Guide to Buying Women's Gold Earrings

At Jeweler’s Touch, we have a large inventory of gold earrings for women. Gold earrings are fashionable in any season and in almost any setting. They can feature white gold, rose gold, or yellow gold and come in different styles. Whether you wear gold earrings daily or save them for special occasions, selecting just the right ones takes some thought. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you must consider when buying women’s gold earrings.

Selecting Women’s Gold Earrings

With so many types, sizes, and styles available, there are always gold earrings for women that will work for your look or occasion. Consider these factors when shopping around:

Earring Gauge

The gauge of an earring corresponds to the size of the piercing in your earlobe (20-gauge or 18-gauge piercings are the most common sizes). The higher the gauge, the thinner the wire. Wearing the incorrect gauge can make it feel your ears are being stretched. Over time, it can also create a bigger hole in your earlobe.

Type of Gold

Cultures have been inspired by gold for thousands of years. Its malleability makes gold easy to shape into jewelry or ornaments. But pure gold is too delicate for jewelry. Its tendency to be bent or dented means an earring could become misshapen.

Therefore, gold alloys have been developed to create stronger materials. Mixing two or more metals increases the durability of an object and yields different types of gold. Depending on what the recipient normally wears and your budget, you can pick from:

• White Gold: Combines gold with white metals like silver, manganese, nickel, platinum, palladium, or zinc. A rhodium coating provides a distinct pure white luster. To most people, white gold looks just like platinum but is more affordable. It is best paired with diamonds (including colored diamonds), blue topaz, or aquamarine.

• Rose Gold: Created in the 1800s, rose gold was popular in the 1920s during the Art Deco era. It emerged again as a trend in the 2000s. The addition of copper creates an appealing pink hue with a vintage-inspired feel that goes well with morganite, peach sapphire, and diamonds. It also makes rose gold the most durable and scratch-resistant type of gold.

Yellow Gold: Yellow gold is timeless and associated with luxury and royalty. Its color is most associated with pure gold, but copper, platinum, silver, or other metals are mixed in to make it harder and more durable. Diamonds stand out well with yellow gold. Citrine, garnet, tourmaline, and color diamonds go well with it too.

How to Pick a Metal

What determines the type of women’s gold earrings you choose depends on your taste, the design of the earrings, the quality of the gemstone, and what suits you most. Not every type of gold is suitable for everyone. For example, white gold with nickel content can cause reactions in someone with a nickel allergy (platinum is a hypoallergenic alternative). But white gold requires more maintenance to keep its luster; dipping it in rhodium restores its brightness. 

 

Meanwhile, rose and yellow gold earrings tarnish easier over time, especially if worn infrequently. They can be polished with a cloth or buffed and polished professionally by a jeweler. 

Cost

Since it contains copper, rose gold can cost less than white or yellow gold. But the actual price largely depends on the karat rating. At the same karats, rose and yellow gold should be the same. However, 14K yellow has less pure gold than 18K rose gold, so it’s less expensive. Prices also depend on the quality of the gold and the overall design of the item.

Pairing with Skin Tones

Skin tone is another factor a jewelry buyer must consider. For example, white gold goes well with cool-toned skin and can brighten up a cool complexion (pale skin), but it also works for some people with darker complexions. Rose gold is more suited for a warm skin tone, such as skin with an olive or yellow undertone. Yellow gold works with most skin tones.

About Karats

A karat is a measurement of the amount of gold in a piece of jewelry. It represents 1/24 of the whole item, meaning 24-karat gold is all parts gold. If an item has 18-karat gold, 18 parts are gold and 6 parts are alloy metals, and so on. The purer the gold content, the more expensive an item will be. But aside from value, whether an item is 10K, 14K, or 18K affects its quality, durability, and tone.

Here’s a closer look at each:

• 10K: The lowest quality gold used in jewelry, 10K gold (41.7% pure gold) is sold at a lower price by chain retailers and department stores. It’s low in gold content but durable, although prone to needing repairs due to poor mass production.

14K: Is suited for quality diamonds and gemstones worn every day. A 14K set of earrings (containing 58.5% pure gold) can last for generations and be repaired more easily. More gold content means they are moderately affordable.

• 18K: In fine jewelry, 18K (75% pure) is the highest quality gold, but it’s softer and less durable than 10K or 14K gold. However, it can last for generations if well cared for. This pure gold is preferred for its brightness and luster.

Earring Styles

Aside from the type of gold and its purity, the style of earrings you choose is equally important. There are many styles of gold earrings for women available. You can choose from:

 

• Studs: Stud earrings are small and go with just about anything, from jeans to cocktail dresses. They feature a straight post, so they suit most piercings. Gold studs are popular among men and women.

 

• Hoops: Hoop earrings have a straight or slightly curved wire or post. A circle is the most common shape but hearts, squares, and other shapes are popular. 

 

• Drops: Drop earrings are elegant and fit with a hook. Standard drop-style earrings don’t move, but dangle earrings can swing or swivel. A chandelier-style earring has a tiered design with layers of gems.

 

• Clusters: Cluster earrings are a variation of post or stud types and have numerous stones. A common design has a center stone surrounded by six stones or gems.

 

• Threaders: Threader earrings have a long wire or post connected to a thin chain with a small dangling stone or shape at the end. 

 

• Huggies: Huggies are smaller hoops that connect to and give the impression of hugging the earlobe.

Backs/Closures

The back of the earring is what keeps it in place. Common types of backs/closures in women’s gold earrings include:

 

• Push Backs: In push (butterfly back) earrings, the end of the stud fits through a hole in the middle of the back piece, which pushes against the back of the earlobe and is held in place by friction.

 

• Screw Backs: Similar to push backs, these screw onto the stud to prevent it from falling out (commonly used with diamond earrings).

Latch Backs: Often used in hoop and huggie style earrings, these have a small wire or post that clips to the back to close and secure the earring.

• Levers: On drop or dangle earrings, these closures have a hook that goes through the ear and is held closed by an attached lever.

 

• Fishhooks: A curved wire that looks like a fishhook and typically doesn’t have a closure at the end (a small rubber stopper can be added to secure the earring).

How to Choose Women’s Gold Earrings

Pairing a set of earrings with your outfit isn’t always easy. But your clothing isn’t the only thing to consider. Think about your skin tone and the shape of your face when choosing earrings. When considering gems, darker colors help yellow gold stand out. Rubies, sapphires, and emeralds work well. Wearing colors similar to the gold you have helps it pop. If you’re more conservative with colors, pair your earrings with black or white garments. 

 

Whether you choose small or large earrings mainly depends on your personality. Do you prefer big and sophisticated or simple and subtle? The situation is also an important factor. You probably wouldn’t wear the same earrings on a night out those you wear to work. 

 

These are just some tips to help in your decision. If you’re still stumped, visit your local jeweler for professional advice.

Contact Jeweler’s Touch

We hope this guide has helped in your search for gold earrings that suit your style and personality. At Jeweler’s Touch, we have a large selection of women’s gold earrings. You can choose from a wide range of styles, sizes, and gemstones or narrow down your choice by the type of metal. Purchase your new earrings online or call 714-579-1616 to speak with one of our representatives today.