TribeBlog

In addition to standard round plugs, it is also possible to make plugs in a teardrop shape from nearly any material we offer. Teardrops provide an interesting aesthetic, in that it elongates the lobe beyond how it appears naturally (especially at larger sizes), and makes the bottom wider than the top. It provides a bit more of a streamlined visual effect than round plugs at large sizes as they do not protrude from the side of the face as much. There is no additional stretching or any preparation needed to wear this shape of jewelry beyond having well healed piercings and a well made piece.

The pieces below are blue tiger’s eye teardrops at 1.5″ (38mm).

Teardrops are tricky to make and can be uncomfortable to wear if the top portion is overly pointed. We have seen pieces looking almost like triangles from some vendors and can’t imagine how uncomfortable that must be to wear. Sizing is also an issue, as teardrops cannot be measured with calipers or ‘averaged’ by taking height and width measurements and dividing by two, which does not take into account the curvature of the sides. They must be made using the circumference measurements (distance around the piece, as opposed to across it as with measuring diameter with calipers) and wrapping an object around the piece to continually check the size of both the saddle and each flare – we generally utilize a marked natural fiber string that doesn’t stretch.

Onetribe can produce teardrop shaped plugs from 0g (8.2mm) and up from most materials. Teardrops are also an option for materials that have odd dimensions – we may not be able to carve round plugs from a given piece of material, but the tapered shape of teardrops may enable us to squeeze a set of jewelry out of it. Teardrop shaped pieces can be short and chubby or narrow and tall, depending on your personal preferences or the shape of the material itself. When making pieces without direction we aim for a balance between the two and an aesthetically pleasing teardrop shape, taking into account the texture and color of the material. Flare sizes are the standard 1.5mm of our round plugs but can be customized to your tastes, including doing Mayan flared faces. We can carve teardrops as concaves, with inlays, etc. just as we do any other style, but there is a major difference in cost associated with these options over doing them in standard round plugs due to the extra time involved in working in a non-standard shape.

1.5″ (38mm) Teardrops in Green Fluorite

Ebony Hollow Teardrops with CZ Inlays.

1″ (25.4mm) Rutilated Quartz Teardrop Plugs

0g (8.2mm) Labradorite Teardrops (they both flash light or dark blue depending on the angle)

1.5″ (38mm) Obsidian Concave Teadrops and 3/4″ (19mm) Concave Labret with 23k Gold Leaf

5/8″ (16mm) Aqua/Blue Labradorite Teardrops

2″ (51mm) Maple Teardrops and Assorted Friends

If you find yourself intrigued by this shape of jewelry and interested in having some carved in wood, stone or any other material (amber teardrops? Sure!), please feel free to get in touch with us, we’d be happy to make something special and unique for you!