Remember a little while back I showed you my “something old” wedding earrings? Well, there was just one nagging problem with them—they’re fish-hook backs.
Evil / Image via Silver Clay Creations
Hive, I have the worst luck with these darn things. I am notorious for losing them right out of my ears. I don’t know what it is—I’ve tried everything from using those little plastic backs that come with them, to folding the fish hooks down once I’ve put them on, and everything in between. Nothing seems to work. They just fall right out of my ears, and by the time I notice I’m missing one I’m long gone from the place where I may have lost it, and thus it’s gone forever. With my luck, I’m bound to lose an earring during the course of the wedding day if I left them on fish hooks. I’d never be able to forgive myself for losing a family heirloom like that, so I knew I needed to do something.
Luckily, I have done “earring surgery” before, so I knew exactly what to do. Since the dangly parts of the earrings were attached to the fish hooks via simple jump rings, I could very easily open the jump rings with needle-nose pliers, remove the fish hooks, and attach the earrings to a straight post back, which are virtually impossible to lose.
Post earrings with jump ring attachment / Photo via National Artcraft
I went out and bought a few pairs of cheap post earrings whose posts would match/coordinate/look OK with my earrings, and when I got home I held up my earrings to the posts to pick which ones I liked best before I got out the pliers. Of the three pairs I brought home, there was a clear winner:
The originals / Personal photo
I simply opened the jump ring with pliers, removed the teardrop-shaped dangly parts, and reattached my own diamond-shaped dangly parts via the jump ring, and voilà—my something olds were now secure in my ears with no fear of falling out, and they had some extra bling to boot!
Nice cheek zit, Miss Wizard. / Personal photo
Personal photo
I had to try them on with my veil, of course, to see the whole picture. And even though I was wearing a black bathrobe, which kind of ruined the effect, I almost teared up. If I didn’t already love my earrings enough, I love them even more now, and with my veil they are totally perfect. It’s crazy the little things that make such a big difference!
Do you have a habit of losing fish-hook earrings? Have you revamped your something old to make it new again?
I always lose those earrings too! To the point that I end up pulling them out and stuffing them in my pocket a lot! I didn’t know anything like this existed.
Great job! I know I would die if I lost such important earrings. I rarely wear earings, but when I do and they are the fish hook ones I alway have to have the little plastic thing to keep them. You are so smart to think of such a great fix!
Beautiful!! I have a tendency to lose earrings too… Great fix!
@Jamcnair: Thanks!
@Mrs. Pony: Thank you!
@Miss Dragon: Thanks! 
@Miss Castle: For some reason those little plastic things never work for me. I used to have my ears stretched, so I think they’ve just never shrunk back down the whole way, so the little plastic backs that come on fish hooks just slip right through. I need huge earring backs for them to stay in, but you can’t wear those easily (or at all?) with fish hooks /:
@Miss Coyote: Thanks!
I wish you posted a picture of the back of the earing.
I do this kind of ‘surgery’ often, mostly cause my skin doesn’t react well to metals other than silver and gold.
Mrs. Wizard, Pittsburgh Age and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web Developer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software Programmer Engagement Date: June 8, 2011 Wedding Date: June 2012 Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PA About Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
Latest Gallery Pics