An earwire is a bow of wire

Wire

A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...

, looped to fasten an earring

Earring

Common locations for piercings, other than the earlobe, include the rook, tragus, and across the helix . The simple term "ear piercing" usually refers to an earlobe piercing, whereas piercings in the upper part of the external ear are often referred to as "cartilage piercings"...

 to a pierced ear. It is generally made of precious metal

Precious metal

A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value.Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have high lustre, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals...

 or hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...

 surgical steel. Earwires are available commercially, as jewelry findings, but some jewelers make their own. Earwires and similar forms can be made with simple wire wrap techniques Wire wrapped jewelry

Wire wrapped jewelry

Wire wrapping is one of the oldest techniques for making jewelry by hand. In wire wrapping, jewelry is made using jewelry wire and findings similar to wire to make components. Wire components are then connected to one another using mechanical techniques with no soldering or heating of the wire...

There are a variety of both commercial and home made jigs to improve the uniformity and speed of creation. A simple home made jig can be made with a block of wood and several nails, smooth metal pins or bolts.

Styles

• Kidney wireshttp://www.guyotbrothers.com/jewelry-findings-glossary/Kidney-wire-finding.htm pass through the earlobe and hook onto themselves and form a closed loop.
• French loops pass through the earlobe but do not fasten at the back, instead relying on gravity to hold them in the wearer's ear.
• Omega clips are a combination between earwires and posts. While a post passes through the earlobe, a hinged wire (often shaped like the Greek letter Omega) flips up from the back of the earring to the back of the earlobe in order to secure the post in place of a friction back. The Omega mechanism is similar to that used in clip-on earrings for non-pierced ears.