The Best Plastics Agate Hoop Earrings
A Spring Crowd Favorite with a 1960s Origin Story
There are certain pieces in our studio that feel less like inventory and more like time capsules.
The Agate Hoop Earrings are one of them.
Back in the summer of 2004, we cleaned out the Best Plastics warehouse in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. We didn’t know exactly what we would uncover — only that the company had quietly stopped producing their lucite parts decades earlier.
Each dusty box.
Each sealed plastic bag.
Each shelf that hadn’t been touched since 1983. We even found hidden whiskey bottles left behind by a bored warehouse worker in who knows what year!
It felt like opening an archival cave.
Best Plastics had manufactured tumbled and extruded lucite components for well-known costume jewelry houses like Coro, Trifari, and others during the mid-century era. When they closed their doors, the inventory simply stayed. Waiting.
And inside those boxes?
Stripes. Among other things.
Why We Call Them “Agate” Hoops
The manufacturers themselves referred to this finish as “Agate.”
Not because it was stone — but because of the layered, marbled, striated pattern created during the extrusion process. The lucite was formed in bands of color, then cut and shaped into these softly curved hoops.
Each one carries that unmistakable 1960s optimism:
bold stripes, clean curves, saturated color.
No two pairs are exactly identical.
The striping shifts slightly.
The color flow changes.
That’s part of the magic.
The Spring Hoop Earring That Always Fits
These hoops have quietly become one of our most consistent crowd-pleasers — especially in Spring.
They’re:
• Lightweight
• Bold but wearable
• Nostalgic without feeling costume-y
• Easy to pair with denim, white cotton, or layered color
They bring life to a simple outfit without overwhelming it.
Featured Agate Hoops in the Studio Right Now:
🌿 Mint & Lemon Agate Hoops
Fresh, citrusy striping with soft white bands.
Perfect with white tees and tan linen.
Snag your new favorite earrings here: Mint & Lemon Agate Hoop Earrings
🌸 Lilac & Pink Agate Hoops
Soft pink and milky white marbling with subtle movement.
Romantic but still playful.
Grab yours here: Lilac & Pink Agate Hoop Earrings
💙 Blue & White Pinched Agate Hoops
A bold, mid-century blue with crisp white striping.
The most graphic of the collection.
Find your pair here: Blue & White Pinched Bulb Hoop Earrings
🌼 Marigold & Cream Agate Hoops
Warm yellow with layered cream bands — like sunshine in resin.
Find your pair here: Agate Striped Golden Yellow Hoops
🧑🎤 Kelly Green Agate Hoops
Classic green striping that feels grounded and timeless.
Need yours? Green Agate Hoop Earrings
From 1960s Production Floor to Modern Studio
What makes these hoops special isn’t just the look.
It’s the timeline.
• Manufactured circa 1960s
• Sealed away in 1983
• Rediscovered in 2004
• Now finished and assembled in our studio
These are not “inspired by vintage.”
They are made with genuine vintage lucite components that survived decades untouched. We hand-set them with surgical steel posts so rest assured if you have sensitive skin, we use good new metals.
When you wear them, you’re wearing material history — reshaped for today.
Why They Continue to Matter
In a world of fast production and trend cycles, the Agate Hoops represent something slower:
Material that was made to last.
Color that doesn’t fade.
Design that predates algorithms.
They’re joyful.
They’re graphic.
They’re archival.
And every Spring, they come back around and remind us why we fell in love with them in the first place.
