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The pleasure of wearing a pair of gorgeous earrings extends beyond the flattery and the confidence they impart. When choosing a pair, you might often fail to pay attention to the little details of the jewelry pieces, like the closures, the hooks, etc. all of which can influence the overall impression of the piece.
Here are a few general styles and components of earrings to help you better understand these essential pieces of jewelry: -
Essentially, there are three primary types of earrings:
- Danglers
Dangle earrings, or danglers, are basically studs with attachments. Typically, these involve a jump ring - an additional piece of metal extending downward - that is fastened to the post or closure. The jump ring is also connected to the basket carrying the gemstone.
- Drop earrings
Similar to danglers, drop earrings also hang from a stud, but usually tend to be longer and slimmer. Depending on the design, drop earrings consist of two decorative pieces called the upper and lower dangle. The upper dangle hangs from the stud which is attached to the lower dangle with a jump ring.
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Hoops
Hoops, also called clickers, are earrings that are secured by a hinge instead of a clasp. Such earrings work on a hinge closure which requires you to bend the hinge of the earring and snap the bar on one side into the slot on the other. The face of this earring is a metal wire molded into a hoop, usually with tiny gemstones or diamonds embedded.
Let’s discuss a few parts that make up a typical earring:-
Clasps
A clasp, also known as a jewelry fastener, makes it simple and damage-free to put on and take off earrings. While certain fasteners are crucial to the design, others are designed to be inconspicuous. Some of the commonly used clasps include:
- Posts & Back
These serve as fasteners for studs which are lighter, as compared to other earrings. A stud is a type of earring that features a single gemstone or other ornament mounted on a post that passes through the earlobe and is secured by a back, on the other side.
There are different types of backings including fiction/push, screw, butterfly, etc. Earrings that are designed with posts and backs are also popularly called “pushbacks”.
- Latch back or hoop wire
Just like pushbacks, latch back earrings also require the post (a rounded or molded metal wire, in this case) to be inserted through the earlobe until you hear a click, which indicates that the earring is securely fastened. The mechanism in hoop earrings frequently incorporates a hinged pin as its post.
- Leverback
Leverback earrings are hanging, danglers or drop earrings that use this style as their backing. It has a wire that is looped through the ear with a spring-loaded lever attached. The hinge holds the lever together. The Leverback enables the earring to dangle lower, so they can be seen and admired more.
Basket and prongs
Earrings made with gemstones are designed with baskets and prongs. The part containing the gem is known as a basket, and it typically has four prongs to hold the stone in place. The tips of the prongs might vary in shapes to suit the overall look of the jewelry. Round, square, or pointed tips are most frequently noticed on prongs.
Earring tops
In a basic sense, earring tops are the faces of the jewelry piece. They consist of the centerstone and other decorative pieces which are the visible elements of the earring. Earring tops differ according to the design and types of earrings.
At Gem Bleu, we have the finest earrings, designed with excellence and passion by the world’s most talented artisans, in-house. They feature a multitude of designs with a varied range of exquisite gemstones. Each of our jewelry pieces are exceptional and are vetted thoroughly for quality and style. Browse through our website to shop from our wide earring collection and follow us on social media for updates and offers.
