Ear cuffs have had a real moment on runways and social media, and the terminology around them has gotten a little muddled in the process. Cuffs, climbers and huggies all sit close to the ear, but they attach in genuinely different ways — and that difference matters for who can wear what.
What is a true ear cuff?
A true ear cuff clips or wraps around the outer cartilage of the ear and needs no piercing at all — it stays on by gentle pressure alone. This is what's driving most of the current ear cuff trend: it's a way to add a sculptural, multi-piece look to the ear without commiting to a new piercing. Cuffs range from a simple band to elaborate designs that appear to wrap around the whole ear.
What is an ear climber?
An ear climber does need a standard lobe piercing — it threads through the lobe like a stud, then the design 'climbs' upward along the ear's curve, creating a similar visual effect to a cuff (jewellery tracing the shape of your ear) without actually being one. If you already have your lobes pierced and want that climbing, curved-along-the-ear look, a climber is the more secure option, since it's anchored the same way a stud is.
To be upfront: we don't currently carry a no-piercing cartilage cuff. If that's specifically what you're after, our Moissanite Ear Climber Earrings give a closely related look but do require a standard lobe piercing — not a cartilage piercing, and not piercing-free.
What is a huggie hoop?
A huggie is a small, tight hoop that 'hugs' close to the lobe rather than swinging freely like a traditional hoop. It also needs a standard piercing, but sits closer to the ear than a classic hoop, which is part of why huggies and cuffs are often styled together — they occupy a similar close-to-the-ear space even though huggies are pierced and cuffs typically aren't.
| Style | Piercing needed? | How it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Ear cuff | No | Clips onto outer cartilage |
| Ear climber | Yes, standard lobe | Threads through the lobe, climbs upward |
| Huggie | Yes, standard lobe | Small hoop, hugs the lobe closely |
Styling them together
Because cuffs need no piercing, they're the easiest way to build a fuller ear look without new holes — worn alongside a stud or huggie in your existing lobe piercing. If you don't have a cuff, pairing a climber with a stud in the opposite ear gives a similarly directional, asymmetric look using only a standard piercing.
Moissanite Ear Climber Earrings — pierced, climbing design
Moissanite Huggie Hoop Earrings — close-to-lobe hoop
Moissanite Halo Stud Earrings — pair in the opposite ear
Browse the full range in our earrings collection.
The short version
A true ear cuff needs no piercing at all; climbers and huggies both need a standard lobe piercing, they just sit and move differently once they're in. We don't currently stock a no-piercing cartilage cuff, but a climber paired with a stud gives a closely related, directional ear look using a piercing you likely already have.