The TummyToys® clasps all come with a lifetime guarantee, they will not fade, flake or peel with age. The clasp tightness is also fully adjustable, so if your clasp is too tight or becomes too loose you can easily fix this by following our online video tutorial guide.
For full instructions on maintaining, cleaning and using the TummyToys® clasps visit our online tutorials here. You can also read about cleaning 925 Silver and Solid Gold further below.
Gold plated is an excellent choice if you want the look of gold without the hefty price tag. It allows you to save money and buy more belly rings! However, gold plated jewellery (unlike solid gold) will fade over time, this is especially the case when it is regularly exposed to water or chemicals like soaps, creams, sun lotion, tanning oils and cleaning products. Even your perspiration and the PH balance of your skin can affect the lifespan of gold plated belly rings. It's impossible to predict how long your gold plated belly rings will last as this depends on many factors, including how often you wear it and the conditions you expose it to. Chlorine, salt water and pool chemicals can have a devastating effect on your shiny plated jewels, for this reason we recommend replacing your gold plated jewellery with surgical steel, 925 Sterling silver or solid gold when showering or swimming and saving your plated jewellery for other special occasions.
To clean your gold plated body jewellery, we do NOT recommend using traditional jewellery cleaners or any other chemical-filled solution, not even toothpaste! Instead, use a soft cloth and warm water, but only if you must.
It surprises us that many people think that 925 Silver jewellery is less valuable because it tarnishes. While it is true that it does tarnish, it is also fully cleanable and restorable. Simply using a Godards Silver Cloth or silver cleaning agent to polish your jewellery (no matter how tarnished it is) will allow it to maintain it's shiny lustre and bring it back to brand new EVERY TIME! For many reasons silver is dearer than surgical steel, it is shinier, lasts forever and is considered a precious metal. In addition, people who experience belly piercing allergies with other types of metal often find that they can wear 925 Silver without any problems at all due to the low nickel content.
All of our silver belly rings also have silver charms (dangly and fixed) which means that the full piece has an extensive lifespan when compared to their cheaper friends - costume and plated body jewellery.
Polishing your silver navel jewellery takes minutes and is a very simple process. You can either polish your body jewellery with a silver cloth or for a deeper clean to remove any built up particles, clean using a silver jewellery agent and scrub gently with a small brush in the indented areas where grime could build up. We recommend using Connoisseurs cleaning products.
We have heard of people throwing out their 925 silver jewellery mistaking it as cheap, not realising that all it needs is a clean!
Solid gold is one of the ultimate choices for body jewellery, be it the most expensive, it comes with its advantages. Unlike 925 silver, gold will not tarnish over time and unlike gold plated jewellery, it will forever maintain its lustre. Neither will it flake or peel with age like costume jewellery.
However, solid gold navel jewellery can still collect body oils and particles of dirt in areas where the jewellery is indented or has fixed jewels and for this reason we recommend cleaning your jewellery to keep it looking brand new. You can use a jewellery cleaning agent if you have one, but if not, something as simple as dishwashing detergent will do the trick! The WikiHow has an excellent photo demonstration on cleaning gold jewellery, you can check it out here.
The beautiful thing about PTFE belly bars (aside from the bargain price) is that they are easy to resize to a desired length. To adjust, use a pair of scissors and cut the bar on a slight angle at the desired length. Using a surgical steel ball, screw it on to the newly cut edge with firm pressure and the PTFE bar will re-thread itself. You can then replace the steel ball with a plastic ball if desired.
When cleaning this type of material do NOT use alcohol or any chemical based cleaning agents as these will crack and damage your jewellery. Simply rinse in warm water with a generic disinfectant hand soap.
Yes, these items are bargain priced and are available in a wide range of styles, colours and lengths, however they are NOT comprised of the same quality materials as the more expensive line of belly bars in 925 silver and solid gold. These pieces can be susceptible to water damage and they will age with exposure to chemicals. In addition they can also be affected by your body oils and hygiene products including sunscreen lotion and tanning oils. To get the most out of your dangling belly rings and costume jewellery we recommend you care for them in a similar way as you would gold plating (above). While costume jewellery does have a 316L surgical steel shaft, many have charms and dangles that are rhodium plated over metal or vintage brass plated and they will show their age if mis-treated.
