Vivienne Westwood
Mini Bas Relief Earrings
4.5/5 (6)
CA$185.00CAD
In Stock
The Vivienne Westwood Mini Bas Relief Earrings are pierced stud earrings featuring a bas-relief planet-orb motif set with Swarovski crystals on a brass frame. They measure 17 mm in length and use a push-back closure. Made of brass and Swarovski crystal, user reviews indicate that durability varies with care, with some reporting no tarnishing and others noting potential plating wear over time.
Color
SilverGolden Yellow
Size
ONE SIZE
Specifications
- Material
- Brass, swarovski crystal
- Gender
- female
- Age Group
- adult
- Condition
- new
Product Insights
The Mini Bas Relief Earrings by Vivienne Westwood fuse the Sovereign's Orb with a Saturn ring in a classic, flat-profile design with pavé-set Swarovski crystals offering diamond-like brilliance, but the brass base may tarnish and cause green marks or nickel reactions, and the plating requires careful storage to avoid wear, trading material longevity for an iconic orb silhouette at $185 CAD.
Verified claims
- Design
- The orb motif fuses the Sovereign's Orb with a Saturn ring, first introduced as a pendant in 1987.
- Hardware detail
- The butterfly-back clasp is orb-shaped, and the design is part of the permanent classic collection.
- Cultural history
- Design merges royal orb and Saturn rings; popularized by Nana manga and Gen Z TikTok.
- Brilliance
- Computer-optimized facets up to 100 per stone deliver diamond-like brilliance.
- Fashion pedigree
- Swarovski crystals are used by fashion houses like Christian Dior, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.
- Pavé sparkle
- Pavé-set 100-facet Swarovski crystals produce a dense, scattered sparkle from every angle.
- Material
- Buyers report showering without tarnish but note green marks from brass base.
- Crystal security
- Swarovski crystals stay securely set under normal wear.
- Plating protection
- Avoid water and perfume; store in a pouch to prevent plating wear.
- Nickel safety
- Nickel in brass may trigger allergic reactions if plating wears.
- Earlobe fit
- 1.7 cm by 2.7 cm flat profile and orb back keep earrings flush, stackable
- Comfort
- Weighs 6.9 g; buyers report wearing for days without irritation
- Visual impact
- Pavé crystal surface amplifies the visual presence compared to similar-size studs
- Flat profile
- Low-profile design sits nearly flush against the lobe for snag-free, stable, and comfortable daily wear.
- Side visibility
- Flush profile reduces side visibility compared to dome-shaped studs.
- Crystal density
- Mini Bas Relief has denser Swarovski crystal coverage than Mayfair.
- Silhouette
- Mini Bas Relief is a pure orb silhouette without a plaque.
- Dimensions
- Mini Bas Relief earrings: 17 mm long, 27 mm wide, oblong shape.
- Price vs alternatives
- At 185 CAD, the earrings trade material longevity for iconic design; similar-priced sterling silver exists.
- Hypoallergenic alternatives
- Sterling silver is a recommended hypoallergenic alternative.
- Orb closure
- Butterfly-back fastening is cast in the orb motif.
- Classic collection status
- Part of Vivienne Westwood's classic collection with ongoing production.
Product record
- Title
- Mini Bas Relief Earrings
- Brand
- Vivienne Westwood
- Price
- 185 CAD
- Availability
- In stock
Deep Research
The meaning behind the Vivienne Westwood orb
- The Saturn-like ring that encircles the Orb in the Mini Bas Relief design was added to symbolize taking tradition into the future, a direct visual translation of Westwood's design philosophy that counterbalances the antique orb with cosmic imagery, making these earrings read as distinctly forward-looking despite their historical weight.
- The Orb's renewed relevance for younger generations is driven by the Japanese manga Nana, where the punk singer Nana Osaki prominently wears Vivienne Westwood Orb jewellery, which in turn fueled TikTok and Instagram trends led by celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kylie Jenner — so the Mini Bas Relief earrings sit at the crossroads of a late-'80s design, early-2000s manga fandom, and contemporary Gen Z styling.
- Carlo D'Amario — now the brand's CEO — saw the jumper sketch and immediately identified the hybrid orb as the perfect logo for Westwood, who had been paying someone else to develop a logo without success; the Orb then appeared on every collection from that point forward, making the Mini Bas Relief earrings a direct descendant of that sea-change branding moment.
- The central globe in the Mini Bas Relief motif is a direct reference to the Sovereign's Orb made for King Charles II's coronation in 1661, a hollow golden sphere topped with a jewelled cross that has represented monarchial power for over 360 years, so wearing these earrings carries a fragment of actual Crown Jewel iconography repurposed as fashion.
