Four Studios, One Ear: Inside Gill’s Curation Competition
Every curation starts with the same question. What does this ear need next?
This time, the ear belonged to our founder, Gill. And rather than answer the question herself, she handed it to the people who answer it every single day.
THE BRIEF
Our four studios, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, were each given the same canvas: Gill’s ear, exactly as it was. Each team studied her anatomy, worked with the piercings already in place and designed the curation they believed should come next. Four studios. Four points of view. One very lucky ear.
The curations went live in September, and you didn’t hold back. They were saved, shared and sent to more group chats than we can count, and we loved every minute of it.
THE WINNER
On 26 September, Brisbane took the crown.
The winning curation was designed by Lila, one of our Brisbane piercing masters, and it’s a lesson in balance. Fine sparkle climbs through the forward helix and tragus. A single diamond catches the light on the flat. And the lobe follows our cascading rule, with the bolder hoops and clickers sitting low and the pieces growing finer the higher they travel. Nothing competes. Everything belongs.
THE APPOINTMENT
On 14 October, Gill took her seat in our Brisbane studio at Queens Plaza. Founder or not, her appointment ran exactly like yours would.
It began with a conversation, walking through the plan and every placement in it. Then her ear was cleaned with a medical-grade solution, and Lila carefully marked each placement, considering anatomy, spacing and how the stack will be styled in the future. Nothing happens until those markings are confirmed with you in the mirror. Only then does the needle come out, followed by solid gold jewellery chosen for that exact spot.
A new piercing is fitted with a slightly longer post, giving the area room for the swelling that comes in the first few weeks. Once it settles, we downsize it to a shorter post for a closer, more stable fit. For cartilage piercings especially, this step matters. Cartilage takes around six to nine months to heal completely, which is exactly why we pierce with jewellery you’ll actually want to wear. No waiting to swap out a placeholder. The piece you love is the piece you heal in.
THE FINAL CURATION
●Top forward helix: Micro Quartet
●Bottom forward helix: 2mm Sphere
●Top tragus: Piccolo Diamond
●Bottom tragus: Starlight Diamond Earring
●Helix: Petit Clicker Ring with the Starlight Duo Hoop Charm
●Flat: Starlight Earring
●First lobe: Dot Dash Clicker Ring
●Second lobe: Classic Piercing Hoop
●Third lobe: Baguette Piercing Hoop
●Fourth lobe: Chevron
●Fifth lobe: Diamond Chevron
●Sixth lobe: Piccolo Diamond
●Stacked lobe: Bebe Baguette
Every piece is crafted from Fairtrade and recycled gold, set with lab-grown, conflict-free stones.
Shop Gill’s curated stack: https://www.covetear.com/collections/gill-curated-stack
YOUR TURN
You don’t need four studios competing over your ear to get a curation this considered. You just need one of our piercing masters and an hour of your time.
Our Ear Curation Experience is built for exactly this: a one-on-one session where we study your anatomy, your existing piercings and your personal style, then design a stack that feels like it was always meant to be there. We pierce up to four placements in a single session, because a curation this good is worth building thoughtfully.
Can’t make it into a studio? Book a virtual styling session and start planning from home.
Gill’s ear has its next chapter. Consider this your sign to write yours.
Book your Ear Curation Experience: https://www.covetear.com/pages/bookings