Mesmerise those around you with stones in lustrous drops of smoke-grey, conjure up dreams of moonlit nights under the silver stars, or pay homage to your inner strength with the polished temerity of gunmetal. Think classic teardrop styles, saddle shapes or even hangers crafted in exclusive designs. Īs you progress through your stretched ear jewelry journey, you can experiment with different flare types and plug shapes. Larger gauge sizes mean more options for accessorising, and you can even stack tunnels with smaller hoop earrings for a look that’s truly you. Once you’ve reached the 6g (4mm or 5/32") size, here’s where you can really get creative! Valencia Hangers Going Big and Bold: 6g to 00g Get adventurous with some of our favourites. To keep your lobes healthy, it is very important to stretch gradually by waiting at least 4-6 weeks before going up to the next size, and not skipping sizes. Once your ear piercings are fully healed, you’ll be ready to go up a size to 16g (1.2mm or 3/64”). Quill Crystal Claw Earrings Meeting in the Middle: 16g to 8g Look to these simple plugs as an inspiration: Picture the striking gold and saffron of a tiger’s wild energy, or capture the powerful energy of the sea with azure blue streaks of cool, polished stone. Keep your look exclusive with gemstone materials in a lush mix of colours. Once you start stretching a piercing, you’ll be wearing jewelry that is larger in size than your original gauge. Using mm or inches instead of gauge sizes can help you find the right fit when picking out your next pair of plugs, tunnels or hangers – especially if this is your first foray into stretched ear jewelry. To help you understand what your stretched piercing might look like once it’s on you, we use a size conversion chart with gauge sizes, millimeters (mm), and inches. Whether you’re buying alternative jewelry online or in real life, having a realistic size estimate will help you avoid pain, discomfort, and injury later on. It’s important to remember that sizes are not standardised across jewelry stores ! The only real rule is the smaller the gauge number, the larger the diameter of the jewelry – be it a plug or a tunnel. Whether this is your first time stretching your ears or you’re looking to (finally) go up a gauge size, take this chance to make a decisive and adventurous statement going into the new year with some Ask & Embla pieces. If you’re planning to change up your style and try something new, then stretched ear jewelry might be just the fit for you. It’s finally 2022 - which means it’s time to seek new goals, set new resolutions, and manifest new dreams for the next 12 months and beyond.