If there’s one staple that every woman wants in her jewelry box, it’s a pair of pearl earrings. And I’m not just talking about classic pearl studs! Today’s pearls come in a wide variety of design styles, set with sparkling diamonds, colorful precious gemstones and even faux pearl jewelry with glittering crystal accents.

From pearl hoops to dangles to grand chandelier earrings, we’ve scoured the internet to find the prettiest, coolest, most unique pearl earrings we could find to showcase for you here. Because there is such an astounding variety, I’ve decided to group the selections by style and overall aesthetic. Let’s get to the list!

 

Pure Pearls’ Top 20 Best Pearl Earrings

 

Pearl Stud Earrings – Forever Elegant

1. Classic White Pearl Stud Earrings

 

Whether you go with the lustrous Japanese Akoya (pictured), the more budget-friendly Freshwater pearls or the large and luxurious White South Sea pearl types, a pair of simple, elegant pearl studs will ALWAYS remain in style. Our best options are as follows:

7.0-7.5mm Japanese Akoya Pearl Earrings

8.5-9.0mm Hanadama Pearl Earrings

10.0-11.0mm White South Sea Pearl Earrings

7.0-8.0mm White Freshwater Pearl Studs

 

2. Daring Black Pearl Stud Earrings

The legendary black pearl is a sublime choice for a pair of pearl studs. Minimalist in aesthetic, yet packing a dramatic punch, black pearls always garner attention no matter where they are worn. The most popular black pearls are the famous Tahitian pearls, but Black Akoya pearl earrings are another option to consider at a much lower price point. Our best sellers are:

9.0-10.0mm Black Tahitian Pearl Studs

7.5-8.0mm Black Akoya Pearl Earrings

 

 

3. Akoya Pearl Diamond Halo Stud Earrings

 

Add some sparkle to your pearl earrings with an angelic halo of diamond accents. These dainty pearl earrings feature saltwater pearls from Japan, surrounded by fiery round diamonds that are a stunning addition to any jewelry collection. These elegant pearl earrings are a perfect choice as bridal earrings, too.

Akoya Pearl and Diamond Halo Stud Earrings

Freshwater Pearl and Diamond Halo Studs

 

4. Kitty Cat Akoya Pearl Stud Earrings

 

Meow! An adorable pair of pearl earrings, these genuine pearls feature miniature kitty cat ears cast in your choice of white gold, or sterling silver. These cute pearl earrings are extremely versatile, and can be worn to work, school, at the grocery store ... wherever you feel like displaying your catty side.

Akoya Pearl Kitty Cat Studs

 

5. Akoya Pearl and Diamond Grace Stud Earrings

These Japanese Akoya pearl and diamond earrings are the epitome of elegance. Akoya pearls are famous for their sharp, high luster and perfectly round shapes. A trio of round diamonds tops each earring, adding just the right touch of sparkle to any occasion.

Akoya Pearl and Diamond Grace Earrings

 

Pearl Dangle Earrings – Modern Beauty

1. Lustrous White Pearl Dangle Earrings

Who could resist these perfect pearl earrings? So simple and elegant, with just the right amount of swing, these classic dangle earrings are flattering to any face shape, and are guaranteed to the just the right pair of pearl earrings no matter the occasion!

White Akoya Pearl Dangle Earrings

White South Sea Pearl Dangle Earrings

White Freshwater Pearl Dangle Earrings

 

 

2. Tahitian Pearl Classic Dangle Earrings

 

Classic elegance with a colorful twist! Our Tahitian pearl earrings are created using the finest materials, featuring organic gemstones and 14K White Gold (Yellow Gold is also available), handcrafted to order. The natural beauty of these gorgeous pearls make them an instant winner for any occasion.

Tahitian Pearl Dangle Earrings

 

 

3. Akoya Pearl and Diamond “Lacy” Dangle Earrings

 

Sweet yet refined, the pearl and diamond "Lacy" dangle earrings are pretty enough to wear day to day, or at all special occasions. We love how the round shape of the pearls are mirrored by the delicate gold lace pattern accented with a single glimmering diamond just above.

Akoya and Diamond Lacy Earrings

 

 

4. White South Sea Pearl “Capital” Dangle Earrings

 

These sleek "Capital" drop earrings exude modern sophistication. Two perfectly matched pearls mounted on a slim gold hook and voila - "pearlfection" has never been so easy. Choose your preferred pearl type and 14K Yellow Gold or White.