- The Orb transitioned from graphic to jewellery at the Autumn-Winter 1987–88 Harris Tweed show, where the first Orb pendant made its runway debut, meaning the Mini Bas Relief earrings — with their Orb-shaped butterfly backs — continue a jewellery tradition that started at that specific 1987 collection rather than being a later brand extension.
- The Orb logo was conceived during Vivienne Westwood's 1985–86 hiatus in Italy, when she sketched a knit intended for Prince Charles covered in royal insignia and added a Saturn-like ring around the Sovereign's Orb after being shown computer-enhanced images of galaxies and black holes from her son Ben's astronomy magazines, so the earrings' satellite ring is a literal space-age layer over a centuries-old royal emblem.
- The 'Bas Relief' designation shared with the earrings traces to the Three Row Pearl Bas Relief Choker introduced in the Harris Tweed AW 87-88 collection, which incorporated the Orb into a design inspired by 18th-century painting, ceramics and French furniture from the Wallace Collection, so the crystal-outlined cut-out motif on these earrings is a miniature continuation of a very specific historical-artistic mashup not limited to British royal symbols.
How these earrings look and feel when worn
- The entire orb face is covered with pavé-set Swarovski crystals that catch and reflect light from every angle, producing a textured, shimmering effect rather than a single concentrated flash — a look that reads as more casual and versatile than a large solitaire, and that remains lively in motion or ambient indoor lighting.
- The earrings are built as a 'two-dimensional orb plaque motif' that sits nearly flush against the lobe rather than projecting forward, which minimizes the chance of snagging on hair or clothing and makes them easier to wear under headphones or with scarves compared to dome-shaped studs.
- The 1.7 cm height and 2.7 cm width of the orb motif sit proportionally within the earlobe of most wearers, delivering a statement-level visual weight without dangling past the lobe edge, which makes them suitable for all-day wear and easy to layer with other studs or small hoops.
What makes Swarovski crystals a premium choice
- The Mini Bas Relief earrings are embellished with pavé-cut Swarovski crystals, a setting technique that clusters crystals tightly with minimal metal between them, which maximizes the total reflective surface area on the 1.7 cm orb and gives the earrings a richer, more saturated shimmer than designs with sparser crystal placement.
- Swarovski crystals are cut with up to 100 mathematically optimized facets per stone — each facet angle is calculated via 3D simulation to maximize light refraction — so the tiny crystals on these earrings punch above their size with a diamond-like twinkle that distinguishes them from ordinary rhinestones, which typically have fewer and less precise facets.
- Swarovski crystals are a go-to material for luxury maisons like Christian Dior, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton — a list that aligns with Vivienne Westwood's own stature — so the Mini Bas Relief earrings are studded with a crystal type that carries couture-level credibility, not the anonymous glass used in fast-fashion jewelry.
- Since 2012, Swarovski consumer crystals have been produced in a lead-free Advanced Crystal formulation that reduces lead oxide to trace levels (0.004%) while retaining a high refractive index comparable to the original leaded glass; for these earrings, that means the crystal sparkle does not come with the skin-safety trade-off of vintage leaded crystal, which is particularly relevant for a piece worn directly against the ear.
- Swarovski crystals are cut by patented machinery that replicates facet patterns identically across millions of units, ensuring that every crystal on each earring of this pair performs optically the same — a level of uniformity that hand-cutting or lesser machine processes cannot achieve, and which prevents the mismatched sparkle that can make budget earrings look cheap.
Where Mini Bas Relief sits in the collection
- The earring's butterfly-back closure is itself cast in the shape of the house's orb, extending the design language to the functional hardware — a detail that most jewelry at this price point omits and one that signals the brand's commitment to the motif.
- At 6.9 g per earring, the Mini Bas Relief studs are light enough to wear from morning to night without lobe fatigue, a practical edge over heavier crystal-studded earrings that can pull at piercings over long hours even though the piece is made from solid brass.
- The Mini Bas Relief series is designated as part of the Vivienne Westwood classic collection, not a seasonal capsule, meaning its orb motif and crystal-outlined silhouette are intended to remain in production — a reassuring anchor for anyone starting a long-term brand jewelry wardrobe.
- The Mayfair Bas Relief earrings reduce the orb to a central emblem on a geometric plaque measuring 2 × 2.5 cm, whereas the Mini Bas Relief makes the orb the entire silhouette — with Saturn-ring cut-outs — so the Mini reads as a pure icon while the Mayfair frames it as a jewelry centerpiece.
