Lady Grey Lobe Earrings in Gold
They learned metalwork casting teeth in dental offices. Now their signature piece is an earring shaped like an earlobe.
For the friend who follows Brooklyn design studios and bookmarks sculptural jewelry she never buys. She appreciates Schiaparelli's surrealist body-part pieces but not the price tags.
These are actual earlobe-shaped earrings, marked L and R inside for anatomical accuracy. When she puts them on, her own lobes appear gold-dipped. At $185, wearable conceptual art that prompts questions without trying.
We don't earn if you buy · Why this matters
Lady Grey Lobe Earrings ($185). Earlobe-shaped trompe l'oeil from dental-technicians-turned-sculptors. Brooklyn studio with Bergdorf launch credentials. Worn by Beyonce and Michelle Obama.
The argument
Why We Chose the Lady Grey Lobe Earrings
Sculptural earrings at this price tend toward decorative shapes. The Lobe Earrings ARE the body part they adorn: a trompe l'oeil concept that connects to Schiaparelli's surrealist tradition but from a Brooklyn studio founded by two women who learned metal casting in orthodontic offices.
Their MassArt instructor described them as 'fascinated by investigating grotesquerie and prosthetics and body parts.' The Lobe Earrings are that obsession made wearable. The design isn't gimmicky because it was inevitable.
The fit
Who'll Love This
Someone drawn to Schiaparelli's surrealist body-part jewelry but not the $800+ price tag. A design-obsessed reader of The Cut who recognizes Brooklyn-studio provenance as a credential. Anyone seeking conversation-piece earrings over another hoop or stud.
Perfect for someone who
- loves surrealist jewelry but not $800+ prices
- reads The Cut and follows Brooklyn design studios
- wants conversation-piece earrings over basic hoops
- collects jewelry with origin stories
Skip for someone who
- Prefers traditional jewelry silhouettes over conceptual design
- Avoids conversation-piece accessories
- Needs immediate delivery (backordered through 3/15)
- Expects solid gold at this price (14k plated bronze)
Sculptural earrings with surrealist concept and design-world credentials at accessible price point
AdventurousHas a point of view
The Verdict
The Lobe Earrings made the cut for six reasons. First.
The Lobe Earrings made the cut for six reasons. First, the founders learned jewelry fundamentals casting dental prosthetics as teenagers, then studied Sculpture at MassArt. Second, Bergdorf Goodman and Selfridges bought the collection within months of launch. Third, Gen Art named them Designer of the Year International in accessories their first year.
Fourth, top-selling status at both LadyGreyJewelry.com and At Present. Fifth, currently backordered through mid-March. Sixth, celebrity wearers include Beyonce, Michelle Obama, and Rihanna.
What People Say About Lady Grey
No customer reviews available. Trust established via design press validation: Vogue, ELLE, Harper's within first year. Gen Art Designer of the Year 2009. Best Seller at both Lady Grey direct and At Present. Currently backordered through mid-March. Celebrity wearers include Beyonce, Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Solange, Elizabeth Olsen, and Grimes.
The Moment
She puts them on for a birthday dinner. Someone notices the golden earlobes, asks if they're real. She explains the dental prosthetics origin story. They want a pair. This keeps happening: anniversary parties, gallery openings, casual Fridays when she needs something to break the ice. Two reactions reliably occur: immediate recognition of the body-part concept, or a double-take followed by delight.
The Gift Scene
She lifts what looks like two golden earlobes from the tissue paper and turns one over to find the L stamped inside. 'Are these anatomical?' The other is marked R, and when she puts them on her own earlobes appear gold-dipped, the surreal illusion landing in an instant.
'I need to know who made these.' The story about artists who learned metalwork casting teeth as teenagers will make her week.
The Message
You notice design. You embrace weird. Body-part jewelry from dental molds - you'll get it.
Who are you buying for?
The worry
Giving something generic that joins the drawer of forgotten jewelry she never wears.
Birthday
Surrealist earrings that match her actual taste, not the taste you wish she had
Every jewelry gift feels like a guess. These are polarizing by design. You already know which side she's on.
