Earrings are the category clients underspec. They come in for a ring, end up ordering a ring, and leave without thinking about the earrings in their ears, which are 20-year-old studs from a mall store. The ear is the easiest place to add bespoke jewellery because the investment is lower, the risk is lower, and the daily reward is the same. The catch is that every earring silhouette has its own engineering rules.
Studs: the quiet commission
Studs are a single stone on a post, with a friction back or a screw back. They are the lowest-cost bespoke earring, and the one most clients start with. A pair of 4 mm stud earrings in a 14k basket setting lands around $280-450 depending on the stones. The engineering point that matters is the post: 0.8 mm diameter is standard for sterling and 14k, and we upgrade to 1.0 mm for heavier stones or for clients who have had studs go loose in the past. Screw backs add $40 a pair and reduce loss. We cover the building-block wardrobe in studs to drops: building an earring wardrobe.
Hoops: proportion is everything
Hoops are measured by diameter and tube thickness. A 25 mm hoop in 2 mm tube reads delicate; the same diameter in 3.5 mm tube reads bold. The ear wire for a hoop is a tube post with a hinge, and the hinge is the part that fails first. We use a square-wire hinge rather than a round one because it holds tension longer. Hoops over 30 mm diameter need a heavier post, which means a slightly stretched piercing; we flag that at the fitting. We cover hoop and drop settings in hoops and drops: custom settings.
Drops and jackets: the variable-length commission
A drop earring hangs below the stud or post. The length is measured from the piercing hole to the bottom of the drop, and it is the variable clients get wrong most often. A 25 mm drop sits just below the earlobe; a 50 mm drop brushes the jaw. We recommend holding a ruler to the ear in the mirror before CAD, because the photo of a drop earring and the wear of it are two different things. Jackets are a stud plus a removable frame that sits behind the lobe; they let one stud become two looks. We cover gemstone earring commissions in custom gemstone earrings.
Climbers: the shape-shifter
Climbers run upward along the curve of the ear, rather than hanging from the lobe. They are usually a single strip of graduated stones or metal, fitted to the ear's slope. The engineering is specific: the climber has to follow the actual angle of the client's ear, which means we take a mould of the ear at the sitting. A climber built flat will not sit flat. They also need a post at the lobe and a small clip or pad at the upper end to stop the strip from tipping. We budget 10-15% extra for the ear mould step, and we show a wax fit on the ear before the final cast.
Weight and comfort limits
As a rule of thumb, a single earring over 5 g starts to pull on a standard lobe piercing. Over 8 g, we recommend either a heavier post or a clip-on back support. Long drops in gold over 6 g are beautiful but tiring by dinner; we tell clients this in the fitting room, not after delivery. The metal choice matters here: 18k gold is denser than 14k, so the same design weighs more. Platinum earrings are roughly twice the weight of the same design in 14k; we cover that in platinum weight and feel.
We also align earring disclosure with the FTC Jewelry Guides on karat marking and stone treatment, and we note that nickel-containing posts are the most common cause of piercing reactions; our standard posts are nickel-free, consistent with the EU Nickel Directive limits.
FAQ
What size studs should I start with?
4-5 mm stones are the everyday sweet spot. 3 mm reads delicate, 6 mm and up reads formal. We size to the face: a smaller stud on a smaller jawline, a larger stud on a broader one.
Are climbers comfortable for all-day wear?
Yes, once they are fitted to the ear. The key is the ear mould at the sitting; a flat-cut climber will tip. Budget the extra mould step and you forget you are wearing them.
Can I turn existing studs into drops?
Often. We add a small jump ring to the stud basket and hang a removable drop, so the same stud works alone or with the drop. It is one of the most common upgrades we do on old earrings.
What is the heaviest earring I can wear comfortably?
About 5 g per earring on a standard piercing. Beyond that, we add a clip support or switch to a lighter alloy. We weigh every commission before delivery and tell you the number.
Want earrings that match the ring on your hand? Book a sitting and bring the ring. We will design a stud, drop or climber in the same metal and stone palette, and quote both pieces together. We also do ear moulds for climbers on the spot. Trade retail partners: our earring weight and post spec sheet gives your staff the comfort thresholds we use, so no one sells a 10 g drop to a client with a standard lobe.
