Stud Earrings

They're the pair designed for it — nothing hangs, nothing catches, nothing swings into a phone screen. Studs are also what most piercers put in first for exactly that reason. The only daily-wear failure is the back working loose, which is why flatbacks and screw-backs exist.

Flatbacks, comfortably — the back is smooth against the pillow and there's nothing to press into your neck. A standard butterfly back is the one that leaves a mark and works loose overnight. If you never take earrings out, buy flatbacks and stop thinking about it.

Yes, more safely than any other style, because there's no hinge for water to sit in. Chlorine still dulls plating and salt water is worse. Pearls are the exception — take those out before anything wetter than rain.

They're usually the best option, because less metal sits in the piercing than with a hoop. What matters more than the shape is what's underneath — nickel in a base alloy is what causes most reactions. Gold over solid sterling silver avoids that, and at 3.0 microns the plating doesn't wear through to find out.

A bent or snapped post is a routine solder job. A lost back is a $2 replacement at any jeweller — don't buy a new pair over it. What can't be repaired economically is a stone that's fallen from a pavé setting, which is why the solitaires outlast the clustered ones.

Yes. A lot of this collection sells as singles — second holes, cartilage, and the pair you've already lost half of. Buy one, buy three, mix them.