A gift of jewelry is always appreciated as a sign of love and affection. It’s a gift that the receiver can wear for years, and fine jewelry and gemstones have intrinsic value as well as beauty. One of the best jewelry gift options to give is a pair of earrings. You don’t have to worry about finding out a ring size or necklace length, and they are still personal. The variety of earring styles available is virtually unlimited, particularly if you shop at an online giant like SuperJeweler, where you’ll find everything from sterling silver earrings to diamonds. Whether you’re shopping for a birthday gift, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, anniversary, or “just because” gift, the most challenging choice may be what kind of earrings you want to buy.
Stud Earrings
Simple, classic, and timeless. Stud earrings work with anything from shorts and tees to your favorite cocktail dress. Busy moms can wear studs without having to worry about little hands tugging on them, and they won’t get caught in your hair. These are a practical style that still has lots of fashionable cache.
Diamond stud earrings are the number one jewelry gift given to women because they are both elegant and clean. They add sparkle and grace without being too dressy, and they never go out of style. They can be worn every day and become the signature earring style for many women. Brilliant or round cut diamonds are the most popular style, but you can also get diamond studs in princess cuts, cushion cuts, and styles framed in a halo of smaller stones.
Gold stud earrings are less expensive than gemstone studs while still providing a timeless look. Available in white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold, stud earrings are usually round balls or simple geometric shapes such as cubes or diamonds. However, there are also numerous other popular stud earrings, including heart shapes and whimsical options such as enameled fruits or animals. One of the most enduring designs is a love knot, which looks like a simple, three-sided knot of gold. These sometimes feature two-tone gold such as white and yellow gold or textures to enhance the earring’s ribbon-like look.
If you want to give a special young girl or tween her first gift of fine jewelry, gold studs are an excellent choice. They are easy to wear and care for, and they will continue to be appropriate no matter how old she is. Women with multiple ear piercings enjoy gold studs because they can be left in all the time, going with virtually every other pair of earrings they own.
Hoop Earrings
There is nothing as versatile as a pair of hoop earrings. Styles range from classic, 14K hoops to oversized, diamond-cut styles. If you want something classic and understated to wear as part of a polished, professional look, consider yellow gold or white gold in a simple style. These can be either delicately etched for added interest or sleek and contemporary. The key is to keep the size modest and the width moderate for everyday wear.
If bling is your thing and you’re looking for hoops that make a statement, look for oversized earrings that have more dazzle. Pavé diamonds, gemstones, lots of diamond-cut embellishments, and mixed metals can all add drama. The larger the hoops, the more noticeable and unforgettable the look. For women who wear more than one pair of earrings at a time, hoops are incredibly versatile because you can wear two or more pairs in graduated sizes for a coordinated look.
Drop Earrings
One of the most attractive earring styles is the drop earring. They elongate the neck and add sparkle, framing the face in color and light. You can choose from drop earrings with the drop hanging from a post, lever styles, or French wires. What makes it a drop is some type of pendant or gemstone hanging below the earlobe. These can be delicate crystals, long strands of pearls or gems, or a graduated stack of diamonds.
The most popular drop earrings at retailers like SuperJeweler are diamond drop earrings. Diamonds are the most sought-after stone for earrings because they add sparkle and glamour to any outfit and go well with any color. They also show up beautifully against all skin tones and hair colors, reflecting light onto the face.
Popular styles for diamond drop earrings include teardrops, which resemble a drop of water set with diamonds, and dangling shapes such as hearts. There are dozens of diamond drops featuring graduated stones that sway from subtle, gold chains or are mounted in bars. Dramatic, multi-row drop earrings are a smart option if you’re looking for something unusual.
Halo Earrings
The halo style is best known for halo engagement rings – rings featuring a central diamond or gemstone surrounded by smaller diamonds. Halo earrings have more recently gained popularity for combining a center stone’s beauty with the added shimmer of surrounding stones. Halo earrings can feature a central diamond or a gemstone such as morganite, sapphire, or almost any other precious gem.
There are several versions of the halo style, including channel set halo diamonds and individually mounted stones. Some are styled to resemble the petals of a flower ringing a diamond or gemstone center; others may feature two or more rings of halo stones. It’s up to you to decide how much bling you want with halo earrings.
Gemstone Earrings
If you prefer a bit of color, gemstone earrings are the way to go. These are a fantastic choice for special occasions such as a birthday (birthstone earrings are perfect!) or a special anniversary. For a fifth anniversary, sapphire earrings are the traditional choice, with rubies for 15 years and emeralds for 20 years. You’ll find gemstone earrings in every style imaginable, from simple studs to elaborate drop earrings. What kind you choose depends mainly on the effect you want and if you wish to include accent stones such as diamonds. Gemstone drop earrings with halos of diamonds around the center stone frame the central stones in light for added dazzle.
Moissanite Earrings
Dazzling, shimmering moissanite earrings are all the rage these days. They are less expensive than diamonds but have amazing fire, twinkling and breaking light into rainbows of color. Moissanites are easily mistaken for diamonds by all but the most expert jewelers, but they cost about 75% less per carat, giving you far more size options at an affordable price.
You’ll find these popular gemstones set in every kind of earring style, usually in 14K gold. The primary difference between moissanite and diamonds (aside from the price tag) is that moissanite has a bit more fire, so they sparkle with more different colors of light. All moissanite stones used in jewelry are of excellent quality, with very few flaws or blemishes.
To learn more about the many styles of earrings, visit SuperJeweler, an online retailer of fine jewelry featuring gold, silver, diamonds, and gemstones from around the world. You’re sure to find the perfect pair of earrings priced to please.
Article by Sonia Urbanski
Manager, SuperJeweler.com