The 10 main types of earring backs are:
- Clip-on Earrings
- French Clips
- French Wire
- Jumbo Earring Backs
- La Pousette Backs
- Latch Backs
- Lever Backs
- Push Backs
- Saddlebacks
- Screw Posts
Call them what you want. Closures, clips, stoppers, clasps, or hooks. In this article, you will learn about all the different types of earring backs.
You know, that piece of metal, plastic, maybe wood, that you use to keep your earring in place. They can be made of other materials too and some popular ones are:
- Gold Backs
- Plastic Backs
- Rubber Backs
- Silver Backs
- Stainless Steel Backs
Table of Contents
Clip-on Earrings
These are earrings that you use if you do not have pierced ears. Clip-on earrings latch onto your ears and stay in place like a clip-on once attached.
These types of earring clips are popular with costume jewelry which can sometimes be too heavy for your ear and would stretch a pierced earlobe under other circumstances.
Name, Luxiro White Round Glass Pearl Clip-on Earrings.
French Clips
French clips or omega backs are earring back types that you can wear with both a pierced or unpierced ear. They have a clasp that clutches your earlobe and some have adjustable screws to adjust the way it fits.
Name, Sterling Silver Freshwater Pearl Omega Clip Stud Earrings.
French Wire
The French wire, also known as fish hooks, is the typical types of backing for drop earrings. It’s a wired hook that slips through a pierced ear and hangs in place using the weight of the jewel to balance and it secure.
Name, Kendra Scott Elle Earring – black onyx.
Jumbo Earring Backs
These are plastic backs for pierced ears. They are flat, like discs, and flatten the earlobe one you attach them to your earrings. You can also get them in rubber instead of plastic. They are usually transparent and one the most comfortable earring backs.
La Pousette Backs
The la pousette type of earring back has dents on the shaft/post. These dents help lock the earring in place and prevent it from sliding off. La pousette earring backs are great if you want to add an extra bit of security to your stud earrings. The spring locking mechanism grabs onto the specialized notched post so you don’t need to worry about losing your studs.
Latch Backs
Dangling earring backs are almost always of the latch back style. They are also a popular choice for hoop earrings. The post of these earrings fit neatly into a loop of some type.
Lever Backs
Lever backs are similar to latch backs in that they have a hinged post and metal catch that cling together to keep the earrings securely attached to your ear.
Push Backs
The push back or butterfly earring closure is the most common earring back types. Butterfly because of the shape of the stopper and push back because you simply push the earring post back into the clasp to secure it.
Saddlebacks
Saddlebacks are similar to both latch back and lever back closures. There are a hinged post and metal catch that you connect to keep the earring secure.
Screw Posts
No, it’s not a type of screw, but the mechanism for securing screw post earring back types is similar to inserting a screw. You spin the post into the closure to fasten it. Or, is it that you spin the closure onto the post? I do it both ways.
References
- Allurez.com: Earring Buying Guide: Backing Type
- The Diamond World Inc.: Common Earrings Style and Post and Back Types
- Brilliance.com: Earring Guide
- Shane Co.: Our Earring Styles
Last update on 2022-10-15 at 04:19 / Affiliate links / As an Amazon Associate this website may earn from qualifying purchases.
