I have relied on Amazon for a lot of things. But there was one thing that made me weary — jewelry. Most of my jewelry has come from a brick and mortar store. I mean, going into a store and seeing all the rings and necklaces and jewels shining under those millions of lights is just such a great experience. Also, you can touch and hold the items and see for yourself if they’re good quality or not.

Well, I was in search of some new hoop earrings. In my life, I’ve probably had (and lost) too many pairs to count. This last time I was really angry with myself, as I lost my favorite pair. I had looked in the stores and looked at their web sites. Nothing really caught my eye, or if they did, I averted my eyes when I saw the price.

When price became a huge factor, I turned to trusty Amazon. After much searching and debating, I decided to buy the Duragold 14k White Gold Hoop Earrings. They looked age appropriate, and were as close to the pair that I recently lost that I could find. I wasn’t sure of the quality, but for the price, I was willing to accept if the quality wasn’t that great. After all, they’re just going to be hanging off my ears and will be admired from a distance.

The earrings arrived in a little jewelry “bag” and inside a small box. I opened the up and held the earrings in my hands for the first time. They were a little bit smaller than I expected. I mean, the size is in the listing, but I didn’t think to whip out a ruler.

But that’s where the disappointment ended. The quality is really great. On a lot of hoops I’ve had in the past, the clasps were pretty loose. But these hoops are different. There’s no chance I’d lose them, unless my ears get chopped off in some freak accident. And they have some good weight to them too. They don’t feel hollow.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to adorn your lobes or other parts of your body (to each his or her own), then give Amazon a try.