White South Sea Capital Dangle Earrings

Golden South Sea Pearl Capital Dangle Earrings

Tahitian Pearl Capital Dangle Earrings

 

 

5. Mother of Pearl Carved Gaming Board Dangle Earrings by Na Hoku

We love these mother-of-pearl drop earrings from NaHoku. Featuring carved gaming pieces from the Ching Dynasty of China cast in solid 14K Yellow Gold. Each pair of earrings is completely one of a kind. Five Stars for originality and gorgeous design.

 NaHoku Carved Mother of Pearl Gaming Piece Earrings

 

 

Pearl and Diamond Earrings – Glamour Girls

 

1. White South Sea Pearl and Diamond “Bellatrix” Dangle Earrings

 

Sparkle like the stars in a constellation with these stunning drop earrings featuring two hand-matched South Sea pearls from the famous pearl farms of Northern Australia. Perfect for any special occasion, these show-stopping pearl earrings are sure to flatter any face shape.

Bellatrix White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings

 

 

2. Pearl and Diamond Raindrop Chandelier Earrings by Yoko London

 

Oh Yoko London, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways ... Seriously though, Yoko London has made major waves in the market today with their dazzling pearl designs. These pearl and diamond chandelier earrings are no exception! Using only the finest pearls, gold, diamonds and precious gemstones, literally ANY design by Yoko London would be a treasure to own and wear.

Pearl and Diamond "Raindrop" Chandelier Earrings by Yoko London

 

 

3. Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Dainty Dangle Earrings

 

Black pearls paired with diamonds make these pearl earrings a glamourous choice for any pearl lover. These genuine saltwater pearls from French Polynesia are naturally black-colored, and feature a delectable array of colorful overtones, mounted in 18K Gold. You'll definitely want to wear this timeless design for years to come.

Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Dangle Earrings

 

 

4. Akoya Pearl and Diamond Flicker Dangle Earrings

 

This pair of earrings rocks a sparkling modern edge. A delicately glimmering gold chain features three tiny diamond accents, leading down to beautifully matched saltwater pearls. These pearl drop earrings have tons of drama with a delicate, flirty feel. Choose the right pearl type and gold preference: 14K White Gold or Yellow Gold.

Akoya Pearl and Diamond Flicker Earrings

Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Flicker Earrings

White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Flicker Dangles

Golden South Sea Pearl and Diamond Flicker Dangles

 

 

Pearl Hoop Earrings – The Gypsy Aesthetic

 

1. Classic White South Sea Pearl Hoop Earrings

 

Who can resist a pair of pearl hoops? Not us! Named "Glissade" because of the way light slips and slides over the slim, high polish 14K Gold hoops, which can be worn anywhere and everywhere.

White South Sea Pearl Glissade Hoops

Tahitian Pearl Glissade Hoops

Golden South Sea Pearl Glissade Hoops

 

 

2. Japanese Akoya Pearl Open Hoop Earrings

 

We love the understated take on these gold and pearl hoops. The pearls measure a dainty 6.0-6.5mm, and we really enjoy the contrast of the gold hoops and the round shape of the gems. These paired down hoops are perfect for daily wear when you don't want anything too fancy, and at a great price to boot.

Akoya Pearl Hoop Earrings

 

 

3. Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Pavé Enchantment Hoop Earrings

 

These glam pearl and diamond pavé hoops feature a rock star edge. This version is set with Tahitian pearls from French Polynesia, but we offer other pearl types. Each pearl earring sparkles with over a 0.25cts of diamonds, weighing just over 0.50cttw approximately. While we love this black pearl version, the White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Enchantment Hoops are the exact pearls we'd wear on our wedding day!

Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Enchantment Hoops

White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Enchantment Hoops

 

 

4. Pearl Studded Hoop Earrings by Lele Sadoughi

 

These pretty Freshwater pearls have a punk rock appeal threaded directly onto the hoop earring itself. We love that the designer, Lele Sadoughi, went with real pearls rather than the less expensive faux pearls for this design; the raw, irregularly shaped gems have so much more personality!

Pearl Studded Hoops by Lele Sadoughi

 

 

Baroque Pearl Earrings – Dare to be Different

 

1. White Freshwater Pearl and Faux Crystal Meteorite Earrings by APM Monaco

 

Bold, daring and absolutely wearable, this pair of earrings mixes genuine, real pearls with faux crystal sparkle, mounted on solid Sterling Silver. Named "Meteorite" to represent the stars shimmering in the night sky. We love the funky free-form baroque shapes of the Freshwater pearls, and would wear these every day if we could!

