Chanel Earrings: Pre-Owned CC Studs, Drops and Hoops, Sorted by Shape

Chanel Earrings: Pre-Owned CC Studs, Drops and Hoops, Sorted by Shape

Chanel earrings are where the story of costume jewelry starts, and this edit sorts pre-owned CC studs, drops and hoops by shape. I go through the pairs by name and say how each one sits on the ear.

Vogue reports that the age of costume jewelry began with Chanel, who launched the first collection of its kind in the mid-1920s using chains, beads and glass. Sotheby's adds that before her, costume accessories were considered a faux pas, and that she delighted in mixing precious materials with faux ones. I think about that every time I look at Chanel earrings. They were never meant to be sober. They were meant to be worn, mixed and enjoyed.

Every pair here is pre-owned, sold secondhand, and each listing is a single piece in whatever condition the shop describes. That changes how I shop: I read the name closely, look at the photo, and pick the one I will actually put on in the morning. Sotheby's lists classic CC studs among the house's earring styles, so that is where I start.

The CC Stud Earrings in metal with enamel are the most playful of the group. The gold and pink pair is soft, the black, gold and pink pair has more edge, and the green and metallic pair is the one I would wear with a plain white shirt and nothing else. The crystal versions come in gold, metallic and silver, and they are the easy ones: a small flash by your face that works with jeans or tailoring.

The CC Heart Cut Out Stud Earrings in metal with crystals, large, and the Round CC Cut Out Stud Earrings are my pick if you want the logo to read from across a table. The pair with faux pearls and crystals, and the plainer one with faux pearls, bring the old Chanel habit of mixing pearl and metal. The CC Logo Stud Heart Earrings in gold-tone metal and the CC Logo Stud Earrings in metal are the quiet end of the row. Try them with your hair back, because studs are about the ear, not the hair.

Collage of pre-owned Chanel CC stud earrings, CC drop earrings and CC hoop earrings, and a mood photo of a woman in a white shirt wearing a pearl and gold CC drop earring.
Pre-owned Chanel CC studs, drops and hoops, sorted by shape.

CC Stud Earrings

CC Drop Earrings

Drops are where Chanel earrings get dramatic. Sotheby's names oversized drop earrings next to the studs as a house classic, and it also points out that most vintage Chanel earrings are clip-ons, because pierced designs only arrived in the 2000s. Several pairs below are clip-ons, so check each name before you fall for a pair.

The CHA-NEL Drop Earrings in metal with multicolor crystals spell the name out in letters, and they are the loudest thing here, in a good way. The CHA-NEL CC Dangle Stud Earrings with a faux pearl do the same thing more gently. I would wear the first with a black crewneck and the second with a trench. The Coco In Love Triple Heart CC Drop Earrings have a sweet, slightly cheeky shape that suits a slip dress.

Then there is movement. The CC Star Drop Crawler Earrings with crystals travel up the ear, the CC Dog Tag Charm Drop Earrings with crystals swing a little, and the CC Scissor Dangle Earrings, crystal embellished, are the sharpest idea of the lot. The CC Dangle Heart Earrings with a crystal and a glass pearl are a nod to the irregular glass pearl that Sotheby's credits to Suzanne Gripoix for the house.

The clip-ons are the ones I reach for when I want a bigger look. The CC Drop Clip-On Earrings with crystals and leather, plus the vintage CC Drop and vintage CC Cross Dangle Clip-On Earrings with a faux pearl, sit in a more old-school mood. The International Gem Society notes that clip backs use extra metal and are usually heavier than similar pierced styles, so put them on for ten minutes in front of the mirror before you decide. The two larger pearl and crystal dangles, the CC Dangle Earrings and the CC Round Drop Dangle Earrings, fill out the group for a dressed-up night.

CC Drop Earrings

CC Hoop Earrings

Hoops are the everyday answer, and the Chanel version keeps the logo front and center. The eight pairs here are all the same family with small changes, so the choice comes down to finish and detail. Chanel says the camellia became its emblem in 1913, when Mademoiselle Chanel pinned a white one to her belt, and you can see the flower idea in the Flower CC Hoop Earrings with faux pearls, my favorite of the group.

The CC Logo Hoop Earrings in gold-tone metal come in two moods. The black pair is the sleek one, and the pair with rhinestones is the evening one. The CC Logo Hoop Earrings in silver tone are the cooler option for anyone who lives in silver jewelry. I would wear that pair with a navy sweater and a simple watch, and let the hoop be the only logo in the outfit. The CC Logo Stud Hoop Earrings in gold-tone metal sit closer to the ear, and the CC Hoop Dangle Earrings add a little swing underneath.

The CC Logo Hoop Clip-On Earrings in gold-tone metal are the choice if your ears are not pierced. The CC Logo Hoop Star Earrings in silver-tone metal bring a small star detail, which I like with a gray sweater and jeans.

What I would skip: stacking a big hoop with a big drop on the same ear, or wearing a logo hoop with a heavy logo necklace. Pick one loud thing and let the rest stay quiet. Skip the idea that a hoop has to be worn with a perfect blowout, too. Chanel earrings look best a little undone.

CC Hoop Earrings

How I would choose a pair

Here is how I would choose a pair. Start with the ear, not the picture. If your ears are pierced, a stud, a drop or a hoop all work. If they are not, look for the word clip-on in the name, and remember what the International Gem Society says about clip backs being heavier.

Then think about your closet. Studs go with everything, drops belong with plain necklines, and hoops finish a casual outfit in ten seconds. Chanel herself, per Vogue, often wore a mix of real and faux pearls, so I do not worry about matching. Pre-owned also means each listing is one pair, so when one feels right, I would not wait around.

Last, look at the back. Chanel date codes added a letter from 1993, P for spring or A for fall, so a stamp like 93P points to Spring 1993. It is a fun thing to look for, and a nice reason to turn the earrings over before you wear them.

To go with a pair of CC studs, I gathered vintage Chanel jackets from the 1990s and 2000s.

If you prefer small earrings you can leave in, I picked out the best stud earrings in gold, silver and embellished pairs.