Gold Earrings: Real Gold Hoops and Studs from $260

Hoops are measured across the outside diameter. Here is the size ladder in the current catalog, all real gold.

For how each diameter sits on different ears, see the hoop earring size guide, or shop the gold hoop earrings collection.

Not every gold earring is a hoop. Classic Ball Earrings Small 3mm ($260) is the smallest, simplest stud we sell, and Puffy Heart Studs ($325) adds a shape. Textured and two-tone hoops such as Zigzag Hoops ($350) and Reversible Patterned Thick Hoops ($430) mix yellow, white or rose gold so one pair works with any other jewelry you wear. Hollow styles like Bella Hollow Hoops Small ($530) are wide but light, which keeps big shapes comfortable.

The stamp on the post or clasp tells you the karat; the FTC requires karat to be disclosed. More detail: gold karat guide and how to tell if gold is real.

Ears that itch or swell with fashion jewelry are usually reacting to nickel. A 2008 study found that 85 of 277 inexpensive earrings (30.7%) released nickel. Solid gold earrings avoid the plated surface that wears through to base metal. If your ears are very sensitive, choose 14K or higher, and yellow gold over white, because some white gold alloys use nickel to whiten the metal.

A plain gold earring's price is mostly the gold it contains plus the labor to shape and finish it. That is why a 45 mm hoop costs more than a 15 mm hoop of the same style, and why textured, faceted and two-tone finishes add a little to the price: more steps at the bench. Hollow hoops use less gold for the same size, so they cost less and weigh less on the ear; solid styles are heavier and harder to dent. Gold prices move with the market, so the same hoop can be priced differently from one year to the next.

Yellow gold is the classic and the safest for sensitive skin. White gold looks like platinum and goes with silver-tone watches. Rose gold gets its color from copper and reads warm. Two-tone and tri-color pieces, such as our reversible and striped hoops, let one pair match whatever else you have on. Many of our gold earrings come in more than one color, chosen on the product page.

Small solid gold studs and 10 to 12 mm hoops are a common choice for first earrings after a piercing has healed, because there is no plating to wear off. Ball studs like the 3 mm and 5 mm sizes are smooth, light and simple to clean.

• Start with a 15 to 19 mm hoop if you only want one pair.
• Pair a small hoop in the first hole with a stud in the second.
• Take hoops off before sleeping if they are over 20 mm; they can bend.
• Clean with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Skip toothpaste; it scratches gold.

Want a little sparkle on top of the gold? Look at diamond studs, or browse all earrings. Gold weight matters more on chains than on earrings; if a chain is next, our Cuban link weight chart explains why.