The earrings made their debut in the 1950’s or 60’s, hanging from the lobes of an elegant woman who was going someplace spectacular. A wedding, a cocktail party, perhaps; I like to think she was heading to The Plaza for a New Year’s Eve gala. I can see these as the ornament to top a mink coat (faux or real, take your pick) a sequined black Marilyn Monroe dress, grosgrain kitten heels and stockings with the seam up the back (garters, garters, garters, not full hose!). Gliding from one conversation to the next with a bone-chilling martini in her hand (dirty, of course), she was there to rule, and that’s exactly what she did.

Originally screwbacks, these have been sawed off and filed down, and reinvented as pierced earrings with stainless steel hypoallergenic posts and backings. The prisms on this pair are amazing.