How to Style Thoughtful Earscapes with Natural Diamond Earrings

A well-curated ear stack with unique combinations is the perfect way to express your personality.

By Paula Lee | June 16, 2023

Jewelry lovers will look for any excuse to wear more adornment. By simple math, more ear piercings equals more jewelry. And with all the beautiful, glittering natural diamond earrings beckoning, the temptation is certainly hard to resist. In recent years, ear piercings have gone beyond the simple first and second holes, evolving into a dotted trail that curves up the ear (the particularly daring are also going for nose piercings). Celebrities showing off their sparkly wares on the red carpet make a strong case for the trend, while luxury piercing salons continue to innovate and contribute to the movement that shows no signs of fading.

“The ‘more is more’ mentality when it comes to piercings still seems to be the trend for us,” says Alysa Teichman, founder of Wildlike, a piercing retail concept (and sister store to fine jewelry stalwart Ylang23) in Dallas. “That being said, we are seeing a trend toward either tiny pieces (we are really excited to launch our Wildlike Motif collection in a smaller size) or bigger, bolder pieces, specifically in diamonds. Our clients also love to change out their healed piercings to hoops and add fun dimensional elements like charms and chaining.”

Indeed, the styling possibilities are endless. Mix and match dainty diamond-studded chains and pavé huggies for texture, or personalize your stack with initials, zodiacs and other meaningful motifs. A statement piece can also visually anchor the arrangement. And don’t underestimate a constellation of twinkling natural diamond studs in various sizes—a versatile and elegant interpretation that works day or evening. No piercing (yet)? No problem. Mimic the effect with ear cuffs, climbers or clever designs that give the illusion of multiple piercings. If this sounds a bit overwhelming (in the best way, of course), heed an expert’s take.

“When curating an ear I think it is helpful to consider the type of piercings you want to collect and their spacing,” advises piercing pioneer and jewelry designer Maria Tash, who founded her first New York City piercing studio in 1993 and now has locations across the globe. “Usually, we start with the location on the ear and then consider ring versus stud balance for multiple piercings.”

Whether you already have an idea in mind or not, the piercer can help you map out harmonious placements—from the lobe to the helix, rook, conch, tragus and in between—to suit your ear anatomy, lifestyle and overall earscape vision. “The conch is a very popular piercing, as it’s relatively easy to heal for most and a fun way to dip into cartilage piercings,” notes Teichman of what she’s seeing from her clients at Wildlike. “The ability to change out a conch stud for a larger hoop is a fan favorite!”

Tash, the go-to piercer for bold-named celebrities, even coined and patented “hidden” piercings placed in unexpected regions. “We see stacked earlobe piercings continuing to be popular; and in cartilage, the TASH Rook, Contraconch, TASH Helix, and Hidden TASH Rook are exotic and popular,” she shares. The latter two are “particularly interesting as they allow stones and drapes to mysteriously emerge from the folds of the ear for a flash of shine.” We can’t think of a more appealing way to wear natural diamonds.

“In addition to the choice of jewelry style,” Tash elaborates, “I suggest balancing three forces: skin tone, personal aesthetic, and the weight and style of the pieces that are placed next to each other. A look is clean and readable if it looks deliberate, well fit, and intentional about composition, and that’s our goal.”

Ultimately, as with any natural diamond jewelry purchase, it comes down to personal taste and what you’re emotionally drawn towards. “I always recommend that people start by picking jewelry they love,” enthuses Teichman. “Personally, I have a stash of great earrings that I move around my ears to create different looks seasonally. When you start with great jewelry and work with experienced piercers, it’s so easy to create beautifully designed ears.”