Alloy vs steel vs titanium: what you're actually buying

Zinc alloy is why fashion jewellery can cost ₹599. It takes detail beautifully — skulls, thorns, bat wings — but the plating wears and bare alloy can irritate sensitive skin. Fine for statement pieces worn for nights out, not for 24/7 wear.

316L stainless steel is the workhorse: waterproof, tarnish-free, hypoallergenic, and cheap enough to price fairly. It can't hold razor-fine engraving like alloy, but for rings, chains and cuffs it's the honest default.

Titanium sits above both — lighter than steel, stronger, and the most biocompatible metal you can wear. That's why our Retro Cross is titanium: a daily-wear anchor deserves the best substrate.

Read listings by material first, design second. A beautiful piece in the wrong metal for your skin and habits is money wasted; an honest metal in a design you love gets worn for years.