18 & 9 Carat Gold Earrings

18 and 9 carat gold earrings: which style for a christening or a special occasion

Choosing a pair of gold earrings for a little girl, a bride-to-be or a girl making her communion means deciding between two things: the gold’s purity and the shape of the piece. 18 carat gold, an alloy of 750/1000 pure gold, remains the standard for jewellery meant to be worn every day for years. 9 carat gold, at 375/1000, contains less pure gold and more alloy metals: it sits lighter on the ear and holds up well to knocks, which matters for a little girl who isn’t yet careful with her earrings.

18 carat or 9 carat gold: what the purity level changes

An 18 carat gold piece contains 75% pure gold, the rest made up of copper and silver for strength. It’s the purity chosen by most French jewellery houses for earrings worn daily, whether studs or drop styles. 9 carat gold, more common in Anglo-Saxon jewellers, drops to 37.5% gold: the piece is lighter, less costly for the same weight, and its higher hardness makes it less prone to the small knocks a little girl can give it without even noticing. Neither purity level causes skin sensitivity issues for recently pierced ears, unlike some cheap alloys that contain nickel.

Studs or drop earrings: two different uses

The stud earring, usually set on a 5 to 8 mm diameter, can be worn every day without catching on a baby’s hair or scarf while getting dressed. It’s the style godparents most often choose for a christening, because it stays with the child for years without going out of style. The drop earring, on the other hand, generally ranges from 15 to 30 mm and is kept for special occasions: a communion, a wedding, or a gift for a teenage girl or a woman. A pair of 18 carat gold drop earrings set with mother-of-pearl or featuring a Roman cross, for example, pairs nicely with a cross pendant worn at the same time.

• 5-8 mm 18 carat gold studs: everyday wear, for a child’s or young girl’s ears.
• Studs set with mother-of-pearl or diamond: a special occasion piece without the weight of a drop earring.
• 15-30 mm drop earrings: communion, wedding, gift for a woman.
• 9 carat gold: a tighter budget or everyday wear exposed to knocks.

How to recognise a genuine 18 carat gold piece

Since the 1838 law on the hallmarking of gold and silver items, every French 18 carat gold piece must carry an official eagle’s-head hallmark, stamped after the purity has been checked. This tiny hallmark, often engraved on the clasp or fastening of the earring, remains the only reliable way to tell solid gold from gold plating, whose thin metal layer wears away after just a few months of daily wear.

Mother-of-pearl, crosses and religious motifs: what they mean on an earring

Mother-of-pearl, a natural material from the shell of certain molluscs, is worked into a thin plate set within a gold mount: it catches the light with a shifting sheen, without the upkeep a fine gemstone requires. Paired with an equal-armed Roman cross, it remains a common motif on drop earrings given for a christening or first communion, continuing on from a cross the child already wears. The fleur-de-lis, another common motif, harks back to a symbol of purity used for centuries in French religious goldsmithing, with no link to any particular brand or collection.

Caring for gold earrings without damaging them

Gold remains a soft metal: it scratches on contact with other jewellery and tarnishes after prolonged contact with perfume or creams. Regular cleaning is enough to keep its shine.

• Wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth after each extended wear.
• Remove earrings before applying perfume, cream or hair products.
• Store each pair separately, in a jewellery box or a fabric pouch.
• For a deeper clean, a few minutes’ soak in warm soapy water is enough, as long as the metal is thoroughly dried afterwards.

An 18 carat gold stud worn continuously by a little girl from her christening onward, then followed by a drop earring for her communion, remains one of the rare pieces of jewellery that looks the same decades later: the gold’s purity doesn’t wear away, unlike gold plating. It’s this longevity, more than the chosen shape, that justifies the price gap with costume jewellery.