Image Analysis
2 images- 01
Product
A pair of silver-tone bas relief earrings shown face-on; each earring is an orb with an outer horizontal ring and a small cross-shaped stud above, decorated with many small clear stones.
- Overall shapeEach earring has a horizontally oriented oval ring surrounding a textured domed orb; a small cross-shaped stud sits directly above the orb and connects the earring to the post.
2 regions
x 0.12 · y 0.40 · w 0.35 · h 0.22 (high); x 0.53 · y 0.40 · w 0.35 · h 0.22 (high) - Decorative surfaceSurfaces of the orb, ring interior, and cross stud are densely set with small faceted clear stones creating a pavé effect; stones follow curved panels on the dome and a single circular stone is visible at the dome front.
2 regions
x 0.16 · y 0.43 · w 0.30 · h 0.16 (high); x 0.57 · y 0.43 · w 0.30 · h 0.16 (high) - Metal finishMetal framework and edges appear polished and reflective with a bright silver-tone finish forming the outer ring, rim details, and cross outline.
2 regions
x 0.12 · y 0.40 · w 0.35 · h 0.22 (high); x 0.53 · y 0.40 · w 0.35 · h 0.22 (high) - Attachment/post areaSmall cross-shaped top element includes a central round stone and serves as the visible front of the post attachment; backs and posts are not visible.
2 regions
x 0.21 · y 0.33 · w 0.08 · h 0.06 (medium); x 0.68 · y 0.33 · w 0.08 · h 0.06 (medium)
Other
Studio shot on a plain white background with soft even lighting and faint shadows beneath each earring. Both earrings are centered horizontally and shown at the same frontal orientation.
- Background and lightingUniform white background with diffuse lighting; soft shadows fall beneath each earring indicating light from above.
1 region
x 0.00 · y 0.00 · w 1.00 · h 1.00 (high) - Image compositionTwo earrings arranged side-by-side with even spacing; image is cropped with generous white space above and below the pair.
1 region
x 0.05 · y 0.20 · w 0.90 · h 0.60 (high) - Shadows and reflectionsFaint soft shadows and small specular highlights are visible on the metal surfaces, consistent with studio lighting and reflective finish.
Colors
polished silver· metal framework and ring#CDCEC9clear/white rhinestone· decorative stones#D4D3C4- Overall shapeEach earring has a horizontally oriented oval ring surrounding a textured domed orb; a small cross-shaped stud sits directly above the orb and connects the earring to the post.
- 02
Product
Close-up of two metal planet-orb motif stud earrings with concentric ring detail and multiple small faceted clear stones. Right earring is fully visible and foregrounded; left earring is partially visible at left edge.
- Overall shapeOrb/planet silhouette composed of a domed central sphere with an encircling flattened ring tilted diagonally and a small cross-like finial above the sphere.
2 regions
x 0.55 · y 0.45 · w 0.38 · h 0.40 (high); x 0.00 · y 0.56 · w 0.38 · h 0.36 (medium) - Metal finishHighly reflective polished silver-metal finish on all visible structural surfaces including ring, sphere, and finial.
1 region
x 0.52 · y 0.46 · w 0.36 · h 0.34 (high) - Pavé crystal detailingMany small round faceted clear stones set in rows across the ring edge and in triangular panels on the dome, creating a pavé pattern.
2 regions
x 0.60 · y 0.52 · w 0.28 · h 0.24 (high); x 0.08 · y 0.60 · w 0.30 · h 0.28 (medium) - Top finial detailSmall cross-like decorative finial mounted above the dome; the finial has a central round stone and squared petal-like lobes.
1 region
x 0.66 · y 0.30 · w 0.12 · h 0.14 (high) - Earring backs and postsButterfly-style clutch backs and short posts are partially visible behind the right earring, indicating stud construction.Partial
1 region
x 0.74 · y 0.56 · w 0.10 · h 0.12 (medium)
Other
Studio product shot on a clean white background with soft shadows beneath the earrings; image crops the left earring partially and centers the right earring. Lighting is diffuse and highlights metallic reflections.
- Background and surfaceSmooth white background and surface with soft gray cast shadow under each earring.
1 region
x 0.00 · y 0.00 · w 1.00 · h 1.00 (high) - Shot compositionClose-up detail shot framing both earrings near the lower half of the image with substantial negative space above.
- Shadows and reflectionsSoft diffuse shadows and subtle specular highlights on metal surfaces indicating studio lighting from above-left.Partial
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.68 · w 0.38 · h 0.18 (medium)
Colors
polished silver· metal surfaces#C4C4BBclear crystal· faceted stones#CDCEC9- Overall shapeOrb/planet silhouette composed of a domed central sphere with an encircling flattened ring tilted diagonally and a small cross-like finial above the sphere.
