, and welcome to quite a complex topic! Today we are talking about the intersection between female genital piercing, female genital mutilation (FGM), the UK Government, and the formation of the UKAPP. So, first things first: Did you know that consenting intimate piercings on female clients was considered Female Genital Mutilation, and carried a potential jail term of up to 14 years?
Wait, What?
Yes! In April 2015, new UK NHS guidelines were brought into effect after months of serious pressure from the Crown Prosecution Service. These guidelines added new rules for a wide range of medical professionals who are subject to Mandatory Reporting guides. In short, this meant that professionals like Doctors, Ob Gyns, Nurses etc, would be required by law to report any observations of potentially altered vulvas. This including reporting any female adult who had consented to a western-style (modern day) body piercing as Female Genital Mutilation. This would then open up the piercer to prosecution under UK law!
The FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) offences were set out in the 2003 FGM Act, which were then later amended in 2015 by the Serious Crime Act. There were 4 offences set out, including “assisting a girl to mutilate her own genitals”. Self-mutilation is not an offence, but assisting someone to do so is.
“A person is guilty of an offence if it is proved that:
a girl has excised, infibulated or otherwise mutilated the whole or any part of her own labia majora, labia minora or clitoris, and
the suspect has aided, abetted, counselled or procured this.” 1
At this point you may be thinking that surely we’ve over reacted to this? There’s’ no mention of piercing! Well, if we take a look at the World Health Organisation (WHO), they broke down FGM into 4 categories, the 4th one was the one that became detrimental to female genital piercings. “Type 4: This includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g., pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.”2
Due to this, female genital piercings became illegal overnight in the UK. It was safer for piercers to stop practicing intimate piercings. This protected both them and their clients.3
When did this change?
As of current (April 2024), we are now allowed to pierce the genitals of consenting adults once again! This is down to a lot of hard work from charities and piercers across the UK lobbying the government. The UKAPP was born out of the UK Piercer Meet Up (UKPMU). The UKPMU came together because of the change in the UK law of FGM. It was in Newcastle that a group of piercers grouped an informal meet-up to discuss what was needed to protect both our industry and peoples rights.4 This was the start of the United Kingdom Association of Professional Piercers (UKAPP). And from there they helped campaign to allow adult consenting women the freedom to have the choice of piercing their own bodies.
The first UKAPP meet-up. Including our very own Aiden!
It was late 2019 (right before the pandemic) that piercers were once again allowed to pierce vulvas after the CPS released fresh guidance information. “The piercing of the female genitalia to adorn it with jewellery or other accessories purely for the purpose of personal decoration or in order to enhance the sensation of sexual contact, as commonly understood and practised, is unlikely to involve excision, infibulation or mutilation.”5
This meant that piercing Vulva’s was not likely to cause harm or mutilation to the consenting adult, allowing piercers to once again offer this wonderful service. And for that we can thank the tireless work of piercers, including the UKAPP and especially Lola Slider. Lola Slider (of Forest Piercing in Glasgow) was a massive voice and driving force behind the legislative change. Around the time of this change, Lola was the UKAPP president, and before then was nominated as Medical Liaison, and honestly did some amazing work during her time on the organisations board.
What happens now?
Despite the fact we now have the green light from the UK government to offer these services once again, doesn’t mean there isn’t limitations involved. Some local councils still refuse to allow studios to offer intimate piercings, and some have by-laws that will effect the process. This means that depending where in the country you get pierced, the appointment may look different or follow a different procedure.
For example: At Rogue, each client looking for intimate work has to have an intimate consultation a minimum of 24 hours before they get piercing. At this appointment, one of our piercers will thoroughly discuss with you the history of intimate piercings and the law changes, the aftercare, and what to expect during the heal.
However, the main limitation for intimate piercings, is that we are not allowed to pierce for function. We are only allowed to pierce for aesthetical reasons. This means we walk a fine line with our clients each and every appointment.
