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Birthstones – March

March is full to the brim this year with both a very early Easter weekend and mothers day happening. And what better way to celebrate than gifting a very beautiful shiny gemstone. This month we are specifically looking at the gemstone Aquamarine, which is March’s birthstone.

Now technically, March does have two birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone, however bloodstone isn’t typically used in body jewellery so we wont be going into great depths this blog post. 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).

BVLA – Miel

Aquamarine is a gorgeous light toned crystal, often seen in pale blues but can range between greenish-blues and blue/greens. It typically doesn’t achieve dark tones or deep saturations, but the few that do can be compared to that of Sapphire, but still being lighter. The intensity of the colour is determined by the size of the stone, typically being the larger the stone the deeper the tones and saturations.

It is a pale/lighter version of Beryl, and the colour can be changed through heat treatment. This actually means it is a close cousin of Emerald!

The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been a predominant root of sourcing aquamarine for the last two centuries. Aquamarine is found in hard rock and weathered pegmatite deposits in the eastern portion of the state. Pegmatite is the host rock for many rare mineral deposits. Often composed of quartz , mica and feldspar. More often than not, the mining processes is quite small with less than a dozen employees.
 
Aquamarine can also be found in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan. To reach the deposits, miners must climb steep paths to elevations, around 3,000 to more than 4,000 meters, and work the sides of forbidding cliffs. Below this uninviting rocky world lay valleys, rivers and small towns. Aquamarine from this area has been described as “water clear” due to their incredibly pale colour.

There is also many other sources of Aquamarine though, including Kenya, Madagascar, Zambia and many more countries.

This ocean coloured stone has some beautiful history behind it. Often thought to protect sailors at sea and calm the waves for a smooth journey, the stones name is a direct reference to its colour. Originating from Latin, “Aqua” meaning water, and “Marina” meaning “of the sea”, there’s no question on why there is much ocean lore surrounding the beauty of a gem. This March birthstone was also believed to have brought happiness into marriage, which is no surprise that while also celebrating march births, it is the gem is also given as a present for the 19th year of marriage.

It also has some famous history as well! In 1963, the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt received a deep blue, rectangular cut piece of Aquamarine that weighed in at 1’298 Carats. This was gifted by the government of Brazil when both the president and the first lady stopped in Rio De Janeiro where they met Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas. The gift was actually the larger of two pieces that had been faceted from a much larger piece of aquamarine rough that and weighed 1.3kg! The stone is now held at the ‘Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum’ in Hyde Park, New York.

Lady Roosevelts Aquamarine gift.

This sea tone stone scores a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Moh’s Hardness scale, meaning it is durable for everyday wear. The cleaning of this stone is easy too, with mild and warm soapy water, and a toothbrush. This will also help clean out dirt from those tricky to reach places. And as long as there isn’t any fractures in the gem, both ultrasonic and steam cleaners are absolutely fine to be used!

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!

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Moving into Spring!

As the evenings slowly start to get lighter again, and that frosty chill is starting a steady exit, we begin to make our way into the spring season, which i’m sure we’re all ready for. However, before we say our goodbyes just yet to the winter months I thought we’d have a quick look at how 2024 has started for Rogue, from piercings to jewellery it’s definitely been a fun one.

Aiden started his year with a nice long break from the studio, using his annual leave for a fun adventure. Upon return to the studio though, you guys definitely didn’t make it easy for him! From 2g cheeks to intimate projects Aiden’s been working hard to fulfil all the piercing dreams you guys have given him!

A fresh set of 2g Cheek Piercings.

Breo is another one who has been taking some plentiful time away from the studio, and taking a much needed trip back to his home town in Spain. He was definitely missed though, upon arrival back in the studio his first day back was busy with rooks and helix piercings, and even a large gauge set of lobes chucked in there.

A forehead surface piercing for Phebe!

Gemma’s had a an interesting start to 2024, and has begun to take on more responsibility within the studio! She has been putting out some excellent work, from a classic helix’s, lower navels and fun intimate projects. Next month is Gemma’s turn away from the studio as she embarks on a week long journey to visit Andre in Germany, and progress her body modification journey.

Lower Navel Piericing!

Jay’s 2024 has started off with lots of training, from tongue piercings and septum’s, to VCH and Prince Albert piercings, Jay has started the ‘weird and wonderful’ and has been producing some amazing work. She also put some of her own training into practice when Kade shadowed in the studio, and helped pass on knowledge of bevel theory and blade needles.

A fresh set of paired central eyebrows!

Kat has been working alongside clients to continue to bring their jewellery dreams alive! From placing custom orders and helping put together that one unique piece, to helping curate ears, Kat has been kept on their toes. They’ve also taken a further step into the jewellery side of piercing and is now assisting FLUX Jewelellry!

A Custom BVLA Septum Jewellery

We’ve also had a few guests and shadows join us this year!

