What Are the Different Types of Earring Backs?
Earrings come in many sizes, metals and variations, as do their counterparts, earring backs. Earring backs are the front line when it comes to keeping earrings on, and helps you avoid losing that expensive pair. Trying several types of earring backs to find the most practical ones, whether it's price or safety you're looking for, is the best bet in finding that perfect pair of earring backs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Push-On
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The backs are the simplest and the cheapest. Shaped somewhat like "Mickey Mouse" ears, the back has a tiny hole to fit the earring post in, and slides over the rivets on the post, which ensures the back will not slip off.
Screw-on Back
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Like a nut and bolt, the back twists onto the post. The post is a bit thicker on these earrings, but screw-back posts can often ensure that expensive earrings won't slip out and be lost.
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Partial-Screw Backs
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A thinner post makes these a bit more comfortable to wear, but to use, you simply push on the back, and then to get off, you must screw them off.
Locking Backs
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Push the back onto the notches in the earring post, and they will lock in place. In order to remove them, you must push in the buttons, one located on each side of the back, to release and remove the earrings. These are great for expensive jewelry, because they won't slip off.
Plastic Stoppers
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These tiny grain-of-rice-sized earring backs work best on earring with long posts, like most dangling earrings. These plastic backs will keep the post from slipping out of the ear, but aren't always the most dependable (and are easily lost, due to their size).
Plastic and Rubber
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These backs are metal with a rubber interior, that slide onto the back and then prevent slippage. The front of the earring back that touches the ear is a large plastic disk. These are perfect for people allergic to the nickel in some earring back metals.
Earring Clasp
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Some earrings come equipped with their own backs that are simply a clasp that the post is snapped into, and then unsnapped for removal. These are the easiest for people who often lose earring backs.
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