Ribbed Rope Twist Hoop Ear Clips in 18K Gold, circa 1960s

A clean pair of 1960s ear clips formed as open hoops of ribbed gold, the ribbing running diagonally around the band so the surface reads as twisted rope. The high polish is original and unbroken, and the flat ribs catch light in bright bands as the head turns.

The 1960s brought a return to gold worn for its own sake, and the twisted rope was among the decade's most enduring forms drawn from cordage and cable, rendered in polished metal, worn without a single stone..

The open center is what gives them scale: at 26 millimeters long and 16 millimeters across at the top, tapering to 13 at the base, they read considerably larger on the ear than 24.5 grams would suggest, and sit close and comfortable rather than pulling on the lobe. Fitted with hinged clip backs; no posts. Stamped 18K.