I’m always on the lookout for unique sterling silver earrings , and I especially like the animal themed ones created by The Magic Zoo. Let’s face it, there are thousands upon thousands of sterling earrings advertised and sold on the internet, as well as in mall kiosks and stores. It’s refreshing to locate jewelry that’s surprising and fun among all the riff-raff.

For instance, dolphin earrings in silver have got to be one of the most common jewelry designs ever created. I thought it was just a passing fad back in the 1980s, but here we are over 20 years later and they haven’t yet lost their appeal. Almost everywhere I turn I see dolphin earrings in sterling silver with or without diamond eyes, .925 dolphin earrings with different finishes, and of course in a myriad of poses. Most, of course, are busy leaping from the “water,” the way most people tend to envision this animal. But please, artists make your animal jewelry at least marginally anatomically correct. You do know what I’m talking about, right?

When examining earrings of a particular type, something unusual tends to pop out at you. Cat earrings are like that too. Most of them are too cutesy for my taste, but since all artists have their own vision, there’s not a lot I can do about it. I like earrings that have a nice feeling, something artistic and if possible, hand made. They don’t have to be “edgy” and in fact I’m sometimes bored and often confused with what passes for artistic wearable art. Especially if it’s animal jewelry you’re talking about. I like animals to basically look like animals. Maybe I’m just old fashioned.

But having said that, I must admit I enjoy stylized animal jewelry as well. Maybe that’s what attracts me to primitive art. Some of the jewelry and religious charms originated in societies that really saw the essence of the design and created work that communicates on a very basic level. Have you ever seen the beautiful art in those famous caves in France? Yes, now that is art at a very basic level indeed.

I guess that’s one of the appealing things about animal jewelry. It’s instantly interesting (how many people are there who actually don’t like animals) so from that point it’s just up to the artist to do something creative and inspirational, like sterling silver earrings that knock your socks off!