Security of hinged hoop earrings?

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Candace30

Candace30

O.G.
Oct 20, 2011
277
595
#1
Hi Everyone!

I was hoping to get some advice from you knowledgeable jewelry experts. I’m looking for a pair of 18k chunky gold hoops. So many these days seem to have hinged backs. In your experience, should I stay away from these? It seems like they snap into place, but that mechanism could wear out over time, or be difficult to get on and off. What do you think? I’d be grateful if anyone could share their experience.

For reference, here is an example of what I’m referring to—Roberto Coin Huggie hoops.

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#3
I buy many variation of hinged hoop earrings. However, I usually get gold plated or gold filled for those very concerns.

I have worn earrings from tiny huggies all the way up to standard 1-2 inch hoops and eventually they all do wear down and get a little loose. Sometimes the hinge itself gets a little loose and wobbly or it's the clasp part that clicks into place that gets worn down and loose.
I have lost enough in the shower and in the sink to know not to buy fine jewelry earrings that could loosen and fall off over time.

I would assume that you could bring them back to the store or jewelry to get them fixed but I don't know how it works nor do I know if it can handle being repaired on a regular basis.

However, a recent alternative that I have been enjoying is the french back-clasp style (or omega back) of earring closure. I find them to be very secure. Though depending on the weight and the tightness, it could feel a little uncomfortable for some.
Here's a couple of examples:
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#4
Yes, I would stay away from Huggies, and possibly from Omega backs, if you have hard to fit piercings. Perhaps both types will be fine if you have normal piercings and earlobes. But, I have very chunky earlobes. I need multiple adjustments and it doesn’t always work. In addition, I have weird piercings. So I need very thin posts. Huggies occasionally work for me, but I have to try them on in person. The Roberto coin ones in the first pic definitely look like the posts are thicker than I find comfy. However, I have not had a pair of Huggies loosen through wear and tear or go wonky. If they fit, they last for years. The ones I am thinking of were high carat gold with diamonds from Asia, and I sadly gave them to my cousin when I decided I only wanted to wear white gold. If I went with a branded Huggie, I would prefer to get them from a retailer/jeweler where I was well known and could get multiple adjustments for fit, if need be. For an omega clasp Like the Bucellati, the adjustment, IMO would be easier, but also more prone to loosening. That’s been my experience with this type of earring. Good luck; all of your examples are gorgeous!
 
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#5
880 said:
Yes, I would stay away from Huggies, and possibly from Omega backs, if you have hard to fit piercings. Perhaps both types will be fine if you have normal piercings and earlobes. But, I have very chunky earlobes. I need multiple adjustments and it doesn’t always work. In addition, I have weird piercings. So I need very thin posts. Huggies occasionally work for me, but I have to try them on in person. The Roberto coin ones in the first pic definitely look like the posts are thicker than I find comfy. However, I have not had a pair of Huggies loosen through wear and tear or go wonky. If they fit, they last for years. The ones I am thinking of were high carat gold with diamonds from Asia, and I sadly gave them to my cousin when I decided I only wanted to wear white gold. If I went with a branded Huggie, I would prefer to get them from a retailer where I was well known and could get multiple adjustments for fit, if need be. For an omega clasp Like the Bucellati, the adjustment, IMO would be easier, but also more prone to loosening. That’s been my experience with this type of earring. Good luck; all of your examples are gorgeous!
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Yes, good point. Sometimes the posts for omega backs are a little on the thicker side.
In that case, it's probably best to go try on a variety of hinged hoops to see what types and brands work for your piercings. (for OP of course)


I too had piercings that needed very thin posts and I didn't realize how thin I needed my posts to be, to wear my lobe or cartilage piercings. I found out that there were many earrings that I could not wear because of how tiny my piercings were.
And so what I ended up doing was having to stretch out my piercings a bit. It was quite uncomfortable, if you're sensitive to pain or a side sleeper (that's me), I'm not sure if you want to do this. I'm in the process of stretching out one of my cartilage piercings so I can wear more earrings, but it's not fun. :doh:
 
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#6
Thanks everyone! This is so incredibly helpful. My piercings are very small and I prefer a thinner post, and also do not want to risk losing an expensive pair of earrings or deal with the hassle of getting them repaired.

My ideal would be post back hoops, but many of those are not as chunky as what I'm looking for. But I will keep looking and not settle!
 
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#7
Candace30 said:
Thanks everyone! This is so incredibly helpful. My piercings are very small and I prefer a thinner post, and also do not want to risk losing an expensive pair of earrings or deal with the hassle of getting them repaired.

My ideal would be post back hoops, but many of those are not as chunky as what I'm looking for. But I will keep looking and not settle!
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Ippolita might have what you are looking for. I have a couple pairs of their hoops and I like them. Post earrings with butterfly backs work best for me..
 
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#8
Candace30 said:
Thanks everyone! This is so incredibly helpful. My piercings are very small and I prefer a thinner post, and also do not want to risk losing an expensive pair of earrings or deal with the hassle of getting them repaired.

My ideal would be post back hoops, but many of those are not as chunky as what I'm looking for. But I will keep looking and not settle!
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Zoe Chicco (Los Angeles) makes numerous “chubby huggie” hoops with posts and butterfly backs. All can be made in yellow, white or rose gold. However they are 14k not 18k. I don’t own anything from this brand so I can’t vouch for them personally. https://zoechicco.com/collections/shop?q=Chubby+huggie
 
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#12
Candace30 said:
Thank you so much for linking these great options, that’s so thoughtful! I will definitely check them out.
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Like you, I definitely prefer my hoops and huggies to have posts and butterfly backs. But they are getting harder and harder to find. The hinged clicker style seems very popular. Finally I broke down and bought two pairs of hinged huggies in 18k white gold (from Carolina Bucci and Sethi Couture). So far I haven’t had any problems, but I wonder about the long term durability.
 
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