Twin Bird Temple Drop Earrings with Centre Stone

A large rectangular stone sits at the centre, with a bird perched facing inward on either side of it, all carried on a beaded frame with a stone-set teardrop above and a small diamond-shaped stone below. Available in Aqua, Baby Pink, Blue, Mint, Red, Grey, Green, Yellow and Black.

Symmetry and a Centre

Temple jewellery is built on symmetry, and the two facing birds are the clearest expression of it here — identical, mirrored, turned toward the stone between them so the whole composition points inward. That is a deliberately old device, used on temple gopurams and on the oldest South Indian gold work, and it is why this earring reads as traditional even to someone who could not name the style.

Design Details

The central stone is rectangular and set flat in a plain bezel, which is unusual — most temple pieces use round or teardrop stones — and the straight edges give the design an architectural quality that rounds would soften. The birds are modelled in relief with fine detailing on the wing and tail. A row of tiny gold beads runs around the outer frame, and a small stone-set teardrop sits above the rectangle while a diamond-shaped stone closes the design below. Antique gold finish, darkened in the recesses.

Nine Colours

Green and Red are the traditional temple colours. Black and Grey read as modern against the antique gold. Aqua, Mint, Baby Pink and Yellow are the soft daytime options, and Blue sits between. The frame and birds stay gold throughout.

How to Style It

These belong with silk — kanjeevaram, tissue, brocade — and with traditional dressing generally. Hair up, neck bare or wearing a temple-style chain if you have one. The design is wide rather than long, so it suits a high neckline particularly well.

Occasion

Weddings, receptions, temple visits and major festivals.

Comfort

Moderate. The frame is openwork rather than a solid plate, so the weight is lower than the visual size suggests, and the design sits flat against the ear rather than swinging.

Care

Put these on after perfume, hairspray and foundation — cosmetics shorten the life of plating faster than anything else. Wipe with a dry soft cloth after wearing and use a dry soft brush around the stone settings and through any fringe. Store them in a pouch rather than loose in a box, and never use toothpaste, bleach or an ultrasonic cleaner.

Product Details

Type: Temple-style drop earrings. Metal: Brass. Finish: Antique gold plating. Work: Rectangular bezel-set centre stone, mirrored bird motifs, beaded frame. Closure: Post and butterfly back.

- Available colours: Aqua, Baby Pink, Blue, Mint, Red, Grey, Green, Yellow, Black

On the ear

Weight is what decides whether an earring gets worn twice. These are hollow plated brass rather than solid metal, so a shape that looks substantial in a photograph sits lightly on the lobe — which is the whole reason a large traditional earring can be worn through a wedding without the piercing complaining by the end of it. If you are used to small studs, expect to feel the length for the first hour and then stop noticing it.

Nothing here is hallmarked and none of it carries resale value, and both facts are stated plainly rather than buried. What you are buying is the design and the finish at a price that lets you match a piece to one outfit without weighing up the cost.