Meteorite Baroque Freshwater Pearl Earrings APM Monaco

 

 

2. Freshwater Baroque Pearl Earrings with Diamond Slice Accents by Chan Luu

 

These baroque Freshwater pearl dangles by Chan Luu feature two thin diamond slices wire-wrapped in Sterling Silver to dangle underneath the pink and champagne colored pearls. Definitely loving the "Hershey's Kiss" crinkled texture of these baroque pearls and the intense rainbow iridescence on these drop earrings!

Pink Baroque Freshwater Pearl Dangles by Chan Luu

 

 

3. Golden South Sea Drop-Shape Pearl and Diamond Earrings by Aquarian Pearls

 

Gorgeous Golden South Sea pearls are stunning show-stoppers with this pair of pearl drop earrings. The Art Deco design harkens back to the glamorous era of Old Hollywood, and the smooth drop shapes of the pearls have a feminine, romantic appeal. LOVE.

Golden South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings by Aquarian Pearls

 

 

Picking the BEST Pearl Earrings: The Secrets of Pearl Grading

The key to selecting the very finest cultured pearls for your earrings lies in being able to evaluate the quality of the pearls. 

Whether you’re purchasing Akoya, Freshwater, Tahitian or South Sea pearls, the one thing they all have in common is that they are graded using the 7 Value Factors for pearls.

These are: 

 

• Luster
• Surface Quality
• Shape
• Size
• Matching
• Color
• Natural vs. Cultured Pearls

 

Each of these attributes is considered when assigning a pearl its final grade on the A-AAA and A-AAAA Grading Charts.

Pro tip: The MOST important factor when picking the right pearls is LUSTER. It is Luster that makes or breaks pearls as a precious gemstone. Pearls with poor luster or even medium luster are not very valuable, and tend to look rather dull, like a bead.

 

Learn About the 7 Value Factors

 

The Difference Between A-AAA and A-AAAA Pearl Grading

The A-AAA Scale is primarily used for Japanese Akoya pearls (this is known as the Japanese System). A represents the lowest commercial grade, with AAA reserved for the very best Akoya pearls. 

The legendary Hanadama Akoya pearls are selected from the best of the AAA Quality Akoya pearl harvests, and are sent to the Pearl Science Laboratory of Tokyo, Japan for evaluation and certification, but it’s important to know that ALL Hanadama pearls were sourced from AAA Quality lots! 

The A-AAAA Grading is used for Freshwater, Tahitian and South Sea pearls, which corresponds with the A-D Pearl Farmer’s Grading System. In this system, “A” represents the vey best pearls, and “D” represents commercial grade pearls that don’t really make it onto the market. 

For pearl earrings, what that means is that you’ll want to select pearls that are AA+ and higher for Akoya pearls, and AAA Quality or AAAA for all other pearl types.

This ensures that the pearls you are buying have the cleanest pearl surfaces and best luster available.

 

What Type of Pearls Should I Choose? 

This can be a tough decision to make; here’s a quick rundown on which cultured pearls you should choose for your new pearl earrings

• Akoya:Smaller sizes ranging from 3.0mm up to 9.5-10.0mm at their largest. Akoyas are saltwater pearls primarily from Japan and are known for being highly lustrous, round in shape and extremely well-matched. Think Mikimoto.
• Freshwater:Slightly larger range of sizes than the Akoya, Freshwater pearls start around 3.0mm and can range up to 12.0mm in size and sometimes larger. Freshwater pearls come in a rainbow of natural colors like Pink, Lavender and White. They are known for being less expensive than any other pearl type.
• Tahitian:Naturally black pearls from French Polynesia, these famous pearls range in size from 8.0mm up through 16.0mm and larger. These saltwater pearls are the most popular black pearl type.
• White South Sea:Large and luxurious, White South Sea pearls are farmed primarily in Australia. These saltwater pearls range in size from 8.0mm through 17.0mm and even larger than that! Known as the "Queen of Cultured Pearls".
• Golden South Sea:Naturally Golden in color, these South Sea pearls are mostly farmed in the tropical Philippine Islands. With a similar size range to White South Seas, what counts most with Golden pearls is the depth of their colors ... the more saturated and intense the Gold, the more valuable they are!

 

Read More: The Insider's Guide to Cultured Pearl Types

 

What Size Pearl Earrings is Best?

