If you buy earrings, one of the important factors influencing your choice might be their type of fastenings. Some people prefer safety and durability, while others consider the appearance the most important factor. Each type of earring and earring fastening has its trademark characteristics. To be able to consider all options, we have prepared a clear overview.
In some cases, the type of fastening directly depends on the earring design; in other cases, you can choose what fastening you want from several types. We offer stud earrings with both push and screw fastenings. Drop earrings are usually fitted with lever backs or latch backs. For kids, we have products with both front fastenings and screws.
Each jewel is designed and manufactured in a way so it can be worn as comfortably as possible and still fit well. However, we will be happy to accommodate your wishes. If you have a requirement for the modification of your selected earrings (most commonly, we are asked to exchange screws for pushes--which is free!), please write your request in the comment of your order or contact us. Exchanging fastenings takes approximately 1 week.
Push
With stud earrings, the push fastening is most common. A smooth post is pushed through the ear, and a push backing is then put on it from the back side of the ear. It can be further secured by a silicone tip. We recommend this type of fastening if you often take your earrings off because it is the fastest type of fastening to handle.
RECOMMENDATION: When it comes to pearl studs, we don’t recommend taking the earrings off by pulling the pearl, as it could become loose over time. It is better to grab the earring close to the ear where you can see the plate cover to which the pearl is fitted.
Screw
Another option for studs is a screw fastening. The post of the earring is threaded for such fastening, and screwing is a safe option. However, if you take your earrings off every day, it is better to opt for push fastenings.
Lever back – Ladies patent
This is a very popular type of earring fastenings. The earring features a lever which closes the earring and prevents it from possible opening and loss.
Latch back
A latch back is also often called Russian, Greek, or French patent. This fastening is similar to the ladies patent. However, the whole part of the earring fastening is hidden inside the ear or on the back side. The latch back is a great option for earrings where visible fastenings would be less favorable.
RECOMMENDATION: We don’t recommend using much strength for opening this type of earring. A properly set fastening is very easy to open but won’t open on its own. You can make sure by opening and closing the earring a few times before putting it in your ear. And with more practice, you can safely take it off without looking.
Afrohook – French/Fish hook
An afrohook is a common type of fastening where a hook is fitted to the earrings and is easily pushed through a pierced ear. This fastening may also be secured by a silicone tip, which serves as a protection against random falling and potential loss. It is very popular thanks to its simplicity and minimalistic form.
RECOMMENDATION: We recommend using an afrohook if you often take your earrings off and don’t, for example, wear them for sports.
Front fastening – brisur
Brisur, or the front fastening for children, is particularly used with earrings for little ladies, from babies to school-age girls. However, it may also be used for grown-up ladies’ earrings thanks to its various sizes, as it is suitable for smaller and subtler earlobes. As suggested, it is closed in the front by sliding a hook into a circle. If you’re picking earrings for small children, we definitely recommend this type of fastening.
RECOMMENDATION: Handling this type of fastening is a bit more difficult, and it requires a certain skill and carefulness. When treated improperly, the hook could be damaged quite easily, and it has to be returned to its original shape before you can use it for fastening again.
Hoop fastenings
With this type of fastening, the tapered side of the earring is put through the ear hole and inserted into the opposite tube. In this case, earrings have to be closed carefully in order not to cause damage by stretching them too much. If you’re not careful, the used wire can sometimes snap in the opposite fork-shaped part of the earring.
If hoop earrings consist of two parts, the wire on the front part is put through the ear and the back part is closed. This way, the wire snaps into the tray of the back side and the earrings are safely fastened. There is only a slight chance of opening the fastening and loss.
Other types of fastenings
In this article, we introduced the basic types of earring fastenings you’ll come across most often. All KLENOTA earrings are designed and created with these seven types. However, there are also other types of fastenings, of course, but they are used very rarely. Clip-on earrings and screw backs are worth mentioning, as they allow women with non-pierced ears to wear earrings. A French back closure is similar to clip-on earrings, but it is used for pierced ear lobes.