We ended January with a two day visit from Phebe, who came up to shadow septum piercings! Phebe is an absolute delight to work with, and we can’t wait to have her back, hopefully to guest next time and put her skills into practice. While she was here, Breo pierced her and gave Phebe a gorgeous forehead surface piercing which suited her set up brilliantly.

A sweet forehead piercing for Phebe!

February started with a week long visit from the wonderful Hika, who came and guested while Breo was travelling to Spain. She helped assist Jay on apprentice piercings and fed her some new knowledge, while also producing her own amazing work. She also got pierced by Aiden and left with a shiny new tragus and lobe duo.

Hika in action! Marking a bridge piercing!

Last but not least, we had Kade come and stay for a week too. He came to do some shadowing, and was an absolute delight to have in the studio, and we can’t wait for him to return. He left with some knew found knowledge and a new best friend (Jay). Not only did he get pierced while he visited, but Jay, Aiden and Gemma all pierced him as part of an ear project consisting of 5 vertical helix’s around his ear. Between them, they pierced three, leaving four and five for his next visit.

Kade putting knowledge into practice with Jay’s help.

Overall it has been an absolute whirlwind of a start to 2024, and hopefully we will see this continue through the warmer months! With two more guests planned in March and a conference, the Rogues are definitely going to be kept on their toes. Don’t forget you can book your own appointment with us here, and discuss anything from piercings to jewellery with us and fulfil your own dreams.

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Birthstones – February

Love is in the air this month with Valentines day quickly and surely approaching. We’re also celebrating another birthday at Rogue (Hi Gemma!). And what better way to show off your birth month than with the February birthstone: Amethyst! (Possibly the studio’s favourite genuine gemstone).

Following on from January and Garnet, February is one of the few months that only has one birthstone, rather than two or three. 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). So what about the February birthstone?

With a great contrast to the colder and short lived month of February, the February birthstone Amethyst is a gorgeous and rich-coloured gemstone that should be enjoyed for an eternity. Being a purple variety of Quartz, it comes in all sorts of hues including lilac to deep purples. For Amethyst to get its colour, the quartz needs to have trace amounts of iron. This iron has tiny impurities which are then exposed to natural radiation (irradiation) which results in oxidation of the impurities. This process changes the absorption spectrum of the Quartz, resulting in the beautiful purple shades we see.

Russia was the main source of Amethyst until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil. Originally being super rare, this new found discovery led amethyst to suddenly become quite common . Today, the most important sources of amethyst are in Africa and South America however Brazil is still a major supplier, especially in Rio Grande do Sul, although the amethyst mined there tends to have a lighter colour than most found in other countries. .

In Africa, Zambia’s Kariba mine is one of the largest amethyst producers in the world. The Amethyst that is mined here typically tends to have excellent quality with richly saturated colours. There is also the ‘Four Peaks Amethyst Mine’ located just outside of Phoenix is the United States. This mine is is in a remote location, with extremely challenging conditions for Amethyst to form, yet somehow forms some of the deepest purple, and purplish red crystals.

This purple stone also has a great history behind it, often being found in collections of royal families across Europe and Asia. Because of the original rarity of Amethyst, it was held as high as a diamond, and was incredibly favoured royalty, or the Clergy as a symbol for the deity of Christ. It wasn’t until the discovery in Brazil that made Amethyst more available to a wide range of wearers.

Amethyst lore is just as great as its history. The lore includes many claims of bringing personal empowerment or inner strength if worn, as well as it’s claims to mystical powers. Leonardi Da Vinci once wrote that this stone has the power to protect against evil thoughts and quicken intelligence. Apparently he was well known for making use of this stone. Throughout time Amethyst has been ground down and ingested for medicine, or been used to make drinking goblets due to the reports of preventing intoxication. Although Amethyst is not toxic, it is no longer recommended to ingest through eating or drinking. So please do not try this at home!

In the modern day, Amethyst is the stone that is traditionally given to celebrate the 6th year of a marriage!

This purple quartz scored a 7 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, making it appropriate for daily wear in jewellery, although over time may show wear and need a repolish. As it is more susceptible to damage than harder stones (such as rubies and diamonds), it should be stored away safely from anything harder to avoid it being scratched or damaged. As always, the safest way to clean this stone is with a soft toothbrush and some mild soap, but it is also safe in an ultrasonic. However, steam cleaning should be avoided. This is because extreme treat (or some heat treatments) can change the shades of purple , or make it more brittle.

BVLA TRIO
Afghan, Mini Kandy, Mini Reema.

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!

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Birthstones – January

We’re officially into the new year, with Christmas gone and passed, but it’s not all doom and gloom in the studio. This month we’re celebrating the birthday of our apprentice, and this weeks blog is all about the January birthstone (well not just theirs). Garnet! Mostly known for it’s very intense red that will surely keep that fire going in the cold long days of January.

January is one of the few months that only has one stone, rather than two or three. 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).

