Oh No - Allergic to my RG Love Bracelet!?!?!
- Thread starter kim_mac
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Actually, that is very interesting. I have one side that does that. I am going to bring my Love in for them to check that.
OP, I hope that you find a solution! I would be devastated. Please keep us posted.
a few weeks ago, i started noticing a rash on the inside of my arm where my cartier rose gold love bracelet rubs against my arm. DH said that i must be allergic to the bracelet, and i just brushed off his comment. since i've been wearing it 24/7 for a year now, i couldn't imagine it would be the case.
i went to my dermatologist yesterday, and he confirmed that i'm allergic to an alloy in the bracelet, probably nickel and advised that i stop wearing it
i called my SA at cartier, and she said that cartier's rose gold is only composed of gold and copper. i searched some old threads and found that some people are allergic to copper. i asked her if cartier could plate the inside with rhodium or palladium to act as a barrier. she's doubtful cartier will do this since it's rose gold (not white gold) but she will check.
i'm so sad because i love this bracelet. i've searched the forum for suggestions like painting the inside with clear nail polish or lining it with a band aid.
does anyone have any other suggestions?
OMG I kid you not I have the same exact thing happen to me a few weeks ago with the same exact bracelet!!! I stoped wearing it and the rash went away so I thought it was due to something else so I started wearing my love bracelet again and the rash reappeared and worse this time! I've been wearing it non stop for almost three years now so I was really confused as to why all of a sudden it appeared... I'm sorry to hear it is happening to you as well, I might also go see my dermatologist but I feel she will advise me the same as yours did to just stop wearing it, I'm really sad about this
and to make things worse my DH gifted me the Rolex rose gold Daytona for my bday back in September and I fear it will also give me a rash if I'm allergic to the same alloy that is in it and the love bracelet!One potential solution could be to have an independent jeweler paint the inside edge with rhodium. I haven't heard of people being allergic to it. I guess it depends on how tight you wear the bracelet whether this would show.
The thing that makes me a little suspicious is that the problem only occured after long use, implying that a top layer was worn off and the under-layer has an alloy that is causing the problem. That would surprise me a lot with this brand though!
The thing that makes me a little suspicious is that the problem only occured after long use, implying that a top layer was worn off and the under-layer has an alloy that is causing the problem. That would surprise me a lot with this brand though!
How about having the inside coated with Ghost Armor? It's clear and won't scratch. They do it in most malls. It mostly for cell phones so they won't get scratched. I doubt you'd even notice it was on there.
No matter what the brand, all gold and silver are mixed with an alloy. They would be too soft otherwise. Rose gold has a lot of copper in it.
You are completely right.
From what I've read, in Europe the use of nickel is banned in jewelry alloys because such a large proportion of the population is allergic to it. Something like 12% sticks in my head. I was just thinking that, since it's Cartier, the creme-de-la-creme, the bracelet should be solid whatever, all the way through. Ie, the problem shouldn't be emerging after long wear. Maybe Cartier uses a thin lacquer finish? I've never heard of Ghost Armor, I need to research that.
my Cartier SA got back to me and they can't put rhodium just on the inside. they can only do the entire bracelet (leaving me with a white gold bracelet) UGH! I am so sorry to hear this has happened to you Sprinkles&Bling! I don't think the watch will bother you since you can take it off everyday.
Cartier confirmed that it's 75% gold and 25% copper so I'm either allergic to gold or copper! Or it's some fluke and my body being weird temporarily. so, i'll let the rash fully heal up and then give the bracelet a good cleaning. i'll wear it for a couple of months and take breaks from it and see how it goes. If there's a will, there's a way. i'll try to make it works somehow. clear nail polish, ghost armor, scotch tape, whatever! ahhhhhhh!!!!!!! so frustrating!
or maybe i get the pave version that has a hinge so it can be taken off every night...just kidding, at 35K, i'd rather have so many other things...
