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From top to bottom
• Round earrings in white gold from Nanis, nanis@nanis.it
• Emma de Caunes at the 60th Cannes Film Festival wearing Chopard diamond hoop earrings
• Millenary High Jewellery earrings in white gold with brilliant-cut diamonds from Audemars Piguet, apinfo.sg@audemarspiguet.com
• Ashanti wearing Lorraine Schwartz diamond Caviar hoop earrings at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards |
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STORY JENNIFER MERKSAMER
Hoop earrings with hot diamonds.
MANY a fashion trend start with a notable appearance on the red carpet, and those involving earrings have been especially dramatic in recent years. Styles have ranged from long stilettos to statement chandeliers. Who can forget, in particular, the pair of gigantic tortilla shaped mesh earrings worn by Beyonce at the 2004 Oscars?
Most recently, earring styles have veered towards the other end of the spectrum with minimalist studs, small drops or cluster designs. The hoop earring has also made an elegant return. This classic and versatile style is a welcome addition to any woman’s jewellery collection. What’s different now is that the hoops are increasingly embellished with diamonds. Also, jewellers are playing with the classic shape and design, and adding touches of embellishments to create hoop earrings that are refreshingly contemporary.
Wildly popular in the 1980s, the hoop is a style that lasts because of its versatility. Variations in earring sizes and embellishments can transform this simple piece of jewellery into an essential accessory for women across all age groups, styles and budgets. Diamond hoop earrings typically consist of a continuous or partial circle of gems, which are usually round diamonds in a pave, channel or bezel setting.
Mystiuc Circle
Most of us think nothing of the humble circle, but it actually has many connotations, both religious and non-religious. Most of us will be familiar with the notion of a circle of eternity, symbolised by the wedding ring. A circle can also be holy, used as a halo behind the head of a holy figure. It is also a symbol of unity and democracy, used for an assembly of equals such as a council circle, or King Arthur’s round table. |
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The most basic versions have a casual, youthful flair and provide a touch of brilliance near the face. Oversized pave diamond hoops are a major trend now. Celebrities, especially, have discovered that such hoops are a glamorous way to embellish their style. Drew Barrymore wore a large yellow diamond version to the premiere of her movie Music and Lyrics; while Ashanti recently donned hoops by Lorraine Schwartz at the MTV Video Music Awards.
In a pave setting, the surface of the metal is ‘paved’ with diamonds. The diamonds are set in small prongs, which make them appear to be free standing.
Small to medium pave hoops provide a more polished and conservative alternative to larger earrings. So do huggy earrings, which sit on the ear and traditionally consist of baguette, round or princess-cut diamonds. Although this style is timeless, numerous variations exist, based on the number of rows of diamonds. This may include a single row of gems or several rows that overlap or crisscross. Bezel and tension set diamonds* create a chic, contemporary style with a single round diamond in the middle of the earring, or several diamonds in a row.
Adorning a basic hoop earring with embellishments such as charms and drops is another major trend that has emerged from the red carpet. Kathryn Heigel wore a pair of hoop charm earrings from Ryan Ryan Jewellery when she won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in Grey’s Anatomy, while Jessica Simpson selected a pair of gigantic hoops attached to small diamond knots at the Cannes Film Festival last summer.
Like the stars, you too can embrace the hoop and make it work for your particular style, personality and tastes.
To read more about gems under this series, click here.
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