Haight Piercing Studio Using Only Its Own Gold: Rose Gold's

Rose Gold's Tattoo & Piercing, at 1157 Masonic Avenue in Haight-Ashbury, will not pierce you with jewelry you bring in. Every new hole gets a piece from its own cases, handmade by artisan jewelers in solid 14k or 18k gold with natural stones. The studio, a member of the Association of Professional Piercers, takes bookings every day from 11 am to 6 pm on its Square booking page, and asks every client for government-issued photo ID.

The studio says it was founded in 2003 under a different name, and a 2014 Daily Meal roundup of Bay Area piercing shops noted that clients looking for Soul Patch would find it here under the new name. Today it calls itself proudly woman-owned and places itself in the heart of the historic Haight-Ashbury district. Tattoos are part of the business, but the website and booking menu lead with piercing and body jewelry, which is what most visitors come for.

What sets the shop apart is its jewelry stock. Rose Gold's says it carries one of the largest collections of solid gold, platinum and genuine diamond body jewelry, and its piercer Perry designs pieces made for the studio by Body Vision Los Angeles. Those RGSF x BVLA lines, the Deco and Nouveau collections, are sold only here. The Deco pieces draw on Art Deco fans, pleats and kite shapes, set with emeralds, sapphires, lapis and diamonds.

Rose Gold's does not post its piercing service fees online, but it does list jewelry prices, and those set the budget. The Foxxhall Emerald, a millgrain-edged infinity, is $295. Victoire, a 14k yellow gold piece, is $325, and the Foxxhall Sapphire & Diamond is $345. The Bucatelli Emerald starts at $340, and the De Lempicka starts at $235. At the top, the Erte Blue Sapphire is $2,095. Many listings can be ordered with a threaded labret post backing added at checkout.

This is not the place for a cheap lobe. If price matters more than gemstones, Cold Steel America, a short walk away on Haight Street, posts lower service fees. Come to Rose Gold's when you want a specific gold or diamond piece and a piercer who will style it with the rest of your ear.

The booking page breaks services down by time, and choosing the right slot matters. One or two new ear piercings take a 45-minute appointment that includes 10 to 15 minutes of jewelry shopping and styling. For three or four new ear piercings, book the one-hour Ear Styling session, which also covers outfitting holes you already have. Nostril, septum, navel, eyebrow, lip, tongue, bridge and nipple piercings each have their own listing, mostly 45 minutes, all for clients 18 and over.

If you are unsure what your anatomy allows, a 15-minute Piercing Consultation lets you meet a piercer first, though the studio warns there may not be time to pierce during it. Jewelry Styling, with no piercing, is a 30-minute session for three or more healed holes and comes with a $300 minimum spend. For a quick change in one or two holes, book the 15-minute check-up, install or removal slot instead.

The Group Piercing Party is for adults only, runs an hour or more and has strict terms. You must give 48 hours' notice if someone drops out, and anyone who cancels or does not show is charged a cancellation fee to the card on file, rising with the size of the group. Genital piercings are not part of it. Those start with a separate 30-minute consultation, and the piercing itself is usually scheduled for another day.

Minors are pierced case by case at the piercer's discretion. Earlobes are available from age 7, ear cartilage, septum and nostril from 14, and navel from 16. A parent or legal guardian must stay in the piercing room, and both need current photo ID, with a school ID accepted for the child. If the parent and child have different last names, bring a birth certificate. Guardians need their court-issued documents. The studio says it makes no exceptions.

The studio also offers what it calls San Francisco's only concierge piercing service, for clients who want a custom appointment at home or another space. A piercer brings the collections you want to see, and the service can be booked by one person or a group. It suits a bridal party or a small celebration better than a crowded weekend at the counter.

The shop doubles as a small gallery. Its events page has featured new pastel and ink works on paper by San Francisco artist Courtney Sparks, shown after a long break from exhibiting, and a collaboration with Oromma Jewelry sits alongside the BVLA collections. For healing, the studio posts downloadable care sheets on its aftercare page, with separate instructions for general, oral and genital piercings. Save the right one to your phone before you leave, since the advice for a tongue differs from a helix. A tattoo aftercare sheet sits on the same page for clients who book ink as well.

Masonic Avenue meets Haight Street a few steps from the studio, so the walk starts on the district's busiest strip of vintage clothing stores and record shops. Head east and uphill to Buena Vista Park, the city's oldest official park, for a steep wooded climb with views over the rooftops. Or walk north on Masonic to the Panhandle, the long, tree-lined strip that leads west into Golden Gate Park.

Rose Gold's Tattoo & Piercing is at 1157 Masonic Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117, in Haight-Ashbury. Its Square booking page lists hours of 11 am to 6 pm, Monday through Sunday. Book online and pick a piercer, currently Andrea or Perry. Photo ID is required for every piercing, and only jewelry bought at Rose Gold's is used. Muni's 43 Masonic stops nearby, and the 7 Haight-Noriega runs a block away on Haight Street.