Cubic Zirconia & Imitation Pearl Earrings — Studs and Drops

Sort these twenty-six pairs by metal and they split in two. Six are .925 sterling silver: a pear-cut stud, a heart duet, a clover, an entwined heart and two halo styles, the ones you leave in day after day. The other twenty are brass, plated and set to carry more color and more shape than silver alone would at this price. Nothing costs more than $49.99, and most of the collection sits at $44.99.

Cubic zirconia is the stone in nearly every pair, cut marquise, pear and rose. Five styles add imitation pearl, named as imitation because that is what it is. Eighteen pairs are rhodium plated, six are black gun plated, and one each is gold plated and rose gold plated. The black gunmetal pieces are the loudest here — roses, spirals and wreaths, where dark metal makes the stones read brighter.

Studs go to work and stay in. Floral drops and the cascade style are for evening: a wedding you are attending, prom, a dinner where you want movement at the jaw. One pair is clip-on, which solves an unpierced ear. Wear a drop against a plain neckline and skip the necklace entirely.