You've watched her curate everything: the vintage she hunts, the accounts she follows, the things she actually keeps. Generic gold hoops would disappear into a drawer. These earrings are from two women who learned metalwork in orthodontic offices, studied sculpture, then made jewelry that looks like body parts dipped in gold. It's weird in exactly the way she likes things to be weird.
Founders learned lost-wax casting in dental prosthetics before studying sculpture at MassArt. For a girlfriend who appreciates design weirdness, these deliver instant recognition that you get her.
Worried she'll think it's too conceptual? Lady Grey launched at Bergdorf and Selfridges, won Gen Art their first year. Beyonce wears their pieces. The design-world validation is already there. You're not taking a risk. You're proving you know her.
She opens the box and pauses. The earrings are shaped like earlobes. She looks at you, then puts them on and sees her ears looking gold-dipped. The double-take turns into a grin. She gets it.
The worry
Going safe and registering as unimaginative after all these years together.
Anniversary
After years of gifts, earrings that prove you still notice what she actually loves
The longer you've been together, the harder it gets to surprise her. These are strange enough to break through.
She's usually the one who finds things first. She sends you the link, spots the artist, curates the home. You want to show up with something at her level, something she hasn't already discovered. These are trompe l'oeil earrings from dental-technicians-turned-sculptors. The origin story makes the design make sense. She'll appreciate both.
She usually spots interesting things first. Finding something SHE hasn't found signals continued attention. The design credentials (Bergdorf, Gen Art, Vogue) give verification she'll recognize.
Not sure if earrings shaped like earlobes is too weird? Lady Grey has been featured in Vogue, ELLE, Harper's since their 2009 launch. Currently backordered. Best Seller at two retailers. The market has already validated the weird. You're just proving you know her taste.
She's seen your jewelry gifts before. She opens this one and stops. These are earrings shaped like ears. She puts them on and her lobes look gold-dipped. 'Where did you find these?' signals you got it right after all these years.
The worry
Getting out-found by the friend who finds everything first.
Birthday
Earrings weird enough to impress the friend who finds everything first
Your best friend has the best taste. Gifting her jewelry feels like a test. This one passes.
She's the one who texts you about the gallery opening, the sample sale, the thing she spotted in someone's story. You want to show up with something that registers as a genuine find, not a gift-guide pick. These earrings look like gold-dipped earlobes, made by two friends who studied sculpture together. The origin story alone is something she'll retell.
Lady Grey was founded by two best friends who met at MassArt. Gifting their work to YOUR best friend has symmetry. At $185, it's meaningful without being a financial statement.
Worried she's already seen these? Lady Grey is design-press famous but not mainstream famous. Gen Art award, Vogue features, but not in every mall. If she knew about them, she'd probably already own a pair. The backorder status suggests you found a live one.
She unwraps and laughs. 'These are shaped like EARS.' She puts them on immediately. The gold-dipped illusion works. She's already planning which outfit to debut them with. This becomes the story she retells.
The worry
Giving something generic that gets lost in the birthday pile.
Birthday
The gift that proves you paid attention, even from a safe distance
She'd never want the obvious gift, but you don't know her exact taste. These are specific enough to feel personal.
A friend who always notices the design detail: the bag handle, the hem stitching, the thing that's not obvious. A gift card would be lazy. A candle would be generic. These earrings are gold-plated bronze from a Brooklyn studio founded by two women who learned metalwork in dental offices. It's the kind of thing worth knowing the story behind.
Lady Grey is design-world famous but not mainstream famous. That's the sweet spot for a friend who'd appreciate the discovery. The Lobe Earrings are their best-seller.
Not sure earrings shaped like earlobes is right for someone you don't know deeply? The validation stack handles the risk: Bergdorf launch, Gen Art award, Beyonce as wearer. You're not guessing. You're giving her a discovery with built-in credibility.
The box opens and there's a head tilt. 'Wait, are these shaped like ears?' Yes. The gold-dipped effect is immediate when worn. It's the kind of gift that works because it's unexpected from you.
The bottom line
Lady Grey has handcrafted from their Greenpoint studio since 2009. The Lobe Earrings are repeatedly restocked, currently backordered. At $185, accessible entry into sculptural jewelry from makers whose work Beyonce wears.
