GiftsWear and care
Mum, sister, best friend: the right earrings for each of them
Which earrings suit your mum, your sister or your best friend? Choose by how each of them wears jewellery, not by who she is to you. Your mum may have worn the same pair for years, so give her something light for every day. Your sister can take a pair a little bolder than one she would buy for herself. With a best friend, a motif you share a story about says the most. First, check that she has pierced ears.
In short
Which earrings suit your mum, your sister or your best friend? Choose by how each of them wears jewellery, not by who she is to you. Your mum may have worn the same pair for years, so give her something light for every day. Your sister can take a pair a little bolder than one she would buy for herself. With a best friend, a motif you share a story about says the most. First, check that she has pierced ears.
How do I choose earrings for someone close to me?
Ask how she wears jewellery today. The role she plays in your life tells you surprisingly little.
One mum wears large hoops to every family lunch, another has had the same small studs in since her wedding. Some sisters change their earrings with every outfit, some never do. So before you think about mother, sister or friend, think about the pair she wore the last time you saw her. How to read that pair is explained in Earrings as a Christmas gift.
Which earrings should I give my mum?
Something she can wear every day without thinking about it, in the metal she already wears. A small stud with a little colour is a good place to start.
Picture her in the kitchen after Christmas lunch. She takes her earrings out before the washing up and lays them on the cool windowsill, as she has always done. The kitchen still smells of roast and oranges. Later one back is missing, and she searches the sink strainer with a teaspoon. If that sounds familiar, give her a pair with no back to lose.
Mums are often the hardest to surprise, because they say they need nothing. A pair that joins her daily routine is a gift she uses long after the tree has gone.
Which earrings should I give my sister?
A little bolder than she would buy for herself. You know her taste better than anyone, so you can risk a little more.
If she always wears plain studs, give her a stud with a shape that catches the light, such as a lightning bolt. If she wears hoops, give her one with stones. She will say she would never have chosen it, and then wear it to every drinks evening until spring.
Which earrings should I give my best friend?
A motif with a story between the two of you. A horseshoe for luck before her new job, or a sun for the trip you two keep planning.
Some friends like to wear matching earrings. The simplest way is to buy two pairs, one for her and one for you. Every time you meet, you will both notice.
And for your mother-in-law or your grandmother?
Small, and in the metal she wears. The less you know about her style, the simpler the pair should be.
Your partner usually knows whether your mother-in-law wears gold or silver. With your grandmother, take a look at her ears on your next Sunday visit, because some women stopped wearing earrings years ago and their piercings have closed.
Who gets which earrings?
| For | What matters to her | A good idea | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mum | easy to wear every day | small stud with a little colour | does she still wear earrings? |
| Sister | a little more than she would buy herself | stud with a bold shape | gold or silver? |
| Best friend | a story you share | motif with meaning, or the same pair for both of you | pierced earlobe? |
| Mother-in-law | something that suits her style | small, in the metal she wears | ask your partner |
| Colleague | a small, kind gesture | plain stud without a stone | the agreed budget |
For smaller budgets there is Jewellery gifts under CHF 100.
Earrings without a back for the women you love
Remember the back in the sink strainer? Baqless earrings do not have one. An anchor in the post does the holding, and each of them can set how firmly the pair sits on her own ear. For your mum, that is the reason for this gift.
One condition applies to all three: a piercing in the earlobe. How an earring without a back works is explained in Backless earrings: what they are and how they stay in.
- For your mum: Amity Aura Lapislazuli stud · one lapis lazuli, a natural blue stone, gold-plated · CHF 85
- For your sister: Honesty Thunderbolt Gold stud · lightning bolt with cubic zirconia, gold-plated · CHF 88
- For your best friend: Amity Noir Alina Gold stud · horseshoe with a grey stone, gold-plated · CHF 98
The 2026 line has more, in silver and in gold.
Keep reading
- Earrings as a Christmas gift: how to get her taste right
- Don't know her ring size? Give her earrings
- Earrings you never take off
- Lost an earring back? What helps now
Questions
Can I give my mum and my sister the same earrings?
You can, if their taste is close. If they wear different metals, give the same motif in gold to one and in silver to the other, where a pair comes in both.
Is jewellery too personal a gift for a friend?
No. Earrings need no size and say that you thought about her. Keep it small if you are unsure about her style.
What if my mum no longer wears earrings?
Ask why, gently. If her piercings have closed, choose a different gift. If the backs were simply too fiddly, an earring without a back may get her wearing earrings again.
Will the pairs arrive before Christmas?
Delivery times are on the shipping page. With three gifts to send, order with a little time to spare.
What if she would rather have a different pair?
A straight swap is not possible, but unworn pairs with an intact seal can go back under our return rules. The details are in Can you return earrings?
Last checked on 13 November 2026.
