2.6ct Moissanite Hoop Earrings, 2cm or 3cm, 925 Silver

A stone set hoop works differently from a stud. The stones run around the outer face of the circle, so instead of one fixed point of light you get a continuous line that keeps catching the room as the hoop swings. That is why a hoop photographs and reads brighter than a solitaire of similar weight. Keeping the stones on the outside face also means the back of the hoop stays smooth against the neck and does not catch on hair or a collar.

The pair carries 2.6ct of D colour moissanite in total. Colourless grading earns its keep on a hoop because the stones sit in an unbroken row, and any tint in one stone shows up immediately next to its neighbour. Moissanite is also the practical choice for earrings that move: at 9.25 on the Mohs scale it shrugs off the knocks hoops take from phones, headphones and pillows, and its refractive index of about 2.65 against diamond at 2.42 keeps the fire strong.

Two inner diameters are offered and they are genuinely different earrings. The 2cm hoop sits close to the lobe, reads as a neat everyday pair and works under a hood or a high collar. The 3cm hoop drops lower, moves more and becomes the main piece of jewellery you are wearing. Three finishes are available on 925 sterling silver plated in 18k: white gold, yellow gold and rose gold.

• Stone: moissanite, D colour
• Total weight: 2.6ct across the pair
• Inner diameter: 2cm or 3cm
• Metal: 925 sterling silver, 18k plated
• Finish: white gold, yellow gold or rose gold
• Setting: stones to the outer face of the hoop