As adults, we are all aware that if you place metal into a sensitive part of your body (where it wasn’t before), then sensations might change. We are not allowed to discuss this with you. “purely for the purpose of personal decoration”5 We have clients get intimate piercings that come from all walks of lives and have so many different reasons to get pierced. Some want it purely for the looks, some want it for kink dynamics, some want it to reclaim ownership of their body. However, the minute a client may mention they want to ‘use’ the piercing, we can no longer pierce.
If you would like to know more about intimate piercings or the process here at Rogue, here are some attached links!
So, on the 27th of February 2024, I got my cheek piercings. Well… sort of? Gemma coined the term ‘Deek Piercings’ because they are a midway placement between Cheeks and Dahlias. The reasoning for this was my anatomy! And with cheeks regaining popularity, and them being a fan favourite, I thought I’d tell you all how my piercing experience went!
Now, I have to preface this by saying I am only two weeks into my healing, and cheeks can take up to 2 years before they finally Settle down and get comfortable. You can read a deep dive and overview of cheek piercings here! But, I definitely think those first two weeks are A) the most important and B) the absolute worst.
On my own personal scale of 1-10, the actual pain of having them pierced was quite low, maybe around a 4? I can definitely remember my tragus piercing hurting way more in the moment. They were pierced by Gemma as part of her training, under direct supervision of Aiden. The beautiful thing about it was that Gemma had done her first set only 2 hours prior! Aiden held my hand and was super supportive of us both, as you can imagine we were both nervous but for very different reasons!
Before
After
The after feeling of the piercing was amazing, I had an immediate rush of excitement and happiness, especially when I got to look at them in the mirror. They just looked great and I couldn’t have been happier, I couldn’t stop laughing for a solid 5 minutes. And then came the difficult bit – eating. We were having a film night at Rogue that evening, and we collectively ordered Wagamama’s together. I realised the 24mm bars in my mouth, and the tight constrictive feeling that was happening, meant that eating was going to be difficult. I played it safe and had some soft bread and katsu curry!
The next day I went ahead and got myself a bunch of meal replacement shakes. To be quite honest, I think the first week was possibly the most nutrients and vitamins my body has ever had! I’d also bought a ton of water, and easy to eat soft foods, such as instant mash and plenty of tinned foods. I just needed something easy to swallow. I also ate a lot of rice!
1st Morning!
We headed off to the Edinburgh expo on the Saturday, and on Monday and Tuesday I was starting to fill my face again! I started off with pizza (and I cannot tell you how good it was to eat solid food, plus they had the best garlic sauce I’d ever tasted). By Tuesday night, the swelling had started to decrease and the bars were starting to poke out of my face and move as I ate! I had to take a bite of food, and then hold the bars while I chewed. Definitely looked a bit funny!
Ready for their first downsize!
I returned back to work on Friday, so only three days later, and it felt absolutely horrible to talk, and I couldn’t even smile at people! I had to keep apologising to people and say “Hey, I promise i’m smiling, my face just hurts a lot right now!” Thankfully, most people were incredibly understanding! We also did the first downsize! 24mm initially pierced, dropped down to 18mm! The relief was amazing! We also upsized the balls on the inside of my mouth to 5mm. This was because the balls had started digging into the swelling on the inside of my cheek and was creating a lot of uncomfortable pressure and soreness!
By the the following week I was mostly back to normal, drinking and eating as I had been before, although I definitely chomped down on the larger balls a few times. There is still a mild bit of swelling happening (although I definitely didn’t look as puffy as I did the first week) and a lot of of localised redness. They’re also incredibly crusty, and every time I eat it pushes out more lymph node ( I keep just telling people my face is leaking), but It’s definitely a good sign that everything is healing and doing what it needs to. And just before the 3 week mark, we downsized the 5mm balls back down to 4mm, and my mouth has never felt so spacious!
Healing!
Overall look!
I am still healing and making gradual downsizes, week by week, but the hard part is definitely over! There’s still quite a bit of localised swelling/pinching around the bars, as well as redness and many crusties each day, but for me it’s definitely worth it.
