Bloody Shield | Made to Order Ear Jewelry | garnet | Nox ex Libris

Will release on 14-09-26 to all of our newsletter subscribers. Worldwide website release 28-09-26.

Handcrafted Medieval Shield Stud Earrings in Recycled Sterling Silver with Rose Cut Garnet | Made to Order

Handcrafted made to order shield stud earrings in recycled sterling silver, each a heater shield with a raised border and a rose cut pear garnet set into the field. Small, red and armoured, for the ones who read the fight scenes twice.

The Essence

Two shields, worn small.
One drop of red in each.
Armour, at ear scale.

Inspiration & Story

Bloody Shield belongs to the Nox Ex Libris collection, a realm built from books, medieval revival, knightcore and the kind of fantasy you disappear into on purpose.

The shape is a heater shield, the flat-topped, tapering shield you picture the moment anyone says knight. It appeared in the thirteenth century as armour improved and shields could shrink, and it is the shape that European heraldry settled onto: a shield was the surface arms were painted on, which is why coats of arms are still drawn on that outline today. It is not a decorative silhouette. It is the original canvas.

Each carries a rose cut pear garnet set into the field, in the position a charge would occupy on a coat of arms. A rose cut has a flat back and a faceted dome on top, and it is the correct cut for a piece like this: it is the way stones were cut before modern machinery, centuries before the brilliant existed. It gives a soft, watery glow with real depth in it rather than sharp modern fire, and you can see into the stone rather than off it.

Garnet does the rest of the work. It runs deep, still and slightly black at the edges, and then catches a lamp and goes properly red, lit from inside rather than reflecting off the surface. Exactly like old glass. It is also the stone that turns up most often in surviving antique mourning jewelry, so it carries a lineage as well as a colour.

Two of them, on your ears, means you are wearing a matched pair of arms. Which is the point.

Everything is made in our own atelier in the Netherlands, in real recycled 925 sterling silver. No plating, no filled, no vermeil, which matters more with earrings than almost anything else you own, because they sit against skin all day. The honest breakdown is in solid gold vs gold filled vs vermeil vs gold plated. If you want the wider case for why readers wear their books, bookish jewelry, why romantasy readers wear their stories is the one, and how to spot genuinely ethically made handcrafted jewelry will make you better at reading listings.

Perfect for lovers of heraldry and shields, knightcore and medieval revival, romantasy and bookish jewelry, garnet, rose cut stones, LARP and RPG aesthetics, renfaire and castle festivals, and handmade sterling silver earrings.

Creation Details

Jewelry Type: Ear Studs
Availability: Made to Order
Collection: Nox Ex Libris
Brand: Atelier Wolfstone
Material: Recycled 925 Sterling Silver
Gemstone(s): Two rose cut pear garnets, one per shield. 

Weight: 2.02 g for the pair
Size: 10 x 8 mm per shield
Sizing: Fixed size. This design is not available in alternative dimensions.
Sold as: A pair.
Backs: butterfly backs
Personalisation: None. They are made as shown.

Production Time: 8 to 12 weeks

This is a Made to Order creation. Each piece is crafted specifically for its future wearer. If you would like to learn more about the process behind our made to order jewelry, please visit our Made to Order blog post.

Crafted using in-house digital and traditional techniques: 3D designing, 3D printing, casting, sawing, shaping, soldering, stone setting, blackening and polishing.

Both garnets are set at the bench by us. A pear cut is set point-down in the field, and the point is where the stone is thinnest and most likely to chip, so the metal has to close over it cleanly without leaving it exposed or swallowing the shape. The blackening is worked into the raised border and polished back off the surface so the shield reads as a shield rather than a blob.

Style & Wear

Small armour for knightcore, romantasy and medieval revival baddies.

At 10 x 8 mm they sit close to the lobe and work in a first, second or third hole. Wear them as your permanent pair, the ones that never come out, or as the anchor in a stacked ear alongside hoops and climbers.

They are also the piece in this collection that goes anywhere. A halberd around your neck is a conversation. Two small red shields on your ears is a conversation you get to choose whether to have.

Red against silver is warm rather than cold, so they mix happily with gold and brass as well as an all-silver ear, and garnet holds its colour under indoor light, which is where most people actually see earrings.

Perfect for renfaires and castle festivals, romantasy fairs, LARP weekends, a book release you queued for, and every ordinary day you would rather be armoured.

Practical Notes

• Images are unedited and photographed in a light box and only lightly enhanced to adjust the lighting.
• Model pictures can be edited.
• Colors may vary slightly in real life.
• 6 months warranty starting from the day of delivery.
• Warranty covers defects in workmanship.
• This warranty is in addition to your statutory rights under EU consumer law.
• Always check gemstone hardness and physical properties to see if this gemstone suits you.
• Prices include 21 percent VAT.

Safety, Care & Documentation

For EU GSPR compliance, safety regulations and technical documentation, please visit:
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For warranty details, safe usage, sizing guidance and care instructions, visit our More page or our FAQ page. Each order includes a jewelry upkeep document so your creation can last for ages.

Questions & Answers

Is this a pair or a single earring?
A pair. Both shields, both garnets, one price.

How big is 10 x 8 mm on the ear?
Small. Roughly the size of a small fingernail, so the shield shape is clearly readable but they still sit close to the lobe and work for daily wear.

What is a heater shield?
The flat-topped, tapering shield shape that appeared in the thirteenth century as body armour improved and shields could shrink. It is the shape European heraldry settled on, which is why coats of arms are still drawn on that outline today.

What is a rose cut?
An old cutting style with a flat back and a faceted dome on top, used for centuries before the brilliant cut existed. It gives a soft, watery glow with visible depth rather than sharp modern fire. It is the historically correct cut for a medieval design.

Why does the garnet look almost black sometimes?
Because that is what garnet does. It runs deep and slightly dark at the edges and comes alive under warm light rather than daylight. It is the stone behaving correctly, not a flaw.

Is garnet hard enough for earrings?
Yes, comfortably. Garnet sits around 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, and earrings have an easier life than almost any other jewelry, since they are not knocked against door frames or keyboards.

Are sterling silver earrings good for sensitive ears?
For most people, yes. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver alloyed with copper and contains no nickel, and nickel is the usual reason ears react. If you react to nearly everything, solid gold is the safer route and we can make these in 14K or 18K on request.

Can I sleep in them?
Physically, yes, they are small enough. We would still say take them out. Studs worn permanently press into the lobe and posts bend over time, and a bent post is the number one way small earrings get lost.

Can these be made in gold?
Yes. We work in 14K and 18K gold as well as sterling silver. Message us and we will quote it.

Will sterling silver earrings tarnish?
Yes, all sterling silver does. Normal reaction to air and skin, not a fault. Earrings tarnish more slowly than most pieces because they get less contact with lotions and perfume, and on a blackened border a little tarnish only deepens the contrast.

How long does a made to order piece take?
Between 8 and 12 weeks. They are cast, set and finished specifically for you after you order, by two people, by hand.