3mm D Colour Moissanite Stud Earrings in 925 Silver

A 3mm stud is a small earring on purpose. At this size the stone sits almost flush with the lobe, so nothing snags on a collar, a scarf or a pillow, and it reads as a point of light rather than as a statement. Small studs are the pair people keep in when everything else comes off at night, and they are the easiest earring to layer with a second or third piercing in the same ear.

The stones are D colour moissanite, the top of the colourless range, set in 100% 925 sterling silver. At 3mm, colour is what you notice, because the stone is too small to show clarity without a loupe, so D colour is the grade worth paying for here. Moissanite has a refractive index of about 2.65 against diamond's 2.42, so even a tiny stone throws visible fire, and at 9.25 on the Mohs scale it resists the scuffs that small studs collect against hair, phones and pillows.

There is little to decide beyond the finish. Silver is the cooler option and shows the stone as bright white, which is the classic look and matches most wardrobes. Gold is warmer and suits deeper skin tones, and it blends with other gold jewellery you may already wear. Both are made in sterling silver, so there is no nickel heavy base metal underneath to irritate the ear, and the studs are light enough for all day wear.

• Stone: round moissanite, D colour
• Size: 3mm
• Metal: 100% 925 sterling silver
• Finish: gold or silver
• Style: classic small stud
• Wear: daily, light on the lobe