I decided to write this blog as when I was looking into other people’s experiences with cheek piercings, there wasn’t much out there. I’m very much a person who likes to know exactly what to expect. And so hopefully it might be helpful to someone else! Now of course, please keep in mind that everyone heals differently, and so your experience could be totally different! If you also want to see a day-by-day highlight of the healing process, check out my Instagram highlights for a close up view!
If you are interested in booking your own cheek piercings, book a consultation with Aiden or Gemma here!
Some say that diamond’s are a girl’s best friend, and we’re definitely a fan of them over here at Rogue. As April begins, and we’re starting the embrace Spring once again, let’s take a look at one of the most well-known gemstones in history! Those born in Aprils, definitely have an exciting celebratory stone.
April only has one birthstone, which we can completely understand why! It’d be very hard to compete against the famous diamond. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
The vast majority of diamonds are colourless and transparent. They show an amazing display of colours and flashes of white under the light. However, they can rarely come in a rainbow array of colours, including green, yellow, black, blue and so on. The colour of a diamond stone is dependant on the impurities present in the stone. Chemical elements such as Nitrogen, Sulphur, and Boron can cause the colour changes (for example yellow diamonds have traces of nitrogen.) Colourless diamonds (that have less amounts of colour) are much rarer, thus much more valuable. The precise levels of colours present (if any) have such a drastic effect on the price-per-carat value. The standardized scale describing the exact amount of colour in a stone (the D-Z colour scale) was developed by the GIA and is now accepted globally. Diamonds with a colour of ‘D’ have absolutely no colour in them, while gems graded ‘Z’ have the most colour allowed to still be considered colourless.
BVLA ‘Oasis’ – 14k Rose Gold – 6x VS Ocean Blue Diamond
It is speculated that Diamonds have been around since the biblical times, when the breastplate of a high priest (also known as Adams’ Breastplate) was decorated with 12 stones. As time continued moving forward, these stones became connected to Zodiac symbols and then birthstones.
April’s birthstone is now mined all over the world. By the early 2000s, South Africa had been joined by other African nations (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana) as major producers of rough diamonds. Diamonds mined in Botswana are typically found in the hot and dry eastern region of the country. The mines have brought a massive increase to the economy, which has resulted in creating a growing middle class society.
Russia is also now one of the biggest producers, opening its first major mine in the 1960’s, and the opening of the Argyle mine in Australia (1983) expanded the mining of diamonds massively, and are the primary source for the rare red and pink diamonds.
However, one of the original sources for diamonds, was India! They were credited for being the ones to introducing diamond mining into the world, and was the only major source of diamond mining until the 18th century. Now a days, most diamonds you come across on the market will not be from India, but instead one of the many major sources globally, but there is an estimate that 90% of these diamonds are processed there!
The current Diamond collection at Rogue!
Those who are April born are lucky to have this gem as their birthstone! Often seen as a symbol of clarity and strength! Diamond is actually so strong and durable, it’s name actually comes from the Greek word “Adamas” which means invincible or unbreakable. They have been a representation of love and life across many religions and centuries. It is also the gift of choice for 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries! Alongside being a symbol of love, Diamonds have been thought to be an antidote to poison (although we wouldn’t recommend any self treatment with a doctor, if you think you have been poisoned please see doctor!).
Diamond is a 10 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, making it incredibly durable! You do not want to store a diamond amongst others as they can scratch each other. We also wouldn’t recommend storing them with other gemstones as Diamonds can scratch and damage those too. They can be placed in an ultrasonic to be cleaned, however if it has any inclusions or has been treated it is best to clean with a lint-free cloth and some mild soapy warm water. You can also choose to use a soft bristled toothbrush and a commercial jewellery cleaner!
BVLA ‘Afghan’ + 2x ‘Prongs’ – White Diamond
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
Today we’re moving onto a favourite colour at Rogue – Blue gemstones! Your choices for blue gemstones are wide, varied, and in a huge array of tones. From the palest sky blues, to the richest oceanic colours. There’s a blue for every season!