Where it's made
Brooklyn, New York
Handcrafted in Lady Grey's Brooklyn studio since 2009.
From our research
The brand is named after Lady Jane Grey, England's 'Nine Days Queen' who was beheaded at 16. The founders were obsessed with her story. They also have a secret original name they refuse to reveal.
Their MassArt instructor called them 'orally fixated.' Both learned metalwork casting teeth. The Lobe Earrings are their most successful design.
The score
14k gold-plated bronze with anatomical earlobe sculpting. Creates a liquid-gold illusion that photographs as wearable art.
Design-press famous (Vogue, ELLE) but unknown outside fashion circles. Worn by Beyonce yet few recognize the Brooklyn studio behind it.
Ear-shaped earrings trigger an instant double-take. The L/R markings inside become a private discovery between giver and recipient.
Founded 2009. Gen Art Designer of the Year. Featured in Vogue, ELLE, Harper's. Worn by Beyonce.
The evidence
Why we trust this
75/100 (Good) -- No product reviews; Lady Grey uses Shopify without a review platform and does not sell on Amazon. Trust via Brand Trust Protocol (3/4): 17-year Brooklyn brand by MCA Sculpture & Metalsmithing graduates. Press in Vogue, ELLE, Harper's, The Cut, Women's Health within months of 2009 launch. Gen Art Designer of the Year. Stocked at At Present (Best Seller). Celebrity wearers: Beyonce, Michelle Obama, Rihanna. Worn at 2025 CFDA Awards. Backordered through 3/15.
The research behind this
15 verified claims from this product's record - last verified February 25, 2026
Rating and review data from
Quick facts
- Price
- $185
- Feels Like
- $275 Bergdorf/Selfridges launch, Gen Art award, Beyonce-worn. Sculptural concept usually costs $300+.
- Brand
- Lady Grey
- Category
- Jewelry & Accessories
- Aesthetic
- Modern Classic
- Great For
- Anniversary, Birthday
- Gift Type
- Adventurous
- Type
- Consumable
Value
Bergdorf-launched, Gen Art-awarded. Same studio makes Beyonce's pieces. $185 for sculptor's work.
Common Questions
What's the craft behind Lobe Earrings?
Handmade in Brooklyn using lost-wax casting, the same technique founders Jill Martinelli and Sabine Le Guyader learned as teenagers working in dental prosthetics. 14k gold plating over bronze with sterling silver ear posts. Each pair anatomically marked L and R inside. The studio has operated in Greenpoint since 2007.
Why do Lobe Earrings cost $185?
You're paying for design-world credentials plus handmade Brooklyn craft. Lady Grey won Gen Art Designer of Year in 2009, launched at Bergdorf Goodman and Selfridges within months, and their pieces are worn by Beyonce. The Lobe Earrings are a best-seller at multiple retailers and currently backordered. Most sculptural conceptual jewelry costs $300+.
Who are Lobe Earrings perfect for?
Design-obsessed girlfriends and wives who appreciate surrealist jewelry over safe choices. Best friends with impeccable taste who'd recognize Brooklyn-studio provenance. Anyone who reads The Cut, follows design accounts, and would appreciate earrings shaped like gold-dipped earlobes. Skip for traditional jewelry preferences.
How do I maintain the gold finish?
Wipe with a soft cloth after wearing. Avoid chemicals, perfumes, and lotions making direct contact. Store separately to prevent scratching. The 14k gold plating holds up with proper care but will show wear over years of daily use. Sterling silver posts are hypoallergenic for most wearers.
Are these everyday or occasion earrings?
Both. The single ear post design is engineered for all-day comfort. The surrealist concept makes them conversation starters, but the gold finish and lightweight construction work for daily wear. Many owners rotate between everyday subtlety and events where they want to prompt 'Where did you get those?' questions.
No more questions? Buy it for $185
How We Validated This
Last updated- Official Lady Grey Official Lady Grey About Lady Grey Responsibility
- Press Lady Grey News
- Retailer At Present Jewelry
- Source ZoomInfo Profile
