Most parents reach the same question eventually. A child has had their ears pierced, the starter studs have done their job, and now something needs to go in next. It sounds like a small decision. In practice it decides whether the earrings get worn happily for years or end up forgotten in a drawer within a fortnight.
Here is what actually matters when you are choosing.
Why solid gold is the sensible starting point
Children wear their earrings almost constantly. They sleep in them, swim in them, pull jumpers over them and generally forget they are there at all. That is a harder life than most adult jewellery ever sees, and it quietly rules out a lot of what gets marketed as children's jewellery.
Plated pieces are the usual culprit. A gold plated or gold vermeil earring is a thin layer of gold sitting over a base metal. Under daily wear, and particularly with the friction of hair, pillows and clothing, that layer wears through. Once it does, the base metal underneath sits directly against the skin, and that is normally where irritation begins. Solid gold has no layer to wear off. The metal is the same all the way through, so it behaves the same on day one and in year five.
Solid gold also puts up with being cleaned properly, which matters more for children than for adults. You can wash a solid gold stud in warm soapy water as often as you like without worrying about ruining a finish.
9k, 14k or 18k
Gold purity is measured in karats. 9k gold is roughly 37.5 per cent pure gold, 14k is around 58.5 per cent, and 18k is 75 per cent. Higher purity gives a richer yellow and a softer metal. Lower purity gives a harder alloy that shrugs off knocks and scratches more easily.
For a child's first proper earrings, 9k gold is usually the right call. It is hard enough to survive school, sport and swimming lessons, and it costs considerably less than the higher purities, which counts for something when you are buying for someone whose taste will change several times before they are twelve. Our Luma Kids range is solid 9k gold for that reason, with studs from £125, made in our Hatton Garden workshop.
If you would rather have 18k for a christening or a milestone birthday, that is a fair choice as well. Just be clear that you are paying for colour and purity rather than for toughness. We cover the trade offs in more detail in our guide to what gold purity is best for everyday wear.
The shape matters more than you would think
Small and flat wins. A stud that sits close to the lobe has very little to catch on a jumper, a hairbrush, a seatbelt or another child mid game. Anything that dangles, any hoop that swings, and any setting with an exposed edge is worth leaving until a child is older and more aware of what they are wearing.
Plain gold balls, small discs, tiny stars and simple flat backed shapes all work well for this reason. They look like proper jewellery rather than novelty pieces, which children notice, and they last through the phase where a child is still learning to take them out at bedtime.
Weight is worth a thought too. A very light stud is more comfortable in a young lobe and less likely to drag over a long day.
Fastenings
Butterfly backs are the standard and they are fine for most children, provided you check them now and then. They loosen with wear, and a loose butterfly back is how earrings get lost in playground bark chippings.
Screw backs and secure push fittings hold more reliably and are worth considering for younger children or for anyone who has already lost a pair. They take a few extra seconds to fit, which is a small price for not searching a school field.
Piercing and the first few months
If the piercing is new, follow the aftercare advice given by whoever did it, and give it the full healing time before changing to anything else. In the UK, reputable piercers commonly advise leaving the original studs in for around six weeks for a lobe piercing, sometimes longer, and cleaning the area gently in the meantime. Practice varies, so take the guidance from your piercer rather than from a general article.
If anything looks red, swollen or sore beyond the first few days, speak to your GP or the piercer rather than trying to sort it at home. We sell earrings, not medical advice, and we would rather say so plainly.
Teaching a child to look after them
The habits that keep fine jewellery in good condition are simple enough for a seven year old to manage. Take earrings out before bed once the piercing has healed. Put them in the same small dish every time. Wash them occasionally with warm water and a drop of washing up liquid, then dry them properly.
Children who are given a proper pair tend to treat them properly. That is one of the better arguments for buying solid gold rather than something disposable.
Buying as a gift
Gold studs work well as a christening, birthday or first piercing present, partly because they suit a child at almost any age and partly because they keep. A solid 9k gold stud bought at six is still wearable at sixteen, and plenty of people keep their first pair long after they have moved on to something else. If you are buying for an older child or a teenager, our wider earrings collection opens up more options in the same solid gold.
If you would like help choosing a size or style, send us a message and we will talk it through, or book a consultation at our Hatton Garden studio by appointment.