5 Dainty Earrings to Add to Your Summer Jewelry Collection

Last month Tiffany picked five necklaces for the summer season — lightweight, easy, the kind of pieces you forget you're wearing until someone asks where they're from. This time she's doing earrings. Same idea: nothing heavy, nothing fussy, just pieces that catch a little light at the beach and still look right at dinner after, each one handmade in our NYC studio.

Here are her five picks for summer.

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1. Starfish & Mother of Pearl Threader Earrings

Handcrafted in 14k gold-filled with tiny mother of pearl beads and a delicate starfish charm, these are the most literal "summer" earring in the lineup — and Tiffany's favorite pick of the five. They're incredibly lightweight, so the threader style barely registers once they're in.

• Why she'll love them: The starfish charm is playful without tipping into costume-y, and the mother of pearl beads pick up a soft shimmer in the sun.
• Metal options: 14k gold-filled.
• Price: $92

2. Peridot Threader Earrings

Genuine peridot gemstones suspended from a fine threader chain — the soft green color feels right at home next to a tan. Peridot is also the August birthstone, so these do double duty as a late-summer birthday gift.

• What makes them special: The airy threader silhouette moves with you, and peridot's fresh green tone reads as "summer" without being literal about it.
• Metal options: Gold-filled, sterling silver, rose gold-filled.
• Price: $58

Curious about the stone itself? Read our full Peridot Meaning guide.

3. Peridot Hoop Earrings

If you want a little more presence than a threader but still nothing heavy, this is the pick. Genuine peridot roundels dangle from sleek gold hoops — polished enough for a dinner reservation, simple enough for every day before that.

• Why they work for summer: Hoops read a little more "put together" than a stud or threader, which makes these the one to reach for when a plain summer outfit needs a little more shape.
• Metal options: Gold-filled, sterling silver, rose gold.
• Price: $62

Want to see the rest? Shop all summer earrings →

4. Dainty Ruby Drop Earrings

A genuine ruby suspended from a delicate ear wire — the rich red hue is a nice contrast to the greens and blues elsewhere in this lineup, and it gives the set a little warmth against a summer tan. Ruby is also the July birthstone, so these slot in neatly between the pearl and peridot picks on either side of the calendar.

• Why she'll love them: Simple and effortless, with a pop of color that reads as considered rather than matchy — good for someone who wants a bit of red without a statement piece.
• Metal options: Gold-filled, sterling silver, rose gold-filled.
• Price: $52

Want the full story on the stone? Read Ruby Meaning & July Birthstone Guide.

5. Pearl Threader Earrings

An elevated take on the classic pearl earring — dainty natural freshwater pearls dangling from a sleek box chain threader. Pearl is the June birthstone, so these bridge early summer into the peridot-heavy back half of the season.

• Why she'll love them: Pearls feel timeless in a way trend-driven summer jewelry doesn't — these work as easily with a sundress as they do layered under sunglasses on a boat.
• Metal options: Gold-filled, sterling silver.
• Price: $78

Want the full story on the stone? Read Pearl Meaning: Symbolism, History & Why We Love This June Birthstone.

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At a Glance

Style	Best For	Price
Starfish & Mother of Pearl Threader	Beach vacations	$92
Peridot Threader	Lightweight minimalism	$58
Peridot Hoop	Everyday wear with a little more polish	$62
Dainty Ruby Drop	First-time threader wearers, color lovers	$52
Pearl Threader	Elegant, timeless everyday	$78

Mixing and Matching for Summer

None of these five are precious about being worn alone. The starfish threader and pearl threader pair beautifully in a mismatched set if you have a second piercing, and the two peridot pieces — threader and hoop — give you a green option in two different silhouettes, while the ruby drop adds a warm contrast color to rotate in without repeating the same stone all week.

If you're new to threaders, a good approach is to start in a single lobe piercing with the Dainty Ruby Drop Earrings (simple ear wire, no threading required), then work up to a true threader like the Pearl or Peridot styles once you're comfortable. For a second piercing, threaders are an easy way to add a delicate second point of light without competing with a statement stud below. Pearls and gemstones mix well together too — you don't need to match metal or stone across both ears, or even both piercings, for the look to feel intentional. And if you're already layering gold necklaces this summer, these earrings are designed to sit alongside that same warm-metal palette without any extra thought.

If you're building a full summer set, pair any of these with a piece from our 5 Dainty Necklaces for Summer guide — Tiffany designed both collections to work together.

A Note on Wearing These All Summer

All five styles here are handmade with 14k gold-filled, sterling silver, or rose gold-filled — meaning they can handle sweat, sunscreen, and the occasional ocean dip without the color fading or flaking the way plated jewelry does over a season. If you're not sure what that actually means for day-to-day wear, we cover it in full in Is Gold-Filled Jewelry Waterproof?

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Common Questions

Are these earrings safe for sensitive ears?

Yes. All hooks and threaders here are gold-filled or sterling silver, both of which are widely tolerated by sensitive ears and free of the nickel content that causes most reactions.

Can I wear these swimming or at the beach?

Gold-filled and sterling silver both hold up fine to salt water and pool chemicals in normal daily wear, though we'd still recommend a quick rinse with fresh water afterward and a wipe-down before storing, the same as any fine jewelry.

Which of these is best for a first-time threader wearer?

The Dainty Ruby Drop Earrings — they use a simple ear wire rather than a true threader, so they go in exactly like a standard earring while still giving you that lightweight, barely-there feel. Once you're comfortable with that, the Peridot Threader or Pearl Threader are an easy next step.

Do any of these make a good birthday gift?

Yes — this set actually covers three birth months: pearl for June, ruby for July, and peridot for August. Any of the three makes a nice standalone gift, or pairs with a piece from the birthstone jewelry collection for something more complete.

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Want a different birthstone? Our Natural Gemstone Stud Earrings and Gemstone Threader Earrings come in every stone we carry, including peridot — so you can build the exact set above in your own birth month instead.

Shop the Full Summer Collection

Summer jewelry doesn't need to be bold to be memorable. Sometimes the pieces you wear most are the ones you barely notice — until someone compliments them. These five earrings were chosen because they're effortless enough to become part of every summer outfit, year after year.

Explore all five pieces above, plus the rest of the season's picks, in our Summer Jewelry Collection, or start with our Summer Jewelry Guide for the full seasonal roundup.

Handmade in our New York City studio since 2005 — every piece here is genuine gemstone, never plated.