May 16, 2017

Which Ear Wire Is For You?

Since I offer many different ear wire styles for most of my earrings, I often get questions from customers about which type of ear wires they should select when purchasing.

Here is the low-down on the different types of ear wires available and their advantages/disadvantages.

Hook Earwire

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Advantages

By far, this is the most popular ear wire used for earrings. The variety of wire weights used to create hook ear wires allows for extremely lightweight designs, which many people want and need. So if you are looking for the most lightweight option, hook is the best choice.
Since hook ear wires are so popular, they are more readily available in different metal types such as plated, sterling silver, gold-filled, copper, etc. They are also the least expensive option.

Disadvantages

The hook ear wire is open in the back, so without a rubber ear stop (which I provide for all my hook ear wire earrings), they can easily fall off while wearing them.

Lever back

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Advantages

Lever back ear wires provide sturdy construction and additional security. Since they are closed in the back, you won’t have the issue of losing your earrings.

Disadvantages

The small loop can be difficult to work with and may be too small to fit the drops which is why it’s not offered on all my earrings.
Slightly heavier and more expensive than hook ear wires.

Kidney

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Advantages

There are many different lengths to choose from with kidney ear wires. I use long, 1 1/2″ ear wires for customers who like a very long earring. This is a unique, longer ear wire, so it gives a more dramatic look.
Just like the lever back ear wires, there is the added security of a closed loop so your earrings won’t easily fall out.

Disadvantages