In Focus

The Curated Ear

As your personal style evolves over the years you find yourself experimenting with different clothing, accessories and hairstyles as a form of self-expression and may occasionally opt for something more permanent, in the form of piercings and tattoos. In recent years body jewellery has opened up to a whole new audience with a rising trend for a curated ear of multiple ear piercings in different locations.

We may have moved on from the steel belly bars and eyebrow hoops of the ‘00s but thanks to a new wave of fine jewellers reinventing body jewellery, permanently placed earrings are the new must-have accessory.

Shop Fine Earrings

Maria Tash

A pioneer in the piercing revolution, Maria Tash has been creating innovative jewellery for over two decades. A native New Yorker, Maria started her brand selling custom navel jewellery, which has since evolved to include iconic threaded studs, clicker rings and more, crafted from fine metals and precious gemstones. Opening her first studio in Manhattan’s East Village in 1993, Maria Tash coined the term ‘the curated ear’ and using 14K and 18K gold she has perfected the art of incorporating diamonds, opals and pearls into her delicate and unique jewellery designs.

Shop Maria Tash

Otiumberg

Founded in 2016 by sisters Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg, Otiumberg presents elegant everyday jewellery pieces with a timeless appeal. Crafted from recycled raw metals and ethically sourced, untreated gemstones, their demi-fine jewellery is both luxurious and practical. Mixing solid gold, silver and gold vermeil pieces, Otiumberg piercing jewellery consists of mix and match jewellery huggie hoops, butterfly studs and statement threaded labrets.

Shop Otiumberg

Ear Piercing Placements

Lobe
The most popular location for an ear piercing, the lobe is an ideal placement for your first foray into body modification. With the fastest healing time of around 6-8 weeks, lobe piercings can be stacked up until the ear turns to cartilage and can accommodate a wide variety of jewellery including studs, hoops and drop earrings. For those wanting a more unique placement, lobe piercings can be layered on top of each other and styled into an orbital piercing, in which a hoop passes through two entry points either horizontally, vertically or diagonally across the lobe.

Tragus
The tragus is the small triangular piece of cartilage located above the ear canal and gained popularity as a piercing location in the mid ‘00s. A central point to add a minimal ball or gemstone, the tragus requires a threaded labret stud or small hoop for comfort as it is rarely taken out.

Helix
Any piercing located in the upper cartilage part of the ear is referred to as a helix piercing which goes from the side of the ear all the way round to the forward helix at the top of the ear above the tragus. An ideal location for your first cartilage piercing, mix and match huggie hoops and threaded labret studs in different locations to play with size and dimension.

Daith & Rook
Daith piercings are placed in the innermost fold of your ear cartilage and are a great position for a decorative coronet hoop. Similarly the rook position is just slightly along from the daith in the fold of cartilage within the ear and can host more embellished earrings within the inner ear.

Anti-Tragus
Located opposite the tragus and above your lobe, the anti-tragus is a small piece of cartilage that can be decorated with a small curved bar or huggie hoop. A delicate and unique placement, the anti tragus is for those who want to be more experimental with their piercings.

Conch
A both bold and brave placement, the conch is pierced through the back on the ear cartilage in the inner ear. It can either be adorned with a threaded labret stud or a large hoop that wraps round the side of the ear.

Words by Alexandra Oliver