But don’t worry, if that brilliant Red of Garnet isn’t your personal choice of colour, you’ll be happy to know that the January Birthstone comes in a whole rainbow of colours; green, blue, oranges, pinky/oranges, and purplish reds. There are even Garnets that have a colour-change effect when under different lighting or Star Garnets, which is where the stone displays a ‘multi-rayed’ light reflection on its surface that resembles a 4 or 6 pointed star. However, despite the wide range of colours available, this stone is well known for for their deep red varieties, that often are compared to fruit seeds of pomegranates.

Star garnets are found in India, the U.S. state of Idaho as well as Sri Lanka. Green garnet ranges in location. For example, Tsavorite is mined in Kenya and was named after the Tsavo National Park where it is mined nearby, while Demantoid garnet is hugely sourced in Russia. Yellowish/orange, or bright orange Garnet is named after Spessart in Germany where it was discovered but Namibia and Tanzania are also key sources for Spessart Garnets. The colour changing Garnets are found in Kenya, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Garnets are also found and mined in many other countries. So many different ways to celebrate the january birthstone!

According to Indian astrology, Garnet helps eliminate negative feelings (such as depression or guilt) while improving self-confidence and mental clarity which helps promote creative thinking and peace of mind. In ancient and medieval times, gems like garnet were also thought to be remedies for inflammatory diseases and to soothe the angry heart. Garnets are also a symbol of eternal love thought to held protective healing powers, which makes it another good reason to gift Garnet to your loved one to celebrate your second wedding anniversary.

The different types of Garnet which change where it sits on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, but it typically ranges between 6.5 and 7.5, making it more susceptible to damage than diamonds or rubies. Be careful on storage for Garnets, because it can be scratched by other stones. While Garnet is not ideal for everyday wear, it is ideal for earrings (including body jewellery), brooches and pendants. Most garnet stones are not treated except in rare instances where they might be fracture filled. However, the best way to clean your garnets is with a soft toothbrush (we always recommend baby tooth brushes the bristles are always softer) and warm soapy water. If you have an ultrasonic at home, you’ll be happy to know that you can give your garnets a quick whizz about in there, unless they are fractured, or fracture-filled. Steam cleaning is not recommended.

BVLA – Round Prong

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!

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Stop Touching Your Piercings!

When you walk through the doors at Rogue you will instantly see signs on our main desks, our mirrors and even in our jewellery display cabinets, all telling you not to touch, change or remove your jewellery. You may have noticed both our piercers and counter staff asking you to stop touching your piercings, or to sanitise your hands. We also ask that all jewellery brought into the studio is inside of a small bag or pouch and isn’t handled inside the studio with bare hands.

Image from Jef Saunders Blog courtesy of Dannielle Greenwood

Now you may think this is over bearing, or that we are on a power trip, or even that it might just be a weird obsession over cleanliness/hygiene, but we can assure you that it’s not! We do all of this to avoid the risk of any cross contamination in the studio. Hygiene at Rogue is one of our biggest focus points, and we have consistent measures in place to ensure that we are doing the best we can. From working with aseptic techniques during the piercing procedure, as well as having both daily and weekly cleaning tasks. Every member of the team at Rogue takes annual training in Bloodborne Pathogens (keep your eyes out for our certificates around the studio). This is so we can stay up to date with any changes in standards and protocols to keep both you and ourselves safe.

In the studio we have very careful procedures that we perform every single day to minimise any spread of cross contamination. We thoroughly clean and sterilise any tools and equipment at the end of each working day. We continuously wash and sanitise our hands while also donning and doffing PPE (wearing and disposing of Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and gloves) appropriately. Any of our disposable work tools that may have touched anyone are also disposed of correctly, through sharps bins and dedicated waste disposal bags and services.

So, what is cross contamination?

The definition of cross contamination from Oxford Languages English Dictionaries is: The process by which bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one substance or object to another, with harmful effect.

Outside of piercing, most people think of cross contamination when it comes to food, especially raw chicken. For example, if you are cutting raw chicken you may end up with some of the raw juices on your fingers and hands, and once dried you may not know it’s there. The bacteria from the chicken can be spread across the kitchen on cutting boards, towels, and reusable wipes. If you don’t wash your hands and touch your mouth or nose or a small/large wound, you can become sick from the bacteria even if you don’t see it. This is because bacteria (such as salmonella) is easily transferable through open wounds and mucous membranes.

The same happens with body jewellery. At some point, the jewellery you have worn in your body has been in direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood. We as piercers have to assume that everyone’s blood, or any other bodily fluids that has been in contact with your jewellery, is contaminated with a bloodborne pathogen that has the potential to carry or spread viruses. The reason we do this is because, just like raw chicken juices, we cannot always see potential threats or dangers, and we’d rather be over-cautious and keep everyone’s health in tip-top shape.

