316LVM surgical steel and metal alloy Austrian Crystal Claw-set External 12mm snake Lobes, helix, tragus, and more! Each piece is sold individually. The Crystal Snake Cartilage Stud is a high-quality piece designed especially for cartilage piercings. Put this stud through your piercing from the front and screw the bead on. The bead is more secure and comfortable than a traditional earring with a butterfly backing. PVD is more durable and therefore lasts longer than traditional plating. If you have sensitivities, we recommend wearing our steel, anodized, blackline, or untreated titanium options instead. Blackline is a titanium carbide PVD coating. PVD stands for Physical Vapour Deposition. In other words, the titanium carbide is deposited onto the metal as a vapour. As a result, the titanium looks black. This coating is hypoallergenic. The charm is a metal alloy, which is ideal for casting and makes them perfect for jewelry with fine details. Many people have sensitivities to these alloys and may react. Metal Alloys with a PVD coating can help negate this reaction, but they may still irritate those with the strongest sensitivities. To avoid turning green, metal alloy jewelry is recommended to be cleaned often and not worn in moist/sweaty places. The stones are Austrian crystals, so they won't lose their sparkle over time. If it looks a little dull, a quick clean will bring it back to life. The stones are claw-set to keep them securely in place. This piece is 16g. 16g is the standard size for a cartilage piercing if you were pierced with a needle. However, if you were pierced with a gun, your piercing may be too small for this. You can shop our for options that will fit you. This stud is a favourite for cartilage piercings (like we said before). Here are a few examples: helix, tragus, flat, and even ear lobes! Show us where you wear yours with #BodyModsFamous on Instagram. We LOVE seeing our jewelry out in the real world. Finally, don't forget to follow us on and for updates on new jewelry, product info, sales, and more.