Earrings for non-pierced ears: the universal clip

So many people don't wear earrings for one very simple reason: they don't have pierced ears. Or they did and the holes closed up. Or the holes are so stretched that nothing stays put any more. And almost all the pretty jewellery out there comes with a hook.

The usual alternatives are pretty poor: two or three clip-on designs, hardly ever the ones you actually like.

What the universal clip is

It's a small stainless steel piece, costing 12 €, that acts as a go-between. It grips your earlobe with gentle pressure (without piercing anything) and has a small ring at the bottom where you hook on whichever earring you like.

In other words: you're not buying a clip-on earring. You're turning the earring you love into a clip-on. Any one in the shop.

How to put it on

Hook your earring onto the clip's ring. Open the clip, place your earlobe inside and close it. That's it.

If it squeezes too much, open it a touch with your fingers. If it wobbles, close it a touch. It adapts to your ear, not the other way round.

Does it hurt?

It shouldn't. And when it does, it's almost always because of the weight of the earring, not the clip.

A heavy piece forces the clasp to squeeze harder so it doesn't fall, and after two hours you feel it. That's why it matters that the earring is lightweight: all of ours weigh between 3 and 9 grams, so the clip doesn't have to work hard and your earlobe barely notices. It's the same reason they last a whole wedding.

Clip-ons from thirty years ago had a bad reputation, and rightly so: they pinched too much. Today's spread the pressure instead of concentrating it on one point.

Does it fall off?

With a lightweight earring, no. The classic mistake is insisting on hanging a big, heavy piece from it: then yes, it ends up on the floor.

A trick that works: if you feel it wobbling, place the clip a little further in on the lobe, towards the centre of your ear. It holds much better there than on the edge.

Who it's for

For anyone who never had their ears pierced. For anyone who let the holes close. For anyone allergic to the metal in earring posts. For anyone whose piercing has stretched after years of heavy earrings. For girls and teenagers who don't wear earrings yet. And for anyone who wants to try before getting pierced.

Also for anyone with one piercing who wants to wear two different earrings.

For weddings, communions and events

This is where it really shows. A wedding lasts ten or twelve hours, and the wrong fastening becomes what you remember about the day. With a lightweight piece you forget you're wearing it, which is exactly the point.

Everything is handmade in Spain, piece by piece. Tracked shipping from our workshop in Córdoba.

See the universal clip · See the earrings that already come with it