The power of switching
Ear jewellery stands out immediately: it moves with you, catches the light and immediately reflects something of a person’s style. This is why interchange systems are so special: with one basic ear jewel and several pendants, you can vary endlessly.
The idea is simple, but the possibilities are vast. A changing system means you can change the pendant of your earring. Think a subtle pearl by day and a pronounced gemstone for a night out – without having to buy a new pair of earrings each time.
The Variety of Ear Jewellery
Several types of ear jewellery can serve as the basis for a changing system:
- Ear studs – often close to the ear, subtle and timeless.
- Ear hooks – decorative hooks that go through the ear and emerge just below the earlobe.
- Earrings (hoops) – a circular shape that gives a very different effect and often has a more powerful presence.
Each goldsmith has their own style in this, often creating a recognisable base. This is precisely why you can easily switch with various pendants and create a new combination every time.
A bit of history
Ear jewellery has been around for thousands of years and was worn in almost all cultures. In ancient Egypt, both men and women wore earrings, often made of gold and decorated with precious stones, as a sign of status and beauty. Among the Romans, earrings were popular, while in the Renaissance, ornate ear hooks with pearls were especially popular. What remained the same all these centuries: ear jewellery was always a way to express personality and style. That makes today’s interchange system extra special – it joins an ancient tradition, but gives it a modern, playful twist.
Colleagues with their own signature
In this blog, I would like to name four colleagues who, like me, design turnout systems. Each of them has a recognisable style and its own story:
- Sonja Hunefeld – Odinski Jewels (The Hague)
Sonja creates jewellery that combines ancient techniques with modern formal language. Her work is characterised by robust forms with excellent refinement and a strong affinity for intensely coloured gemstones and pearls. Everything is created in her own workshop, where she crafts everything herself—from alloying precious metals to developing her own tools—the result is unique jewellery that is intriguing, powerful, and yet elegant.
Find out more about Sonja at www.odinski.com. - Aletta Teunen – Goldsmith Utrecht
Typical Dutch landscapes and architecture inspire Aletta. She translates rivers, dikes, polders and even industrial structures into wearable jewellery with its own formal language. Her designs emerge from forms and structures that she abstracts and then transforms into jewellery.
More about Aletta can be found at www.goudsmidutrecht.nl. - Natalie Hoogeveen – Goldsmith Huizen
From an early age, Natalie knew she wanted to become a goldsmith. She now has her own workshop and store in the Krachtcentrale in Huizen. Her jewellery is colourful, playful and often with a humorous touch. She translates personal stories into unique, handmade jewellery, working not only with gold and silver, but also with gemstones, enamel, porcelain and even rye skin.
More about Natalie can be found at www.nataliehoogeveen.nl. - Hoogenboom & Bogers – Fine Jewellery (Bilthoven)
The goldsmith duo of Heleen Hoogenboom and Sanne Bogers has been crafting jewellery that is timeless, graceful, and intriguing since 1987. From their store and studio in Bilthoven, they create collections in which harmony and beauty are central, such as the special line “Threads of Life. In addition to their own collections, they also work on commission, often with old gold that they give new life to.
More about Heleen and Sanne can be found at www.hoogenboombogers.com.
Cooperation as a strength
What makes these systems extra special is that they also connect us as goldsmiths. I regularly see that reflected in my own clientele. For example, a customer enjoys wearing an Elevance ring of mine alongside a ring from Hoogenboom & Bogers, and that combination works perfectly. Natalie and I have already worked together once, using the earring exchange system, when we both celebrated our tenth anniversary as participants in the Jewellery Art Fair. That generated a lot of great responses and showed how our styles actually reinforce each other.
Many customers now have jewellery from several of us in their collection. Exchange systems then almost automatically invite cooperation: a basic earring from one, combined with a pendant from another. Therein lies the power: freedom, playfulness, and connection.
The practical detail
An important point is the eyelet of the pendant: it must fit through the earring. We tailor this to our own systems. For example, my ear hoops are made of 1.5 mm round wire, while my ear hooks are 0.8 mm thick. Does a pendant just not fit? Often, the eyelet can be easily adjusted. Above all, don’t let that be a reason to leave a beautiful pendant with a colleague.
Why switch?
Because ear jewellery can be so much more than a fixed pair, it moves with your style, your mood and the occasion. Interchange systems offer freedom, allowing you to create something new each time with a single base.
The power of change: endless combinations, always fitting you.
An Invitation
With the holidays approaching, now is the time to be inspired by the versatility of interchange systems. Above all, please take a look at my colleagues and discover how their beautiful ear jewellery matches your own style. Be surprised by the combinations that are possible, connect different signatures and make your ear jewellery more personal than ever.
