Clip-on earrings, ear cuffs and climbers

How a clip and a cuff each hold on

A clip-on works with a small hinged pad that presses the front and the back of the lobe together. You feel it close. Tighten it too far and it pinches, so ease it open a little with your fingers before the first wear. The cuff holds differently. It slides onto the outer edge of the ear, higher up on the cartilage, and stays by simple tension. Ours sit in silver and in gold.

A climber needs a pierced lobe

Worth saying plainly, because the shape confuses people. A climber has a post that goes through a pierced lobe, then the body of the earring runs upward along the ear instead of hanging below it. We keep three, a blue sapphire wing, an olive leaf, and a plain silver pair. If your ears are not pierced, the clips and the cuffs are your two options here.

Stones and shapes

The clip-ons carry moissanite, cut small so the weight stays low on the lobe, and one pair takes the infinity shape. Weight counts for more on a clip than anywhere else in the shop. A heavy clip drags and starts to ache, so we keep these light on purpose. The wing climber uses blue sapphire with cubic zirconia, and the olive leaf follows the curve of the ear in plain silver.

Getting through a whole day

Give your lobes a rest. Take a clip-on off for ten minutes at lunch and put it back, the way people did before piercings were common, and the afternoon goes much better. Cuffs are easier since they never squeeze the lobe at all. Store both dry and away from perfume, and the silver keeps its shine.