Titanium is the fourth most abundant structural metal on earth. The nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass making it ideal for those sensitive to nickel. Titanium is also bio-compatible and is totally resistant to body fluids. The light refracting off the oxidised surface allows an incredible range of colours and it is extremely lightweight, scratch-resistant, highly-polished and very tough (three times stronger than steel).
Tummy Toys have a selection of both solid titanium and titanium plated belly rings available for purchase at The Belly Ring Shop.
316L surgical steel does not tarnish and will last the test of time. However, all belly rings, even the basic belly rings will still collect body oils and particles of dirt in areas where the jewellery is indented or has fixed jewels and for this reason we recommend cleaning your jewellery to keep it looking brand new and to prevent infections. Simply use a gentle dishwashing detergent in warm soapy water. Using alcohol can damage and loosen gems, likewise harsh chemicals can also prematurely age your body jewellery. To losen dirt or build up, use a gentle brush. Give your jewellery a final wash with disinfectant hand soap to aid in killing bacteria.
Belly rings come in a variety of materials, shapes, styles and sizes. This guide shows you the best ways to maintain your new jewellery to keep it looking shiny and new for longer. Caring for your body jewellery also helps eliminate the chances of infection.
NOTE: Always wash your hands, clean your piercing and your jewellery with a disinfectant hand soap before changing (this applies to BOTH old navel jewellery and new jewellery straight out of the pack. For a guide on how and when to change your navel piercing jewellery, click here.
Having a full understanding of the materials used in your belly rings and the particular care required for each type will allow you to get a much longer life span out of your body jewellery and help you to keep it looking shiny and brand new. By educating yourself on this topic you will spend less on body jewellery and get more wear and more value from your dollar. Spend less, buy right. In addition to the extensive information here, we also have a blog that goes into further detail about the various choices available when selecting the right jewellery for your navel piercing.
316L or 316LVM are the only acceptable grades of stainless steel for use as body jewellery. 316L is surgical stainless steel - it‘s the most common and widely used option for body piercings. 316LVM is the same as 316L, but has the added advantage of having been melted in a vacuum giving it a virtually flawless finish and reduces the chance of minor alloy inclusions, which can irritate the wearer.
Sterling silver is dearer than 316L surgical steel but it offers a high shine finish compared to Surgical Steel and lasts a lifetime. Silver will not tarnish or flake like plated metals and comes back to brand new with a polish. It is a great alternative for people who suffer metal allergies and the perfect choice for women who love quality belly jewellery. Sterling silver is recommended for well-established belly piercings as it can oxidize when it comes in contact with body fluids during the healing process.
Gold is soft and can have imperfections that can breed bacteria. Higher grades of gold are considered better because they contain less nickel, we recommend you seek out 14K gold belly rings. Solid gold is only recommended for well-healed piercings and for those that have a history of being able to wear gold without irritation.
Gold plated is not suitable for piercings that are still healing nor for belly piercings that are particularly sensitive. Gold plated belly rings should only be worn in the navel for special occasions and short periods of time rather then as an everyday navel ring.
Titanium is the fourth most abundant structural metal on earth. The nickel content is less than 0.05% by mass making it ideal for those sensitive to nickel. Titanium is also bio-compatible and is totally resistant to body fluids. The light refracting off the oxidised surface allows an incredible range of colours and it is extremely lightweight, scratch-resistant, highly-polished and very tough (three times stronger than steel).
We recommend that you AVOID storing your jewellery in anything made of oak or cardboard as these are often treated with a sulfur which may release fumes and cause your jewellery to tarnish or age. We also recommend that you avoid storing your jewellery in the bathroom or anywhere that has high levels of moisture or humidity in the air. Plastic and designated jewellery boxes work best. Store them in a dry cool area that is away from direct sunlight. TIP: Tackle boxes are fantastic for storing your belly rings!
Do you know we offer a LIFETIME guarantee on ALL of our TummyToys® clasps. That's how confident we are that you will be satisfied with your purchase when you shop with us. Check out our testimonials here and see what our customers are saying about us.