Cartier confirmed that it's 75% gold and 25% copper so I'm either allergic to gold or copper! Or it's some fluke and my body being weird temporarily. so, i'll let the rash fully heal up and then give the bracelet a good cleaning. i'll wear it for a couple of months and take breaks from it and see how it goes. If there's a will, there's a way. i'll try to make it works somehow. clear nail polish, ghost armor, scotch tape, whatever! ahhhhhhh!!!!!!! so frustrating!
or maybe i get the pave version that has a hinge so it can be taken off every night...just kidding, at 35K, i'd rather have so many other things...
I am so sorry to hear this, I would suggest you go and make tests to determine exactly what you are allergic to, I recently have developed a rash around my eyes and am right now in the process of testing, perhaps nail polish, we'll see, but my point is it would be easier to know exactly the cause before taking any measures of selling or replacing the bracelet. Good luck!
Hi kim_mac
I'm so sorry to hear about this... I also think that it is strange that you suddenly developed the rash after wearing it 24/7 for so long, it just seems like there maybe some other culprit behind the rash other then the RG love itself. I'm wondering if maybe some water or lotion was causing moisture to get trapped under the love bracelet and irritating the skin underneath. Or possibly a buildup of some some kind on the inside of the bracelet is causing the rash. I would also suggest giving it a good cleaning on the inside and letting the rash heal first as you mentioned and then trying again.
I would keep trying to figure out the exact culprit before altering your Love bracelet. As a very last resort though...does the RG have something in the composition that isn't in the YG? if it turns out you definitely suddenly became allergic to something in the RG, you could always sell it and buy the YG.
I'm so sorry to hear about this... I also think that it is strange that you suddenly developed the rash after wearing it 24/7 for so long, it just seems like there maybe some other culprit behind the rash other then the RG love itself. I'm wondering if maybe some water or lotion was causing moisture to get trapped under the love bracelet and irritating the skin underneath. Or possibly a buildup of some some kind on the inside of the bracelet is causing the rash. I would also suggest giving it a good cleaning on the inside and letting the rash heal first as you mentioned and then trying again.
I would keep trying to figure out the exact culprit before altering your Love bracelet. As a very last resort though...does the RG have something in the composition that isn't in the YG? if it turns out you definitely suddenly became allergic to something in the RG, you could always sell it and buy the YG.
i have a pair of RC 18K yellow gold hoop earrings - one ear gets so swollen when i wear them, how strange that it is only one ear......i looked online for what to do, it said try neosporin on the earrings.....have yet to try....perhaps if you tried putting the cream on your wrist - i can't imagine this would hurt the love in any way - there is a light spray version available for kids
i would also try as suggested your other wrist just to see what happens
have you worn other gold pieces with success? earrings, necklace...?
what a bummer! i hope you can wear it soon!!
i would also try as suggested your other wrist just to see what happens
have you worn other gold pieces with success? earrings, necklace...?
what a bummer! i hope you can wear it soon!!
Aw, this is such a bummer! Did the SA at Cartier confirm/deny the fact that they coat the bracelet with anything? Also - the fact that it has sharp edges sounds strange (and like it could be irritating your skin, which then makes you more likely to react to whatever you're allergic to). Could you get a jeweler to smooth out the edges for you?
It's pretty weird that it showed up after a year, but a contact dermatitis can develop slowly. For example, each time you get poison oak/ivy rash, it's usually worse than the last time. Maybe it only took this long for you to react to it? I wonder what alloys are in the yellow gold bracelet - that one is very pretty too, and is quite close in color to the RG.. maybe you won't be allergic to the materials in that one?
ETA: or look into the cuff so you're not wearing 24/7?
It's pretty weird that it showed up after a year, but a contact dermatitis can develop slowly. For example, each time you get poison oak/ivy rash, it's usually worse than the last time. Maybe it only took this long for you to react to it? I wonder what alloys are in the yellow gold bracelet - that one is very pretty too, and is quite close in color to the RG.. maybe you won't be allergic to the materials in that one?
ETA: or look into the cuff so you're not wearing 24/7?
Can you swap wrists with your watch. I know its weird but honestly I switched where my watch goes and I adjusted to it quite nicely. I switched it to my right because I didn't want my charm bracelet shaking and banging into things when I wrote.