Teeny-tiny little white stones -- some sparkle, but nothing to write home about. They look like the picture, but I expected larger sapphire "chips" (although these do appear to be cut stones). The outside stones end at exactly the point where the inside stones begin--not one overlapping stone; but the outside stones do go well below the "ear lobe point" so the illusion of a complet circle of sapphires is maintained.
There is nothing wrong with these earrings; there is just nothing really exciting about them either. Had I paid $98 (the list price)  I'd send them back as a real disappointment; but I paid under $25 and got free shipping, so ...