This age-old question is one of our Top 10’s! Pearl earrings are available starting at tiny seed pearl sizes, 2.0-3.0mm up through incredibly large pearls measuring 15.0mm or so. Generally you’ll find that Akoya and Freshwater pearls are smaller, and Tahitian and South Sea pearls are on the larger end. 

We have a general rule of thumb when it comes to buying the perfect earring size: 

• Stick with 5.0-5.5mm through 6.5-7.0mm sizes for “First Pearls” pearl earrings for young girls and ladies, and petite women who prefer smaller-sized jewelry.
• For Classic White Pearl Stud Earrings: the most popular pearl earring sizes range from 7.0-7.5mm through 8.5-9.0mm, which most of us consider to be versatile and elegant without appearing “too loud”. This size range works beautifully for women ranging in age from 20-60 years old, and is considered to be the sweet spot for pearl studs.
• You can rev up the glamour and sophistication of your pearl studs by going bigger in size … see this incredible picture of Angelina Jolie wearing a pair of 12.0-13.0mm White South Sea pearl earrings for the gorgeous gravitas that exudes from larger pearl stud earring sizes.

 

 

• For Dangle Earrings, our general advice is “Bigger is Better”. Small pearls tend to get lost on a dangle, since the pearls are usually at least ¾” away from the earlobe. Unless you’re wearing your hair up to showcase the pearls, there will be your hair obscuring the dainty pearls, even if there is a heightened contrast if you have dark hair. For that reason, we recommend pearls measuring at least 9.0-10.0mm and UPso that your pearls will really show up whether your hair is worn up or down.
• Really large pearl sizes like the South Sea 13.0-14.0mm and bigger, honestly require a dangle earring mounting. The pearls in those sizes are very heavy, and may fall forward on the earlobe even using large plastic disc backs to stabilize the pearls forward (obviously this does not apply to Non-Pierced earrings).

 

For More Information Read: The Pearl Expert’s Guide to Pearl Sizes

 

Choosing the Best Pearl Shape for Your Earrings

The sky is the limit here. Pearls come in a very wide variety of shapes, from the classic perfect Round to totally funky Free-Form Baroques. Some points to consider:

• Choose perfectly Round pearls for stud earrings, especially if these are earrings meant for ladies that aren’t all that familiar with wearing pearls, then a pair of perfectly round pearl studs is your Go-To.
• For those of us who enjoy a walk on the wild side, a pair of funky Baroque pearl dangle earringsis a whimsical departure from the “norm”, and really gives you a chance to express your individuality.
• Smooth Drop-Shaped pearls are a beautiful way to straddle the middle and add a romantic touch to any pair of pearl dangles. We adore pearl Drops.

 

Pearl Colors: Which Pearl Color is Best?

It’s not just white! Today cultured pearls offer a veritable rainbow of colors to choose from. We’ll run down each pearl color to give you a quick guide and then it’s all up to you.

• White:Classic, Iconic and Elegant. Good for first pearls, last pearls and everything in between.
• Black:Daring, Exotic and Different. An excellent addition to an existing collection.
• Pink: Romantic, Feminine and Candy-Colored. A sweet, Spring-centric alternative to the classic white pearl.
• Gold: Rich and Glamorous. For women looking to make a statement.

 

Learn More About Pearl Colors

 

Where To Buy Pearl Earrings

Once you’ve selected a pearl type, size, color, and earring style, you’ll be better equipped to shop from multiple vendors and find the perfect pearls. 

Generally, your safest bet is to shop at a high-end luxury store like Mikimoto, or select online boutiques like Pure Pearls. But be careful online, especially on third-party sites like Amazon or eBay ⁠— these sites usually offer low prices, and low-quality pearls to match. 

Read more in our guide on where to buy pearls. 

 

Our Final Word In Choosing Pearl Earrings

If you’re looking for a set of classic white pearls, you can’t go wrong with our Hanadama Akoya Earrings. These PSL Certified Akoya pearls offer the highest luster and thickest nacre of all Akoya pearls, and the classic White Pearl Stud can be worn with a gown, or something a bit more casual, and works for almost anyone.

But pearls also come in a variety of styles and colors unmatched by most gems. Try Freshwaters in a variety of colors for something affordable, or durable, or Tahitians and South Sea pearls for something high-end and unique.

To learn more and browse a wide variety of pearl earrings, visit Pure Pearls’ complete collection of pearls: Shop all Pure Pearls Pearl Earrings.