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How are ear cuffs and ear wraps different from earrings? 

Unlike earrings, ear cuffs and wraps do not require any piercings. Instead, they stay put by attaching on the outer edge of the ear's cartilage or by a sturdy wire that wraps behind the ear. These types of attachments allows us to create more elaborate designs than would be possible in a regular earring. For example, the weight of one of our sculpted dragons might be too heavy as an earring. With the weight distributed in several places, however, the dragon can be worn quite comfortably as an "every-day" piece. 

 

What's the difference between and ear cuff and and ear wrap?

Though cuffs and wraps may be hard to tell apart while on a wearer's ear, the difference lies in precisely how they attach to the wearers ear:  

Ear cuffs rely on a small curved band of metal that "clips on" to the side cartilage of the ear. Though many commercial ear cuffs are designed to fit a part of the ear called the "upper helix," most Marty Magic ear cuffs are designed specifically to fit halfway down, around the "helix" and the "antihelix", where the cartilage is usually the firmest.

Ear wraps attach by wire that curves behind the ear, similar to a Blue Tooth or a pair of glasses. The wearer's ear slips comfortably between the space between the wire and the decorative ear wrap design on the front of the ear. 

 

What kind of ears do they fit?

Alisha says she gets this question a lot at shows, and that the answer is "most." Even though ears vary in shape and size between customers, most have the same general structure. Marty Magic ear cuffs are designed based on this structure, and the fit can easily be fine-tuned using a pair of needle nose pliers. A very minute adjustment will make a big difference in accomodating the width of the ear's cartilage. Depending on the width and girth of a wearer's ear, certain ear cuff designs may fit more comfortably than others. Ear wraps are generally "one-size-fits-all," comments Marty, due to the fact that most of our ears stick out from our heads:) The ear wrap wire can be gently contoured with finger pressure to fit the behind the ear curvature. 

 

How do you put on an ear cuff or ear wrap?

We strive to make all of our designs easy to put on, and we also know that finding the right "motion" can sometimes be a little tricky. To help with this, we've created a visual guide to putting on ear cuffs and wraps. If you still find yourself having trouble after reading, please feel free to contact us via email or phone for further assistance. 

 

Do they hurt to wear?

The short answer: not if they are fitted properly. The easiest way to adjust them is by using pliers to gently and minutely open the ear cuff flange to accomodate the thickness of your ear's cartilage. Be sure to not make them too loose, however, or they may fall off. If you're feeling unsure about adjusting it yourself, you can contact us via phone or email or stop by a show for a cutsom fitting. Ear wraps, Alisha sais, are very comfortable to wear because of the way they "sit" on the ear rather than gripping the cartilage. Some of the more elaborate designs may feel slightly weighty at first -- a sensation that is similar to wearing a bluetooth headset (but much, much cooler, we think). In most instances you will soon forget that you're wearing them; but remember that there is sometimes a price to be paid for fashion and beauty and even when you wear your most comfortable pair of stiletto heels for a night out, you are happy to slip out of them at the end of the evening:)

 

Do (men/kids/older folks/pirates/robots/steampunk heroes/______ ) them? 

Absolutely! Our ear cuffs and ear wraps are designed for all genders, ages, and tribes. We're sure you'll find one you love!

 

Do they fit over ear prosthetics?

E-mail us a photo of your prosthetic and we'll give you our opinion. Unfortunately, because of the huge variety of ear prosthetics out there, we can't guarantee that our jewelry will be compatible with the style you've chosen. That said, it does seem to us that our ear cuffs should fit many "partial-ear" prosthetics which attach to the upper part of the ear, leaving the mid-ear exposed. In fact, some prosthetic ear manufacturers even recommend using an ear cuff to hide the transitional seam between the prosthetic and the skin of the ear. If your prosthetic covers your entire ear, we think it's less likely to fit, and may require a high level of stretching and bending of the metal. This level of adjustment may also weaken the ear cuff or warp the design. 

 

If I have further questions, who should I contact?

You can reach us Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M -- our regular business hours -- at (831) 429-9805, or by email anytime through the submission form on our Contact Us page. You can also get the latest updates on new deals and designs by signing up for our monthly Newsletter or by following us on Facebook.