CategoriesJewelry and Fashion Object Types
Earrings
Ornaments worn at the ear, from ancient gold hoops and pendants to Georgian drops, Art Deco chandeliers and contemporary studio designs.
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Earrings appear among the gold ornaments of Sumerian burials at Ur, and ancient Greek goldsmiths decorated pendants with tiny granules of gold. In India the bell-shaped jhumka has been worn for centuries. In 18th-century Europe, girandole earrings hung three pear-shaped drops from a single bow, glittering in candlelight. Screw fittings in the early 20th century and clip-ons from the 1930s made earrings available to people without pierced ears, and short bobbed hair in the 1920s showed off long Art Deco pendants.
Contemporary makers range from houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels to studio jewellers like Mary Lee Hu, who weaves wire, and Atelier Zobel, known for textured, layered metals. Look at the fitting, the weight each ear must carry and whether a pair truly matches.