What the collection consists of
Gold hoops at Longvé are huggies in solid 14 karat gold. A huggie is a small, close-fitting hoop that hugs the earlobe rather than hanging loosely like a classic, large ring. The selection ranges from very slim, plain rings to versions set with diamonds, and can be bought both as a single earring and as a pair. Because each design comes in several sizes and as a single piece, you can combine several piercings or deliberately wear two different ones, instead of being tied to one symmetrical set.
The entire collection is gathered under hoop earrings, and the smaller, tight models also appear under huggies. If the gold matters more than the shape, the same earrings can also be found in the broader selection of gold earrings.
Tiny, small and medium in size
The plain huggies without stones come in three steps. Tiny Huggies is the smallest and most discreet and hugs the earlobe very closely, which makes it well suited for the upper part of the ear or as an extra ring in a set of several piercings. Small Huggies take up a little more space and work as the ring most people would recognise as a classic small hoop. Medium Huggies is the largest of the three and becomes the visible focal point in the ear, without becoming a large statement ring.
Size is not only about how much gold you see from the front. A tiny sits closer and moves less, while a medium hangs a little more freely. If you only want to buy one pair of gold hoops, small is the safe starting point, because it suits both everyday and dressier outfits.
Double huggies with two rows
In addition to the single rings, there is a double variant, where the earring has two parallel gold bands instead of one. This gives more volume and a more distinct piece of jewellery without switching to an outright large hoop. Tiny Double Huggies still keeps it nicely close to the ear, while small double huggies is the more pronounced of the two.
The double model is a shortcut to the layered look many otherwise create by placing two single rings in two piercings. If you only have one piercing in each ear but want more to look at, a double huggie solves it in one piece of jewellery.
Huggies with diamonds
A large part of the collection is gold hoops set with diamonds along the front edge. They come both with natural diamonds and with lab-grown diamonds, which are chemically and optically equivalent to natural diamonds but are grown in a laboratory and typically priced lower for the same size. If you want to read more about how the two differ, Longvé goes through it in the article on what are lab-grown diamonds.
The diamond weight spans widely. The smallest huggies start at 0.01 carat per ear and give only a fine glint, while the heaviest prong models reach 0.71 carat per ear, that is 1.42 carat for a pair. Prong here means that each diamond is held by small claws, so the stone stands freely and catches as much light as possible. The alternative is bezel, where a thin gold edge encloses each diamond all the way around. The bezel setting sits lower and has no claws that can catch in hair and clothing, which makes bezel huggies a calm choice for daily wear. The prong setting gives more sparkle, but requires a little more care.
Single or pair
Most models are sold both as a single, that is one earring, and as a pair. It is worth noting before adding to the cart, because the price of a single covers only the one ear. Selling singly is practical for two reasons. If you have several piercings, you can freely mix sizes and designs without paying for rings you do not use. And if you lose one of a pair, you can replace exactly that one without buying a whole new set.
The carat figures in the product names follow the same logic: a single of 0.10 ct. becomes 0.20 ct. when sold as a pair, because the figure then covers both earrings together.
Why solid gold is a safe choice for sensitive ears
All gold hoops in this collection are 14 karat solid gold all the way through, not gold-plated silver or gold doublé. The difference matters for both durability and skin. Gold plating is a thin layer of gold on top of another metal, and the layer gradually wears off, so the base metal comes through. Solid 14 karat gold has the same composition all the way through and does not change over time in that way.
For sensitive ears it is often the base alloy itself that determines whether the earring is tolerated. 14 karat means that 14 of 24 parts are pure gold, while the rest are other metals that provide strength. If the skin still reacts, white gold can be an alternative, although it is traditionally rhodium plated. Longvé explains the alloy in more detail in what is white gold. If earrings become dark over time in the piercings or on the skin, it is usually due to soap, makeup and skin residue rather than the gold itself, which Longvé elaborates on in why do my earrings turn black.
How to keep the shine in gold hoops
Gold does not tarnish like silver, but huggies sit close to the ear and therefore quickly gather skin oil, hair products and soap residue in the gap between the ring and the clasp. This is typically what makes them appear matte, not the gold itself. A soft cloth and lukewarm water with a little mild soap removes most of it, and an old, soft toothbrush reaches into the clasp, where the dirt hides. Diamonds catch a film of grease and lose their shine faster than the gold around them, so they especially benefit from a turn in the soapy water.
A more detailed procedure is described in how to clean earrings. If several kinds of jewellery are to be maintained at the same time, Longvé gathers it in how to clean jewellery.
Can you wear huggies around the clock?
Huggies are among the earrings many choose precisely because they can stay in. They are small, close-fitting and have no loose parts that catch in the pillow at night or in clothing during the day. This makes them ideal for daily wear and for fresh piercings that still need to be kept open. Longvé goes through when a piercing is ready for a change in when may you take earrings out, and which earrings are suitable for freshly pierced holes in Which earrings can you get pierced with?.
If you bathe with them on, solid gold in itself tolerates both water and soap, but chlorine and salt water are harder on the clasp and on any diamond settings over time. To be on the safe side, take them off before pool and sea.
What the word hoop actually covers
Gold hoops are also called creoles in Danish, and the two words are used interchangeably for ring-shaped earrings. A huggie is a small, tight subcategory of the hoop, where the ring only just encloses the earlobe. If you want to understand where the huggie fits in among the other ring shapes, from large classic hoops to the very small ones, Longvé explains the term in what are hoop earrings.
Knowing the words makes it easier to search and compare. If you are looking broadly for gold earrings without having locked yourself onto the shape, gold earrings contain both huggies and the other types, while the entire jewellery selection in gold is found under gold.