Cartilage Half Hoop Piercing in 18K Gold

A half hoop cartilage piercing in 18K gold — the open arc at the upper ear.

The half hoop cartilage piercing takes the full circle of the hoop and opens it into an arc — a form that enters at one piercing point and exits at another, the curved bar tracing the path of a hoop without completing the circle. In 18K yellow gold at 0.5 grams, the half hoop sits at the cartilage with the lightness the placement requires.

The open form of the half hoop creates a visual effect different from both the full hoop and the stud — the arc visible from the front, the two ball ends providing the retention at each exit point. A cartilage piece with the feel of a hoop and the mechanics of a barbell.

The half hoop. The arc at the cartilage.

Ricca Jewelry. 18K gold. The open arc, at the upper ear.