Ocean Blue Diamond
Ocean Blue Diamonds are hard-wearing, rich in colour, and truly beautiful. These are available in the widest range of cuts and sizes, so are the most versatile when it comes to designs.
They are a really lovely option for a blue gemstone!
Ice Blue Diamond
Ice Blue Diamonds are hard-wearing, lighter in colour, and are a really gorgeous aqua tone. Diamonds are available in the widest range of cuts and sizes, so are the most versatile when it comes to designs. They are also guaranteed to be the sparkliest genuine gemstones on the market!
They are a really lovely option for a blue gemstone!
London Blue Topaz
We work with a tonne of London Blue Topaz. We love it for it’s rich colour and versatility! This is a more affordable alternative to Ocean Blue Diamonds. It looks amazing in Yellow, White, and Rose Gold too! London Blue Topaz is a rich, deep, sea blue colour. It is a really good option if you want to branch out into colour if you generally wear a lot of black.
Swiss Blue Topaz
Swiss Blue Topaz is the light, breezy cousin of London Blue Topaz. With a slight grey-blue hint, this super pale blue is a really nice choice if you’re struggling to break away from White gemstones but still want something a little bit different! It also looks brilliant when it is sandblasted, but we will talk about that process in a different video.
Turquoise
Turquoise is a vibrant, opaque gemstone that works best in Yellow Gold – This is where it truly shines! Turquoise is available as both a genuine and synthetic gemstone. The synthetic option is generally the better choice, as it is much more hardwearing and can be used in both fresh and healed piercings.
Polar Sapphire
Polar Sapphire is practically lilac-blue, and is definitely on the lavender side of things. This is a really gorgeous gemstone, whose tone works really well in all colours of Gold. We love pairing Polar Sapphire with bright pinks for a pastel, spring-time look that is a little bit unexpected!
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the green-blue to true blue variety of the mineral beryl. Its colour is usually a light pastel greenish blue, but in smaller cuts used in body jewellery tends to be quite a pretty sky-blue.
We find that Aquamarine works best in a cabochon cut, where it can truly shine in all of its soap-bubble glory! Yellow Gold tends to bring out the best in Aquamarine, allowing its pale blue to really pop.
Blue Sapphire
If you are looking for a classic ‘true blue,’ then Blue Sapphire is definitely the one for you! This rich, primary blue is definitely up there amongst our favourites.
In Rogue we pride our selves with our vast collection of jewellery. However with limited space in the studio, there is only so much we can hold, and with the 7 main jewellery companies we stock plus all the others that are available, we certainly cannot hold one of every single piece. This is why we offer custom orders! By doing this we can offer every single piece of jewellery, in every single size and colour of gold and gemstones the company allows! We can order custom fitting lengths and gauges of jewellery that we don’t normally carry. We can order a full curation of beautiful pieces for that special event, or just because you want to!
With the next BVLA custom order deadline looming over us, I thought I’d show you some of my personal favourites from the pieces you guys have chose to order through BVLA with us!
My first favourite is this gorgeous 14k Yellow Gold Marquise Crown Charm with Green Tourmaline. Delicately paired with a 14k Gold Seam ring from APEX jewellery, this was perfectly positioned in an incredibly well healed rook piercing.
Next up is this stunning ‘Dino’. 14k White gold with impeccable details all round. This was pierced straight into a fresh flat by the wonderful Breo.
How could we miss this beautiful rook! 2x gummy bear green Chrysoprase gems set in 14k Yellow Gold. It’s not often people order custom rook pieces, but we’d definitely love to do more. This Bezel with Tri Bead rook curve was perfectly pierced by Gemma!
I may be a little bias with this one, as I pierced this myself! But how cute is this Pear Prong Ring in this fresh Daith! 14k Yellow Gold with Green Tourmaline! (I’m definitely starting to see a reoccurring theme of yellow gold and green gems here).
Mini Kandy’s will always be a fan favourite, they are perfect for any position, including this super cute Forward Helix By Aiden. 14k White Gold with Rose Cut Swiss Blue Topaz! Super cute.
