White Copper Tibetan Buddhist Buddha Earrings

Studs are more demanding than pendants. A pendant hangs at the chest and looks much the same on anyone; a stud sits on the face, where hair, face shape and the thickness of the lobe all affect how it looks. Of these six, the peaceful figures suit everyday wear and the wrathful ones suit short hair or hair tied back; a small face should take a smaller size so the stud does not overpower the features. On a thin lobe the setting needs to sit flat, or the earring will droop. A round face suits a vertical shape and a long face a horizontal one. If the setting is a ring larger than the lobe, it will look top-heavy from the front.

The six figures each have their own background. Amitabha is the teacher of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; Acala is the first of the five great vidyarajas and wrathful in form; Samantabhadra is known for the vow and its fulfilment and often appears with a six-tusked white elephant; Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara is one of the emanations of Avalokiteshvara, the many arms standing for hearing every cry; Akashagarbha is known for wisdom and merit; Vairocana is the dharmakaya Buddha and the root figure in esoteric Buddhism. Amitabha's identifiers are the lotus throne and the welcoming gesture, Acala's the sword and the noose. Of the six, the Thousand-Armed figure has the most arms and blurs most easily when reduced.

In white copper studs the post matters most. Too thick and the piercing suffers; too soft and it bends after a few wears. White copper contains nickel, so anyone with a sensitive piercing should be careful, and this matters far more in earrings than in pendants. For a first wearing, try two hours, and stop if there is redness or itching rather than pushing through. Posts come in several thicknesses, so ask before buying and you will be on safe ground.

As a gift, the choice of deity is best left to the recipient. The one you find beautiful may not be the one they feel drawn to. If you are unsure, choose Amitabha or Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, which are widely accepted and simple to explain. Pack the two separately in the box, because the posts scratch each other easily. A small card in the box with the name of the deity is clearer than explaining it in person.

For daily wear, put them on after make-up and take them off before removing it. Perfume and hairspray leave a film on the surface that will not wipe away. Sleeping in them bends the posts, and once bent they are hard to restore. When not worn, put them in a stud board rather than loose in a drawer. Wipe a darkened post with a soft cloth, not toothpaste. White copper posts are harder than silver and resist bending with wear, which is their advantage.