Earring design advice

[misskittycat]

Hello lovely pricescopers!

I am in the process of having some earrings designed and made for me, but there is a design element I just can't get right in my head. They are a modern day interpretation of a Victorian cluster earring. I am trying to decide whether the whole earring should be made as one piece (i.e. the cluster off the hook) or if it should be articulated (i.e. the hook should be attached to the cluster via loops).

I have attached two examples to explain what I mean.

One piece earrings:


Articulated earrings (but mine will hang off a hook rather than a stud):


Any suggestions about what might work better or look nicer?

 

[FrekeChild]

It depends on what you want, I think. The second pair affords some movement, while the first does not. I'd probably go for the second pair, because for me, movement=sparkle.

Are they antique cuts? We need more details!

 

[VRBeauty]

Personally I like the extra movement a dangle brings, so I'd vote for your second option. But the two styles are very different even though they're very similar. I guess the question is really what is it you want from these earrings?

ETA Missy recently bought (and then returned, I think) earrings very similar to the first pair you posted. It might be interesting to get her perspective...

 

[misskittycat]

I saw Missy's thread - I didn't keep up with the end result as I was away at the time but I will have to go and have a look.

Freke, they actually involve mabe pearls and coloured gems, not antique cuts!! So it's very much a modern look, but the concept is the same as the Victorian Cluster. I hear you on the sparkle. I could easily go either way - the one piece would be easier (and therefore cheaper) to make, the two piece would be a bit more interesting with the movement...

 

[Missy]

Hi misskittycat, my vote is for the articulation. In fact I passed on some lovely earrings because they did not have that movement. That is something I like in my dangle earrings for the very reasons the ladies posted above. It adds interest, sparkle and life to the earring.

I prefer a short dangle (inch or less) if I am going to make them more of an everyday earring so they don't get in the way of my hair and also so they don't distract me during the day if you kwim. I can still feel them especially if I move my head just a bit so I know they are there but they aren't getting in the way. As opposed to evening/dressy earrings where a longer dangle is OK.

Looking forward to see the earrings you design. They sound beautiful.

 

[zoebartlett]

I also like movement, so I'd go with your second option. I think it would be more comfortable.

 

[dk168]

My preference would be for articulation providing the cluster part of the earring hangs freely from the earlobe.

Otherwise, I would have the earrings made as studs with just the cluster part of the earring myself, with the pole in the middle of the cluster, as this would sit nicely in the middle of my big 19mm+ earlobe.

Personal preferences, of course.

DK

 

[misskittycat]

Thanks everyone! I think I will go for the articulation.

DK, that would be fine, but the cluster part of the earring will likely measure more than 19mm. The mabe pearl in the centre is 9mm alone! that's why I am doing them as drops.