Imagine the journey that bacteria might take across our studio. A client touches their grumpy piercing, and then touches the front desk or a display cabinet, or the arms of the sofa. This is then touched by the next client, who then touches their eye or mouth, or their own piercings! This bacteria can be transferred from one person to the next. Imagine not one client, but dozens per day! By not touching our piercings, washing our hands, and not allowing worn jewellery to touch any of the studio surfaces, then we break this chain of spread.

This is also part of the reason why we cannot reuse, refund or resell body jewellery that has left the studio. We have to assume that any body jewellery that has been purchased has been worn. We also recommend that you never buy and wear pre-used or pre-worn jewellery – You can read more about this in our ‘Sharing Jewellery’ blog. It is the equivalent of clothing stores having a no-returns policy on underwear. It is not safe to risk sharing fluids between clients.

As scary as it sounds, we’re just trying to show you that cross-contamination is super easy to avoid. So, all in all, please top touching your piercings and sharing body jewellery. It is unsafe and unsanitary! Practice regular safe hygiene processes, such as washing your hands and sanitising when and where needed.

Keep an eye on our blog as we post a new informational blog every single Friday! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Birthstones – December

December is officially Holiday season, and all over the world people will be celebrating their own holidays in their own special way. This month, we are looking at 3 special gemstones to commemorate you December babies. Turquoise, Tanzanite, and Zircon are three beautiful December birthstone that vary in their hues of blue, which is perfect for that cold chill of December!

Three Birthstones?

The majority of months know how to celebrate with their stones by having multiple stones. December is one of two months that decided to ramp it up to three for an extra kick – So what options do you have for the December birthstone?

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). Turquoise is Decembers traditional stone, with Tanzanite and Zircon being the more modern and newer stones.

Whatever your style, budget, taste or preferences are, there is definitely something for all you cold December babies.

Turquoise!

Turquoise is well known for it’s bright blue colour! With shades ranging from sky blue to apple green, and its standout veins of matrix (black, brown or grey remnants of the rock it was formed in), it’s no shock that Turquoise is very well recognised. Turquoise is formed when mineral-rich water seeps in-between the gaps of rocks, and over time the water dissolves, leaving only behind the formed minerals, i.e. Turquoise. The minerals left that form the stone, are the ones that give it its colour. For example, copper gives turquoise its shades of green and blue.

Purple Copper Turquoise – BVLA Round Prong

There is an assumption that the gemstones name can be translated to ‘Turkish Stone’ which hints that this is where it may have first been found. If it was, it definitely didn’t stay there long. Apparently they were buried (and later found) in the mines in The Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, which date back to as early as 4000 BC. This makes Turquoise one of the oldest gemstones in history.

The ‘sky blue’ stones were originally sourced in Ancient Persia (now Iran) are often still referred as ‘Persian Blue’. The U.S is currently the biggest supplier of Turquoise, where most production comes from Arizona and Nevada. The ‘Kingman mine’ in Arizona is a historically important source that is known for producing intense blue turquoise. Although it is no longer open for turquoise mining, Arizona’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ mine was a prolific producer for more than four decades.

Turquoise Prong- Anatometal

For centuries, Turquoise has believed to be a protective stone, often being worn as amulets. From the 13th Century it was believed that the stone would protect its wearer from falling (particularly, falling off of horses. We’re not sure how relevant this is these days…), as well as the common belief that the stone would break into many pieces at the face of danger. There are also many other beliefs, such as the guarantee of good health and fortune. Hindu mystics maintained that seeing a turquoise stone after beholding the new moon ensured fantastic wealth. Turquoise was often seen through many royal families, such as the Duchess of Windsor who wore a beautiful Amethyst and Turquoise necklace. Queen Mary had a collection of Persian turquoise jewellery, including a tiara, necklace, brooch, and earrings. The Persian Turquoise Tiara was eventually passed down to Princess Margaret, who wore it until her death in 2002. In the modern day, Turquoise is also the gem of the 11th wedding anniversary.

On The Moh’s scale of hardness, Turquoise is typically around 5-6, although some Turquoise is treated to improve its durability. Turquoise can be dyed or chemically enhanced by adding an epoxy or acrylic resin for greater hardness or better colour. Typically, Turquoise is pretty durable when it comes to light, but can be sensitive to high heat , which can cause discolouration or breakage. It is for this reason hat Turquoise stones should not be cleaned with steam or an ultrasonic. Acids, chemicals, and cosmetics can also damage or discolour your stone. The best method of cleaning is warm soapy water.

A large amount of Turquoise is synthetic these days – This improves it’s day-to-day wearability!

Tanzanite!

Tanzanite is the newest addition to the December birthstone, being the first gemstone added to the official birthstone list in almost 100 years. It is one of the most fascinating gem discoveries of the 20th century. Harry Platt (the president of Tiffany and Co.) stated: “The most Beautiful stone to be discovered in 200 years. And honestly, we might have to agree. Often described as ‘velvety’, Tanzanite comes in an array of shades, ranging from pastel and pale lilac, to rich blues, flirting with violets, lavender and cornflower blue hues on its way. In 1968, Tiffany and Co. became the biggest distributor of Tanzanite, advertising of its vivid colours, high clarity, and ability for larger cuts, caused this stone to rise massively in popularity.

