Two-tone gold earrings in 10K and 14K â hoops and hinged huggies make up most of the range, alongside drops, posts, leverbacks and a handful of tri-color designs. The two-tone effect comes one of two ways: yellow and white gold joined in a single piece, or yellow gold finished with white rhodium over part of the design. Either way the contrast does the work a stone would, so a plain pair reads as dressed up without a gemstone in it.
The practical reason people buy two-tone is that it sits correctly next to whichever metal is already on. A two-tone hoop works with a yellow chain and with a white one. Browse the hoops on their own in two-tone hoop earrings, the drops in two-tone dangle earrings, or the three-metal pieces in tri-color gold earrings. Single-metal pairs are in yellow gold earrings and white gold earrings. To match a set, see two-tone omega pendants and necklaces and chains, or start from all earrings.
More about two-tone gold earrings
What two-tone actually means here
Two different metal colors appear in one pair. On most pieces that is yellow gold worked together with white gold. On others it is yellow gold with a white rhodium finish applied over part of the design â rhodium is a bright white finish, not a second gold, and it is what gives a polished yellow hoop a white edge or a white twist. A smaller group uses three colors rather than two, adding rose, and those are listed as tri-color.
Hoops, and everything else
Hoops dominate: hinged huggies that close on the lobe, twisted and diamond-cut rounds, ovals, doubles that read as two rings at once, criss-cross designs and a filigree Greek key. Beyond hoops there are drops on French wire and shepherd hook, post earrings with push backs, leverbacks that close behind the lobe, and button styles on an omega clip. A few of the omega-clip pairs are non-pierced, which is worth knowing if that is what you are looking for.
Metal, weight and construction
Both 10K and 14K are here and each piece is stamped for its purity. Construction is listed per product as solid, semi-solid or hollow. Hollow hoops are the reason a large hoop can be worn comfortably all day â a solid hoop at the same diameter would be considerably heavier on the lobe. For everyday wear in a bigger size, hollow is usually the right trade; for a small huggie, solid.
Sizes
Hinged huggies sit at the small end, roughly 8 mm to 11 mm across, close to the lobe and easy to sleep in. Mid-size hoops run through the teens and twenties, and the largest polished hoops reach into the forties. Drops are measured by length rather than diameter and the longest run past 50 mm. Each product page lists its own measurements.
Common questions
What does two-tone gold mean?
Two different metal colors in one piece. Usually yellow and white together. The white can be white gold, or it can be a white rhodium finish applied over yellow gold, which gives the same look. Three colors rather than two is called tri-color and usually adds rose.
Is white rhodium the same thing as white gold?
No. White gold is an alloy all the way through. Rhodium is a bright white finish applied to the surface, and it is what most white gold jewelry is finished with anyway. On a two-tone piece it is used to make one part of the design read white against the yellow. The product page states which applies.
Are these solid gold?
They are solid 10K or 14K gold, stamped for purity, with no fill. Construction varies: each product is listed as solid, semi-solid or hollow. Hollow refers to the tube a hoop is formed from, not to the metal being anything other than gold.
Why would I choose hollow over solid?
Weight. A large hollow hoop is comfortable for all-day wear where a solid hoop of the same diameter would pull on the lobe. For small huggies the difference barely registers, so solid is the better choice there.
Will two-tone earrings match the rest of my jewelry?
That is the main reason to buy them. Because a two-tone pair already contains both colors, it sits correctly beside a yellow chain and beside a white one, so it does not commit you to one metal for the rest of what you are wearing.
Do you have two-tone earrings that are not pierced?
Yes, a few. Look for the omega clip and button styles, some of which are listed as non-pierced. They are the minority here, as most of the range is for pierced ears with posts, wires or leverbacks.
What size hoop should I get?
Hinged huggies, roughly 8 mm to 11 mm, sit tight to the lobe and suit everyday wear. Mid-size hoops in the teens and twenties read as a classic hoop. The largest go into the forties and are a statement rather than a daily pair. Every product page gives its own diameter.
