Studio info, Safety, Sterility + Single-Use
A story of firsts
Monarch Fine Jewelry + Professional Piercing is the very first studio in Tennessee whose sole focus is on piercing and jewelry, as opposed to many other businesses whose attentions are scattered across multiple ventures like tattooing as well as their piercing.
We are also the first studio in the state to perform completely “tool-free” piercing. This means that we do not use clamps or piercing guns* for any piercing, as they often add excessive pain and unnecessary risk to the experience. Any implements or instruments we may use — such as ring openers and closers and needles — are used on you alone, then are immediately disposed of (more on that further down!).
*As a note, piercing guns are potentially very dangerous and should never be used for any piercing, including ear lobes!
We use a sterile piercing procedure, implementing a cassette autoclave to sterilize your jewelry and tools while you wait. In order to ensure our autoclaves are achieving proper sterilization, we spore test them weekly through an independent laboratory. In addition, we are educated in aseptic technique to provide the safest possible piercing for you.
In an effort to ensure there are as few potential contaminants in the studio at all, our techniques are also sometimes called a “fully-disposable” or “single-use” in the entire studio; all jewelry and piercing implements are brand new when we sterilize and use them, then disposed of immediately after they're used for your piercing (or we send it home with you if appropriate!). In short, other studios are reusing implements on multiple people, and we simply do not — and we were the first studio in Tennessee to operate as fully-disposable/single-use.
Additionally, our facility and piercers have successfully completed a rigorous application process to allow us to maintain membership with the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). We exceed their strict environmental criteria in order to offer the highest level of quality and service. Our piercers and staff are the first and only members of the APP within 100 miles, which can be always be verified at https://safepiercing.org/.
Why the Name Monarch?
The double meaning of monarch - referring both to royalty and to the butterfly - went into the naming of the studio.
Monarch butterflies are known for their ability to travel thousands of miles in their lives. We believe that, often, happiness and founding one’s self requires a journey (even if not a literal one) to be realized in full. Butterflies in general undergo a few transformations in their lives, and as such, are often used as metaphors for introspection, growth, and self-improvement. We find ourselves in the very privileged and humbling position of being part of your journey and helping you transform like caterpillars become beautiful creatures of flight.
Additionally, we at Monarch strongly believe in body autonomy and empowerment. We are all “royalty” in our own ways; even if individuals, governments, or our cultural groups at times work against it, we should — and can — rule our own bodies. Exercising our reign over ourselves shows that we hold ourselves in high esteem, and others should as well.
We Value Y o u
Monarch is devoted to diversity, inclusion, and equity. No matter your budget, race, gender, sexuality, gender, age, or experience, we want to make our studio the safest and most comfortable place for your piercing.
Our studio is woman-owned, is LGBTQ- and intersex- safe, and aims to be as universally accessible as possible to those with disabilities.