Documents & Data
Customer Reviews
6 total4.5
6 reviews · out of 5
LOVE THEM
★★★★★Chrisiandra V.
LOVE THEM
So pretty!
★★★★★Tanya V.
These are beautiful earrings and very comfortable to wear for hours.
Great gift!
★★★★★Susan N.
It was a hit for my daughter and delivery was faster than expected. Exactly as shown.
Beautiful but overpriced
★★★★★Lily M.
Beautiful but overpriced
Beautiful
★★★★★Hailie S.
I love it but they are heavy on the ear
Larger than expected
★★★★★Bella K.
These earrings are very pretty but are very wide, making them look a bit awkward on my ears.
Q&A
8 answered- What are the dimensions and weight of the Mini Bas Relief Earrings?
- The Mini Bas Relief Earrings have an orb height of 1.7 cm (17 mm) and an orb width of 2.7 cm (27 mm), with a total weight of 6.9 g. They are a stud style with an orb-shaped butterfly-back fastening.
- What style are the Mini Bas Relief Earrings (e.g., stud, drop, hoop)?
- The Mini Bas Relief Earrings are stud earrings with a post and butterfly-back closure. They feature an orb-shaped silhouette, not a drop or hoop style.
- Are the Mini Bas Relief Earrings tarnish-resistant or do they have a protective coating?
- These earrings are made of plated brass and are not inherently tarnish-resistant. The manufacturer recommends avoiding contact with water and abrasive materials to maintain the plating. Community discussions note that the plating can wear off with exposure to chemicals, so careful handling is needed.
- Are the Swarovski crystals securely set, or is there a risk of them falling out with regular wear?
- The Swarovski crystals are described as "intricately inlaid" and set into the brass base. There are no widespread reports of crystals falling out, but as with any plated jewelry, careful wear is recommended to avoid damage.
- Is the brass base nickel-free, or do these earrings contain nickel that could cause allergic reactions?
- The Mini Bas Relief Earrings are made of brass, which may contain trace amounts of nickel. Vivienne Westwood does not specifically label these earrings as nickel-free. Community reports indicate some users experience skin discoloration or irritation, so those with nickel allergies should exercise caution.
- Are Vivienne Westwood earrings worth the price?
- It depends on whether you value the iconic design over material quality; many suggest looking for sterling silver alternatives if durability is a priority.
- How do I prevent Vivienne Westwood earrings from tarnishing?
- Avoid water, perfume, and store them in a pouch; some users have no issues even with rough use, but caution is recommended.
- What is the difference between Mini Bas Relief and Mayfair designs?
- Mini Bas Relief features more crystals, while Mayfair has a geometric pattern with fewer crystals.
Reddit Insights
3 threads · r/viviennewestwoodRedditors have mixed feelings about Vivienne Westwood earrings, praising the iconic design but criticizing the use of brass and plating that can tarnish, with some reporting no issues when properly cared for.
mixed sentiment45% match
While some users find the earrings durable and stylish, others feel they are overpriced for the materials, leading to a cautious overall sentiment leaning slightly negative.
Themes
Overpriced for materialsnegative
Durability varies by caremixed
Design varietypositive
Use Cases
- Fashion earrings for special occasions
- Everyday wear with precautions
- Collectible brand pieces
Watch Out For
mediumBrass base metal can cause green discoloration on skin if plating wears off.
mediumPlating may wear off with exposure to water and chemicals, requiring careful wear.
lowNot all earrings are created equal; some may be more durable than others based on design and care.
Compared To
vs Sterling silver earrings from independent makers (e.g., Etsy)
Better quality and durability for similar or lower price, but without the brand name.
vs Helmut Lang earrings
Similar issue with plated brass causing skin discoloration.
vs Mayfair Bas Relief earrings
Mayfair has fewer crystals and geometric patterns vs Mini Bas Relief's more crystals.
Source Threads
User reports no tarnishing on VW earrings even with rough use
I'll admit, I can be a bit lazy and leave the smaller ones on for days and wear them in the shower. Oops. 🫣 None have tarnished or turned green after many wears.
u/sluttypockyr/viviennewestwoodView thread →
Comparison between Mini Bas Relief and Mayfair designs
They’re two different designs. The mini bas relief design has more crystals, while the Maifair has less with geometric patterns. “Better” really depends on your preference.
u/ChicnahueCoatl1491r/viviennewestwoodView thread →