Tanzanite is one of the most unique and rare gemstones we have, and works perfectly as the December birthstone. It was formed over 500 years ago under extreme geological conditions that are seen as completely unique. It is also only found in one small area of the foothills of the mountain it was discovered, and to be found anywhere else it is believed to have a on “one in a million” chance. In 1967 it was discovered in the “Merelani Hills” . It is believed that sometime in the future, we will have completely run out of this stone.

Most of the Tanzanite found on the market is actually heat treated, to enhance the blue/violet hues and remove the brown that is naturally found. The colouring of this is permanent, and there is no durability concerns. The stone typically ranges around 6-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness and is resistant to normal heat, light and chemicals. But if exposed to very sudden high or rapid changes in heat, it can cause the gem to crack. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are not recommended to be used to clean this stone, and therefore the best option is warm soapy water.

The below photos were kindly borrowed to us by the amazing Becky Crossan at Inkhaus Piercing!

Zircon!

Zircon is a classic gemstone, that has often caused confusion with synthetic Cubic Zirconia due to its similar name. Very few people realise that it is its own special naturally formed gemstone which ranges in a fantastic array of colours. The broad colour palette of this December birthstone includes red, blue, orange, yellow, brown and green. It is well known for its intense flashes of multicoloured light (called fire), and its brilliance. This resulted in Zircon being confused with diamonds for centuries.

Zircon is one of the many gems that are found in Sri Lanka. It is often found close by to Sapphire sources, so in addition to Sri Lanka, it is also found in Vietnam, Cambodia and Australia. Mining for Zircon in Australia dates back 4.4 billion years, possibly making it the oldest mineral as a gemmological found. Australia’s Hart Range is most commonly known for producing the Zircon birthstones in yellow and brown, however Australia dominates in Zircon mining, producing 37% of the worlds supply.

During history, Zircon has had many symbolic beliefs attached to it. In the middle ages, the most common belief was that it would help lull people into a deep and peaceful sleep, while getting plenty of rest. There were other beliefs during that time, such as Zircon bringing forth good fortune and warding away evil spirits. The ‘luck’ associated with Zircon is said to present itself in different ways. For example, it is often believed that Zircon will promote discipline and self confidence, thus leading to better opportunities.

Zircon ranges from 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. It is often heat treated to produce blue and colourless varieties, as well as orange, yellow and red. The gem is typically stable when exposed to light, but after prolonged exposure to bright light some heat-treated stones may revert back to their original colours (which is usually a light-ish brown). Exposure to heat can alter the colour of some zircon. Because zircon tends to wear away or chip by friction, it is best to avoid wearing it in rough conditions, such as gardening, playing sports or doing dishes. Cleaning your zircon using a soft brush and mild soap in warm water is the best method. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are not recommended for this December birthstone.

We stock jewellery from brands from across the world such as the December Birthstone, 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!

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Piercing Gift Guide 2023

It’s that time of year again, folks! It’s time for the Rogue annual piercing gift guide, where we show you all the options you have for the piercing lover in your life. And if that piercing lover is yourself, then who are we to judge?

The run up to Christmas can be a difficult time for independent businesses – Who are we to compete with the big box stores and online retailers like Amazon? If you can, always support local businesses. High quality, ethical piercing studios are the lifeblood of this industry. Support us however you can, as we will always be here to help you feel at home in your body. Whether that be through purchasing jewellery, booking for piercings, bringing us your piercings to troubleshoot, we are always here to help in ways that big retailers or chain piercing shops simply can’t.

We’ll talk you through some options for a few different piercing placements, and some more general options as well.

Piercing Gift Cards

The quickest, easiest, and sometimes the most thoughtful thing you can do as part of your piercing gift guide is to purchase a gift card. We know, gift cards have a bit of a reputation… But buying a gift card at Rogue is more like buying someone a personalised service than it is an item – Being able to come in, work with the team, get a piercing or choose your own personal piercing upgrades is a really epic gift. Don’t snub it just because!

Within the realm of gift cards – Did you know that you can use gift cards to place custom orders through Rogue with all of your favourite brands? If your partner, sibling, mum, dad, or any other loved one has been yearning after a particular piece of jewellery, or wanted something that we stocked that has since sold, then getting them a gift card to use as part or all of a custom order is probably the sweetest thing you can do!

You can read all about custom orders HERE.

Buying Jewellery

Buying jewellery is kind of like buying someone perfume – It is really difficult to capture who they are as a person and get them something that they truly love! But if you know the person well, and you get them something that they adore, then… There is literally no better feeling in the world. So if you think you can nail it, absolutely go for it!

