I bought these to accompany a black onyx necklace and I will admit that they go together quite well. The earrings do not irritate my ears at all and they are just the right size: not too big, not too small. The backings are very stiff, which I suppose is a good thing because they stay in place, but they can be a bit hard to get off at times. Overall these are well made and beautiful, I would definitely recommend them.