4mm Moissanite Snake Stud Earrings in 925 Silver

The snake is coiled into a 4mm stud, which is about as small as a figurative shape can go before it stops being readable. At that scale the design has to be carried by the set stones and the raised body rather than by engraved detail, so the coil is built with the head and the curve catching light at different angles. The result still reads as a snake at arm's length, not as an abstract blob.

Stones are moissanite in 925 sterling silver. Solid silver rather than plated base metal is what you want in a stud, since the post sits inside the piercing and brass alloys are the usual cause of irritation. Moissanite at Mohs 9.25 keeps its polish against hair and collars, and its refractive index near 2.65 is why a 4mm cluster of small stones still throws light instead of looking like grey paste.

Two finishes are offered and they do different jobs. White gold tone keeps the piece cool and lets the stones do the work, which suits anyone already wearing silver or steel. Yellow gold tone warms the whole stud and makes the snake itself more visible as a shape, which is the better choice if the earring is meant to be noticed. Both are 4mm, which makes them wearable in a second piercing or as a pair.

• Stone: iced out moissanite
• Size: 4mm
• Metal: 925 sterling silver
• Finish: white gold or yellow gold
• Design: coiled snake stud, raised body
• Sold as a pair, suits men and women