You can buy jewellery from Rogue a couple of different ways – Firstly, you can do it in-person under the expert guidance of our jewellery specialists by booking a Jewellery Consultation here. That way you can bring reference photos, inspiration, and generally help us figure out the perfect gift to match their vibe.

You can also purchase our entire jewellery collection online! Simply head to our WEBSTORE and scroll through our vast array of options, with in-depth descriptions on sizing, gemstones, and pricing available at your fingertips. You can also click HERE to find an excellent guide on how to get the best out of our online shop!

Piercing Gift Guide – Lobe Piercings

Lobe piercings are really, really versatile. There are so many ways to style them! See the above slideshow for some inspiration on how you can purchase for your loved one. Some of our favourites are:

Piercing Gift Guide – Nose Piercings

Nose piercings are quite personal – The choices go far beyond ‘ring or stud!’ If your loved one is a ring person, we always recommend booking them in for a checkup where we can measure and fit the right size for them, unless you know the exact size they need. You might be able to do this by sneaking a ring out of their collection and bringing it to us to be measured… Studs however, are a little bit more straightforward. Especially if they already wear threadless (push-fit) jewellery!

We personally love…

Piercing Gift Guide – Cartilage Piercings

Cartilage piercings are a really fun place to buy jewellery! They tend to be versatile placements where a lot of different ends will look really cool. You can do either lots of gems and sparklies, or keep it relatively toned back!

Our recommendations are:

Thank you for reading! We will be back again next week with more piercing related awesomeness.

If you have any questions, just contact us via email or instagram! Follow us on social media to keep up to date.

See you next week!

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My Experience: Repiercing

Since being at Rogue, I have decided to remove three of my piercings and have repierced them for a variety of reasons, and I thought I’d share my experience on them! If you want to know a bit more thorough detail about repiercing, and not just a personal story, I can highly sugesst giving “Repiercing 101” a read!

The first thing I got repierced at Rogue was my bridge. I had had it pierced about a year and a half previously, with improper jewellery. It was an externally thread curved barbell, which had just created issue after issue, and had never settled down. After having my 19th birthday party at university, I had given up and just decided to retire it as the bumps were just not worth it.

Upon joining Rogue I had discovered the reason it had never settled was due to improper jewellery, and very outdated aftercare advice (homemade salt water). In December, Krista had come to Rogue to do a guest spot, and as an early birthday present from Kat, she repierced my Bridge for me using Peoples Jewellery Titanium Bullet Claw ends with pale Pink Fauxpals. I was obsessed. However, I did not downsize it in time, which caused an irritation bump, and because I am super clumsy I was constantly snagging and catching it on jumpers, my glasses, and even my own hands. I eventually retired it again in March, as I had to take it out for an x-ray on my jaw, and it was just the easier option.

To everyones dismay, I would like to re-pierce it a third time in the future, but we’ll get to that when we get to it.

In 2023 I had another repiercing – my jestrum. I initially had it pierced by Aiden about two days after finding out that I was going to be his apprentice. I booked my appointment and already had my heart set on the Neometal flower in fancy purple, and Kat then talked me around to having a Neometal opal on the bottom to match and I was in love! Unfortunately, this guy did not last very long! After already having to reinsert jewellery after a jaw x-ray (wisdom teeth suck…), I woke up one morning to my jewellery gone, and somehow had never found it since – I’m blaming my cats for this one – and despite trying to reinsert a taper in it only a few hours later, the piercing channel had completely closed.

In December 2022, so about 7 months or so after letting it heal, I let Gemma do a repiercing it for me. I was super nervous, as it definitely wasn’t one of my favourites to have originally pierced! Gemma was also super nervous as it was her first jestrum, and I had to reassure her it’s the same as every other vertical lip piercings she’s done, including 2 sets of ‘angel fangs’ (paired vertical upper lip piercings). I had complete and utter trust in her. And she absolutely smashed it. We even made a super cool reel about it. It was definitely a little spicy, but definitely not as bad as I had feared, and I found the healing much easier than the first time around. I only had very minor swelling, and downsized it rather quickly, then about a month or two later we had to downsize again. It’s now sitting pretty well and just waiting for me to insert some super fancy jewellery.

My third repiercing was my nipples. When I first joined Rogue, I had had them pierced for 3 years. One was beautifully healed, and the other one was just constantly crusting and being annoying. After getting a little bit worried about it, I asked Breo and Kat to take a look, and they advised completely pulling it as it looked like it had started to reject. The piercing itself had originally been pierced too deep, through the areola, which is why it had never settled. I decided to remove both nipple piercings so I could have them both repierced together to allow them to look more in tune with each other.