We’d absolutely love to order some more fun shapes and designs, as well as more charms and chains for that extra movement! Here’s some of my personal favourites that I’d love to see get ordered from BVLA!
Call Me! Seam Ring
Anarchy End
Double Bullet Chain Charm
Delicate Snake End
Trillion Bell Barbells
If you’d like to enquiry about any of the above pieces, or any of your own ideas or designs, just shoot us an email at customorder@roguepiercing.co.uk and we can work with you to find your perfect piece of jewellery! If you’d like to know more about or custom ordering process, have quick read of this blog that details how the process works! And to stay up to date with our deadlines for custom orders, follow us on Instagram!
Happy Friday! Today we’ll give you an overview of our favourite part of the rainbow: Black and grey gemstones! The black gemstone is a classic option, and can work well as a standalone or as part of a wider curation. If in doubt, order it in black…
Black Diamonds
Triple Flat inspiration using BVLA – White Gold, Black Diamonds. From left to right: Afghan, Mini Kandy, and Tiny Quadbead.
Black Diamonds are the eponymous black gemstone. Hard-wearing, intensely sparkly, and richly dark, Black Diamonds are by far our favourite black gemstone to use in our curations.
Black Diamonds are available in a huge amount of sizes and cuts, making them a versatile option for pretty much any jewellery design and placement. They are one of the only black gemstones available in super-tiny 1mm and 0.8mm cuts, which means they can be used in a lot of different ways.
Onyx
Yellow Gold and Onyx setup from BVLA.
Onyx is another classic black gemstone option. It is Black Diamonds more affordable cousin! It is not available in as many sizes and cuts, but it can look really really cool! We love how inky black it is.
Onyx is also available as a Cabochon cut, which means it can look really smooth. It can also be sandblasted for a matt finish!
Pyrite
BVLA ‘Captain’ End.
Pyrite is an incredible gemstone, with lots of natural variation. It is available in a limited range of cuts, but is available in unique shapes like the Kite cut you see in the photo above!
We like Pyrite as a masculine, industrial-looking option. Its glossy matte finish makes it the perfect choice for a dark and understated look.
Grey Diamond
BVLA ‘Oaktier’ Ring
Not sure whether to go with White or Black Diamonds? Grey Diamonds might just be the answer. These are the sparkliest truly grey gemstones! Hard-wearing, you will be able to enjoy their understated look for a lifetime.
Grey Sapphire
BVLA ‘Beaded Marquise’ End.
Grey Sapphire is a good way to add some monochrome colour to your curation. The sibling of Grey Diamond, Grey Sapphires are a slightly softer, slightly less sparkly option. The main think to keep in mind with Grey Sapphire, which you can see in the photo above if you have an artists eye for colour, is that Grey Sapphires are not perfectly grey. They have a very slight blue tint, which gets more obvious as the gemstone gets larger. If that is actually an attractive choice for you, then amazing!
Grey Sapphires are available in a lot of different cuts, which makes them quite a versatile and affordable gemstone option.
Marcasite
BVLA ‘Shaman’ Ring
Marcasite is a really fun option for a grey gemstone! It is a very metallic, almost mercury coloured natural gemstone. We love using it in more masculine, edgy curations for its not-sparkly sparkle.
Tourmalinated Quartz
Anatometal ‘King Bullet’ End
Tourmalinated Quartz might be one of our favourite monochrome ‘Black and Grey’ gemstones. Naturally occurring, this type of quartz has rods of black tourmaline shooting through the gem, which gives it a very interesting and spiky look. We love this gem because it is often cabochon or bullet-cut, meaning that its smooth profile can work well alone or as a foil to super sparkly pieces within a larger curation.
Black Pearl
BVLA ‘Bead Prong’ Navel Bar
And finally, you have Black Pearls. They are not cursed, we promise! Black Pearls are incredibly unique, and there really isn’t anything like them.
Their only downside is, like all pearls, they are very soft and very delicate. Keep them for special occasions, like the goth wedding night of your dreams… And don’t let your hairdresser get bleach on them!
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