“A super special thanks for sending me the pink belly bar! It arrived yesterday and it is absolutely stunning! I have no words! That colour of pink and gold is my absolute favourite colour of gold ever! I wish all solid rose gold could be that pink & gorgeous! It is hands down the most stunning belly ring that I have ever seen. However, since I purchased my 1st (but definitely not my last) Tummy Toy, I love them so so much I don't want to and wont ever, wear any other style of belly bar! They are my hands down favorite and hands down the best belly piercings around anywhere! Thank you for your very wise words regarding my daughters piercing, I sincerely appreciated it very much. I gave her the romance bar because she loves it so much & before that I had given her the cupid bar & neither bar has affected her in any way at all which is brilliant! It also says so much for your integrity as a seller as you absolutely only sell high quality belly bars & rings! Thank you Helene! I very much look forward to purchasing from you again really soon! Take care Helene, thank you so much for everything, it has been a true pleasure to have been able to message with you like this. With kindest thanks & best regards, Nadia“
“My TummyToy sterling silver sleeper belly ring was the purchase I ever made online. I was working at McDonalds and I was 15 and I thought your products were so cool and different I decided to make the (then) very extreme decision to actually purchase something from the internet! Haha! That was nearly 8 years ago now and I just took it out earlier today to give it a polish and realised how long it had been. I still love my belly ring dearly and have not taken it out other than for a clean. I just wanted to say that I still think your products are so cool and the quality is outstanding. Thank you for giving me my first and favourite internet purchase ever.“
“Just received my beautiful silver tummy toys huggy and swinger. I Love them, so different, so comfy and I will be back for more. Never seem anything like this here in the UK so it's causing quite a few comments. Thank you so much. “
“I had been having a lot of trouble with infections since I had my belly pierced eight months ago. I thought this may be due to the titanium in the cheaper style rings so purchased this silver one in the hope it would help. I'm pleased to report it has worked, so I will now be looking at getting the silver rings with gem stones.“
“I picked up my belly ring from the post office yesterday. It is all safe and sound and fits really well. It looks beautiful!! Thank you so much for all your help with this - you've really gone above and beyond!“
“I just recently found your website & I love it!!! I bought a sterling silver belly ring (I have an allergy to nickel & had a hard time finding these type of rings). I received my belly ring today & LOVE it!! It is so pretty & easy to put in!!! I just bought a charm to go with it & I can't wait for it to come in.“
“Love it! At first i wasn't sure if I liked it as its so different to my other belly bars I've bought in the past but I've definitely grown to love the simplicity of it! I think I'd like to buy a rose gold one now :p“
“Wow this is what I call to be on time, my package have arrived 2 days after I made the order, have to say that I am very impressed with my new belly rings, they look even better than in the web page, thanks so much for the gift, I loved it!“
“Loving my shopping experience. Thank you for having such a wonderful website. I have looked all over at a variety of other sites and stores, and you not only have a fantastic selection of all the metals, but great prices.“
“Just letting you know the present arrived yesterday for my partner’s birthday that I ordered earlier this week. She was extremely impressed and overwhelmed with the surprise. She cannot wait till we see each other in January to thank me for it. Again, thank you for the wonderful service and product that you provided.“
“Good morning Helene, The gift went very well and was quiet a surprise for my friends birthday. It finally arrived considering the issue we had with Australia Post, they weren't always too helpful, I have addressed that issue with them already, just awaiting for a reply from them. The service and support that you provided was extremely appreciated and professional, I thank you very much for that. I have liked the products and service from your company, which is obvious by me placing another order for my wonderful partner for her birthday which she will receive by the weekend, fingers cross. I have also been trying to do this while overseas with work, so the time difference is difficult. Thank you for everything and keep up the awesome work and customer service.“
“I got my navel pierced for my birthday last year and, as I am sure many of you know, these things heal relatively slowly, with fits and starts of irritation. I was using the original piercing jewelry (stainless steel barbell) but, of course, it would get caught on something every now and then and there would be another bout of irritation, Plus, stainless just isn't the same as gold or silver for me. I found Tummy Toys online and found the sleeper belly ring - silver and meant for comfort - and figured that I had to try it. Well, I order it and some other jewelry. I live in the U.S. and I was given a deliver by date of 10/9. The jewelry arrived about September 5th, which was great. But the silver sleeper belly ring is really the star. It is comfortable and doesn't get caught on clothing. The metal does not irritate my piercing. I am so happy! If you have trouble with irritating metal or jewelry that gets caught on clothing, Tummy Toys is a must buy!“
“Received my belly ring today and it's absolutely stunning on. I wasn't expecting the shipping to be so fast. I like the free belly ring too. Keep up the great job TummyToys, please be expecting me to come back and order some more soon :)“
