The orb, introduced in 1987, combined the British sovereign's orb with the ring of Saturn, and the intended reading was a collision of tradition and the future, which was the designer's entire political position compressed into a single mark. That is far more content than most logos carry. It has since been absorbed into a much wider culture, worn by people with no interest in the punk origins, which is either the logo working or the logo losing, depending on who you ask. The jewellery is where it appears most and where the designs range furthest from it.

New Petite Orb silver-tone cubic zirconia earrings and Leodaria logo sterling silver earrings are the two most explicitly branded of these vivienne westwood earrings. Larissa gold-tone enamel and Simonetta gold-tone earrings are the cleanest designs here. Hectorina gold and silver-tone crystal earrings mix the two metals, which is unusual in this range. Balbina silver-tone and bead earrings are the most textural, Della gold-plated earrings the most classic, and Fedora silver-tone pearl-effect crystal earrings the most decorative in the group.

Gold-tone and silver-tone plating over base metal wears through at contact points, and on earrings the contact point is the post and the back of the design, so the visible face usually outlasts the fixing. Sterling silver pieces tarnish and can be polished, while plated ones cannot be restored once worn through. Cubic zirconia holds its sparkle better than crystal, which dulls with skin contact and hairspray. Enamel chips from a single knock against a hard surface. If you take one thing away, buy sterling silver if you want to wear them constantly and plated if they are for occasional use.