And then came the day I asked Breo to do it for me. It was a Monday morning, I’d just had a bad weekend following a break-up and I thought there is nothing that screams ‘move on’ and ‘love yourself’ more than new nipple piercings! After a very eventful day, Breo anodised my barbells pink and got them sterilised. I was super nervous, and after Breo talked to me regarding the scar tissue, and creating a new channel through the scarring, I was definitely a little bit more tense. We did the one that needed the new channel first as I thought it would hurt more, and it honestly hurt nowhere near as much as I thought. It just felt like pressure, with a bit more of a tight pinch on the exit. It was almost like a fresh of breath air, and I was super excited to repierce the second.

…But then, we didn’t! As Breo was super happy with the depth and placement of the original piercing, he decided to test the waters out to see if the piercing channel was still open. He gently fed an insertion pin through the fistula to feel what was happening on the inside. The answer was… nothing. Despite having worn no jewellery for 7-8 months, the piercing was still open, and with a tiny stretch up we managed to reinsert the jewellery straight back in! I then went home to chill and relax, and my housemates cat (Peep) stood straight on it. Not fun!

After they settled, I got to downsize the length of the bars and upgrade the jewellery! After ordering a matching set from Peoples Jewellery, I used the orignial jewellery for my bridge. A pair of pink opal threadless bullet claws, super cute!

I also chose to remove my Navel piercing. I had originally had it pierced at The Endless Knot in Hartlepool while I was at university. Originally it had just been pierced with a plain internally thread curved barbell! It was super comfy, a nice heal and I loved it. After moving back to Nottingham I started working at a little pub, and re-wearing high/mid waisted jeans. The constant pressure across my navel caused it to be super irritated and I began battling irritation bumps. Eventually, it did begin to settle and I had a lovely well-healed navel piercing.

So, I decided to stretch it. My long term goal was to have a little ring stack full of charms! I stretched it myself to 2mm (12g)! It was super easy, and I was on my way to a large gauge navel. After a few weeks, maybe a month or two, I was slightly concerned about the placement and where it was sitting. I discussed it with Kat and Gemma who advised to just remove it. It seems like it had started to reject, and it was better to retire it sooner rather than later. Gemma was also super excited, and told me to just let her re-pierce it at a larger gauge. So I did. Eventually…

After Gemma returned from APP conference in Vegas, her first piercing back was my 5mm (4g) Navel! Honestly, it was so much easier than the first time I had it pierced. I’m not sure if this because I had learned how to breathe through the pain or because my pain tolerance was better, but it was such an easy repiercing to sit through! I’m absolutely obsessed with it, and I can’t wait to stack it! Also an amazing thank you to Gorilla Glass for this super easy-peasy single flare curved retainer!

If you would like to get in touch via repiercing a well healed over piercing, just get in touch with us! You can email us at hello@roguepiercing.co.uk , send us a direct message via our Instagram RoguePiercing, or just book directly with us here.

Thank you for reading! We will be back again next week with another blog, so stay tuned!

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The Design: Lip Piercings!

Lip piercings are arguably the piercing that has such a range of options for placement. From the lower lip to the top, singles and pairs, whatever you like we can probably make it happen.

Now, lip piercings are still anatomy dependent and there is a lot for your piercer to consider when helping choose placement, however the antomy checks will vary depending on the type of placement and piercing you choose.

Single “Standard” Lip Piercing:

I’ve put the word “standard” into quotation marks beause we are going to talk through all the different placements of a single lip piercing that passes through the inside to the outside of the lip. There are so many to talk through! Some piercing placements even have fun names, although you don’t need to know those names in order to get the piercing.

For a standard lip piercing your piercer will be checking the anatomy on the inside of the lip, for where your frenulum sits, and will also be checking their markings on the outside aswell so that when you are relaxed, the back of the labret is sitting in a comfortable place that does not rest directly on your teeth. If you’re planning rings in the future, be sure to let your piercer know, so they can mark up appropriately. Initially, these should be pierced with straight labrets. Rings in fresh piercings can cause a lot of irritation.

Labret: Center of the bottom lip, sitting below the lipline.

Philtrum or Medusa: Centre of your upper lip, resting just above your cupids bow.

Side labret: Sitting one one side of the bottom lip, below your lipline. Often seen paired together as snakebites!

Monroe: Pierced above the upper lipline on the left hand side.

Madonna: Pierced above the upper lipline on the right hand side.

Vertical Lips:

Vertical lip piercings are exactly what they sound like! They are pierced with curved barbells, passing through vertically top to bottom of the lip. For this piercing, your piercer should be checking for the prominence of the lip, that will allow the curve to sit comfortably. This means that your lip needs to stick out enough, and be full enough, to support jewellery. Not everyone can have all vertical lip piercings.

Traditional Vertical Labret: Pierced vertically through the centre of the bottom lip.

Upper Vertical Labret: Pierced vertically through the centre of the top lip. Also known as a jestrum.

We’ve recently seen an increase of vertical lip piercings, especially being paired together, and they just look badass.

Paired Vertical Labrets: Two vertical labrets paired together on the lower lip. Typically seen close together, and on either side of the lip.

