€ 240
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Neuron earrings | gold vermeil
A single neuron rendered as an earring, in 18K gold vermeil. Cell body, dendrites branching outward, axon trailing down. The shape sits at 31 mm and reads as biology to anyone who has stared at a Golgi-stained slide, and as something quietly elegant to anyone who has not.
The Science Behind the Neuron
The basic plan of the neuron was inferred by Santiago Ramon y Cajal in the 1880s and 1890s, using a silver staining technique developed by Camillo Golgi that, paradoxically, revealed individual cells as discrete units. Cajal showed that the brain is built from separate neurons rather than a continuous reticulum, a claim Golgi himself rejected even as they shared the 1906 Nobel Prize. The geometry on this earring follows Cajal's drawings: a soma with dendritic arborisation receiving input, and a single axon carrying output to other cells. The synapse, where one neuron's axon meets another's dendrite, is the unit of computation in every nervous system on Earth.
Worn By
Neuroscientists, neurologists, and people whose work or training centres on the brain.
- neuroscientists and computational neuroscientists
- neurologists and neurosurgeons
- psychiatrists and clinical psychologists
- graduate students who have spent a year staring at brain slices
About a third of orders ship to a clinic or university department address, which fits the gift-from-colleague pattern these earrings attract.
Explore Related Neuroscience Jewelry
- Neuron necklace | silver
- DRG neuron necklace | silver
- Dopamine bracelet | silver
- Serotonin necklace V | silver
- GABA necklace | gold vermeil
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the earring show?
A single neuron in the orientation Cajal drew it: cell body at the centre, dendrites branching out to receive input, and a single axon carrying output. The geometry is simplified for jewelry scale but the topology is the real one.
Are these noticeable as neurons or do they read more abstractly?
Both, depending on the viewer. Anyone who has worked with brain tissue recognises the dendritic branching immediately. Anyone who has not tends to read them as organic and asymmetric, which is also fine. The earrings hold up either way.
What are the specs and what is the return policy?
18K gold vermeil with sterling silver core and 2.5 micron gold plating, 31 mm size, leverback hooks for secure daily wear. Nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Ships free worldwide via DHL Express in 1-5 business days, with all import duties and taxes covered. 30-day “Love It or Return It” returns.
Are there other neuron pieces in the catalog?
Yes. The neuron necklace in 925 sterling silver shows the same cell at 39 mm, and the DRG neuron necklace shows a dorsal root ganglion neuron at 47 mm. Dopamine, serotonin, and GABA pendants extend the neuroscience theme into individual neurotransmitters.
Neuroscience
Dive into the intricacies of the human mind with our neuroscience-inspired jewelry collection. Each piece is a tactile ode to the neural networks that shape our thoughts, memories, and consciousness. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, our designs mirror the dendritic branches and synaptic connections that form the basis of mental activity. With these elegant pieces, wear the enigma of cognition close to your skin, offering a subtle yet profound exploration of what it means to be sentient.
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