0.45cttw Moissanite Drop Stud Earrings in 925 Silver

At 0.45cttw across the pair these are deliberately small, and that is the point. A light earring stays where you put it. Heavier drops drag the piercing forward over a long day and start to sit at an angle, while a pair at this weight keeps the stone facing the way it was designed to face from morning until night. The tassel style adds a short length of movement below the fitting, so the stones swing slightly and pick up light the way a fixed stud cannot.

The stones are full moissanite and the pair comes certified. Grade and certification matter more at small sizes than people assume, because a small stone has less depth to work with, so a cut that is even slightly off or a stone with a warm body colour will look grey rather than bright. Moissanite helps here too. A refractive index of roughly 2.65 against diamond at 2.42 means it returns more light from less material, which is exactly what a small stone needs.

Four designs are offered, numbered 1 through 4. They share the same stone weight, the same 925 sterling silver body and the same 18k plating, so the choice is about the shape of the piece rather than the quality of what is in it. Pick by the neckline and hairstyle you wear most, since a drop that clears the jaw reads very differently from one that sits tight to the lobe.

• Stone: full moissanite, certified
• Total weight: 0.45cttw across the pair
• Metal: 925 sterling silver, 18k plated
• Designs: four styles, numbered 1 to 4
• Style: tassel drop stud
• Sold as a matched pair