Paired Upper Vertical Labrets: Two vertical labrets paired together on the upper lip. Typically seen with a bit of distance between them, just on the outer edges of the cupids bow. Also known as angel fangs.

Pairs, Doubles and All the Fancy Names!:

Over the years, piercings have gathered all sorts of commonly used slang names, but lip piercings by far are notoriously known by their slang names, especially when it comes to multiples!

Dolphin Bites: Two lower labrets pierced below the lipline of the bottom lip, quite centered and close together.

Snake Bites: Paired labrets pierced below the lipline of the bottom lip, but quite seperated/typically seen either side.

Shark Bites: Double and paired labrets either side of the bottom lipline. (Think of them as double snake bites!)

Spider Bites: Paired labrets, pierced one one side of the bottom lip.

Angel Bites: Paired labrets pierced above the top lipline, typically seperated eitherside of the cupids bow.

Canine Bites: Paired upper and lower lips. Think of Angel Bites and Snake Bites.

Now of course these aren’t all the possibilities of lip piercings. These guys have been around for years, and will hopefully be around for many more!

The Fun and the Rare:

Theres a few more we havent touched on yet. The ‘Ashley’ and ‘Inverse Labrets’, large gauge, and low/highbrets.

The Ashley – A piercing that passes through the centre of the bottom lip, horizontally. Can be seen as pairs or by itself. Highly anatomy dependant, and either a curved or straight barbell. Your piercer should be looking for a ‘full’ and ‘prominent’ lip that would support a bar passing through.

Inverse Vertical Labrets – Very similar to a vertical labret, only it sits on the inside of the lip rather than the outer. Usually pierced with curved barbells.

Large Gauge Lip Piercings – Of course, just like any other piercing, we can pierce lips at a higher gauge too! An absolute perfect way to start if you wanted to stretch in the future.

Lowbrets/Highbrets – Typically these are just labret piercings pierced either much lower than the lipline, or much higher! Its a hybrid word of ‘high’ or ‘low’ and ‘labret’! Super cool.

Above is photos of Andre’s inverse vertical labrets that he had pierced many years ago and has healed them beautfiully.

We’d absolutely love to do more lip piercings at Rogue, so don’t hesitate to contact us or book in to discuss ideas or placements!

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BVLA Top Picks – March 2023

We are currently offering our biggest ever collection of BVLA in the studio, and are expecting even more to arrive in the coming weeks! Here we are going to do a little overview of some of our favourite pieces, all of which are available to purchase online and in-studio for both fresh piercings and healed piercing upgrades!

The Mini AJ

Jay has had their eyes on a Mini AJ from the minute they saw it on the BVLA website, and Kat has outdone themselves with this stunning mix of Labradorite and White Sapphires yet into 14k Yellow Gold. Absolutely stunning.

We would love to see this piece in a conch piercing! The fan shape will really be amplified by the curve of the ear – And give it plenty of space to shine.

The Trillion Half-Bezel

Following in the footsteps of the Mini AJ, is the Trillion Half Bezel. Again, these pieces made us fall madly in love the minute we saw them. Love at first sight some would call it. And with even more Labradordite in yellow gold, you can see why these guys have had to make it into our list of favourites. These would look absolutely stunning atop a navel or jestrum piercing, for the adventurous!

The Beaded Marquise

These are such a popular design, and you can really see why. They are so incredibly neat. The bezel, the beading… Everything works together perfectly to make a beautiful piece that looks amazing in lobe, helix and faux rook placements!

The Miel

Rose-Cut Green Tourmaline: it definitely knows how to catch your eye! Every single turn under the light allows different colours to shine through, from deep moss tones through to chartreuse bright greens. We have just one of these left in stock in this colourway, and we would love to see it in a philtrum or labret piercing!

Gemstone Feature: Chrysoprase

Round Cab prongs and a Marquise Seam Ring.

Continuing with the green, is the absolute ultimate neon green: Chrysoprase. We are absolutely hoping to see these guys leave as a full set. We would absolutely love to offer to waive the piercing fees for a set of paired nostril piercings and a septum piercing! Just get in contact via email and we can book you in!

Gemstone Feature: Oregon Sunstone

Now Oregon Sunstone has made Jay fall fast and hard. It’s beautiful, soft, feminine, and absolutely mesmerising. You also can’t go wrong with a Cab Prong. Classics are a classic for a reason! This design has just a little bit of intricacy in the setting, while still letting the gemstone speak for itself.

BVLA are the pinnacle of body jewellery – With over 800 different designs to choose from, which you can personalise with 500 gemstones, the choice can be a little overwhelming! We are here to guide you through the entire process from start to finish, suggesting pieces and curating your own slice of the BVLA pie.

If you want to get your own custom piece, email Kat at kat@roguepiercing.co.uk to get the ball rolling on wearing your own dream body jewellery collection.