Community Chat

[drizzellla]

I went out to lunch with friends today. Only the second time we got together since the quarantine. Was so happy to get together.

Wore a pair of really nice peridot and white gold earrings. Finally got to wear some of my better attire.

After lunch I passed a Sam's Club. Decided to stop because we needed a few items. When I entered they recommended that masks be worn. I wore my mask. 

About an hour ago I realized I was missing my left earring. Looked all over the house. No earring. I am quite sure that I lost the earring when I put my mask on or off. I had put it on and it slipped off my left ear so I had to slip the elastic around the left ear again. 

There is alot going on around my ears. I wear glasses and over the ear hearing aids. And then add the elastic for masks.

So please be mindful of earrings when taking masks on and off. I wish I had.

[golding76]

I can understand your frustration and disappointment at losing a quality earring.  Pre-masks, my downfall has always been woven scarves around my neck in the wintertime.

Let's see, did I lose three or four 14k gold earrings within a 10-year span?  It's one or the other, and each time I became very upset with myself.   Apparently, the back of the earring gets snagged in the scarf and is pulled from the ear.  Then it tumbles down.

For a while after losing an earring, I will check them every few minutes (which is exhausting), but then I forget to do it and lose another one. 

Your message about being alert to this possibility with mask-wearing is timely and valuable.  Thank you. 

[Jk9]

@drizzellla You are not alone as my sister lost one of her favorite earrings and a friend lost a diamond earring while wearing and removing a mask.  I noticed I had lost an earring backing early on in mask wearing so I became and still am very diligent about checking my earrings when putting on and removing a mask.  I wish I had mentioned my discovery to my sisters and others who I know wear masks frequently.  

[J Town Girl]

I'm so sorry about your earring.  I've only lost an earring from an inexpensive pair so although I felt bad it wasn't that much of a loss.   Your earring sounds lovely and I understand why you are upset.

I will definitely take your advice and be very careful with my earrings when wearing my mask.

[MOMMAVik]

@drizzellla,
I am sorry that you lost your beautiful earring. I lost one of my favorite silver hoops in the grocery several weeks ago vI noticed it missing when I got home & hurried back to the grocery. Sure enough a very kind person had found it & turned it in at the Service Desk! Bless them, I was so happy. And yes, I'm sure it was because of that mask elastic

Perhaps you can have your remaining earring made into a pendant? I'm not sure how costly that would be but maybe a jeweler could help.

[catwoman48]

Drizzellla, I feel your pain. We are required to go into the office once a week now, masks required even if we are alone on the floor. On my second visit, I wore my least expensive diamond cluster earrings. Got home to find an earring missing. I immediately notified my supervisor, who had someone from Office Services (law firm) late shift look for it. I sent her a photo of the remaining earring. Nada. When I went back to the office the next week, I looked EVERYWHERE. I am certain it got caught in the earpiece of my mask and flew off the first time I took it off mid morning to drink my tea at my desk. Had checked my car, retraced my steps, etc. Never turned up, and these were floral clusters, not solitaires, hard to miss. Now the one I didn’t lose is missing! No idea what happened to it after I took the photo.

The point of this is that I learned my lesson. Pierced earrings and masks DO NOT mix. You can never be careful enough. The only solution is to wear studs with screw backs (if you have time to deal with them) or to not wear earrings at all. I immediately replaced the lost earrings with a similar style that cost at least 3x more than the lost ones, but they are GORGEOUS, much better quality. I am just glad I wasn’t wearing better diamonds that day.

[Desertdi]

I use these silicone earring backs in addition to the gold ones.   They also can be used on lever backs:

[beach-mom]

@drizzellla - I'm so sorry. When we were masking on and off it prevented us from wearing the usual pretty earrings we do, and I'm sure a lot of people lost earrings.

If I were you I would call Sam's Club tomorrow. If a staff member was walking around the store after closing, he/she may have noticed your earring.

Years ago when I was teaching I noticed one of my gold hoop earrings was gone. My parents had given them to me.  It was chilly and I had been wearing a jacket with a hood that was being pulled up, then pushed down. It was almost the end of the day. I retraced my steps all over campus, and nothing. I also asked everyone to look out for it. I thought it was gone for good, and I was sad.

The next day I got to my office and had a message to call the mail room. One of the guys there had found it! I knew him pretty well. I didn't offer to pay a reward, but I asked him what I could do. He said he liked cookies, so I baked his favorite kind! 

I hope yours turns up! 

[hckynut]

@drizzellla 

Was about 2 weeks ago when I realized my right stud earring was no longer in my ear. Know it wasn't from a mask because I haven't worn one since May 31 at the ice rink. No longer needed to wear 1 after that date.

Gold? I doubt it because I don't think I paid over $25 for any of my pairs. Now I do West a United States Flag stud in 1 ear on occasion, but I keep a close eye on that one. Never wore it with a mask so it was safe.

hckynut 

[decaf]

I'm sorry you lost a favorite earring.   It's amazing how something like that can really bother you.  Maybe someone found it at the store.  Check with them. 

If it makes you feek better, about 15 years ago I lost about 3K of my favorite jewelry  while on vacation.  I accidentally dropped the small bag it was in, in the parking lot of our hotel.  Also, this happened the night of July 4 so the police were very busy with other duties.  It still hurts to think about it.