Threadless Tops vs Complete Studs: What to Order
Threadless jewelry is a two-piece system. Some listings give you both halves. Some only give you one.
This trips people up constantly. The frustrating part is when your order finally arrives, it looks gorgeous… and you can't wear a single piece of it because there's nothing to attach it to. Here's how to skip that whole headache.
The Two Parts
Every threadless piece is made of two components that usually ship (and are often sold) separately.
The top is the decorative end — the gem, the shape, the thing everyone sees. It has a thin pin sticking out the back. On its own, a top is not wearable. At all.
The labret bar is the post that actually goes through your piercing. It's smooth along its length, with a flat disc on one end and a hollow opening on the other. The top's pin press-fits into that opening, and a little deliberate bend in the pin holds everything in place by tension.
A complete stud is simply both parts sold together as one item.
If you want the full mechanics (and why the system was designed this way in the first place), that's all in who invented threadless jewelry.
How to Tell Which You're Looking At
Check the listing before you hit "add to cart." On our site:
- "Top only" or "bar not included" in the title or description means exactly that — you'll need a bar as well.
- Everything in the VitalFit threadless system collection is tops only. That's literally what the collection is for.
- Listings with a Gauge & Length option are complete studs. If you're being asked to pick a gauge and a length, you're buying a post.
- "Threadless stud" or "labret stud" usually means the whole thing; "threadless top" usually means just the decorative end.
Quick rule of thumb: if a listing doesn't ask you for a gauge and length, it's almost certainly not sending you a bar.
Choosing Your Gauge
Gauge is the thickness of the post. Counterintuitively, a higher number means a thinner post.
| Gauge | Typical placements |
|---|---|
| 20G | Earlobe, nostril |
| 18G | Earlobe, nostril |
| 16G | Cartilage — helix, conch, tragus, rook, daith |
⚠️ 20G and 18G are not cartilage gauges. Cartilage piercings are typically done at 16G. Thinner jewelry in cartilage is more likely to migrate or get irritated. Don't grab a 20G bar for a helix just because the top you love is tiny.
How to know yours: your piercer used a specific gauge and will tell you if you ask. If you're swapping out existing jewelry, the gauge is usually on the original packaging or in your order history. If you're guessing… don't. Ask your piercer instead of ordering something that won't fit.
Choosing Your Length
Length is the distance between the flat disc and the top — the part that sits inside your piercing.
- 6mm is the standard for a settled piercing. It's what most people order.
- 8mm gives a little more room — for thicker tissue, a placement that needs it, or a piercing that isn't fully settled yet.
Too short and the jewelry digs into the tissue. Too long and it moves around, catches on everything, and sits away from the skin. Neither feels good, and both can cause irritation.
If a piercing is still healing, your piercer put a deliberately longer bar in to allow for swelling. Downsizing is a conversation to have with them — not something to order blind.
Compatibility
Our tops are designed to work with our labret bars. That's what the product descriptions mean when they say "works with our labret bar."
Across brands, compatibility isn't reliable. Pin diameters and post bores vary between manufacturers. A top from one maker and a bar from another can feel secure… and still not be. If you already own threadless jewelry from somewhere else, don't assume a new top will fit it.
Within a single maker's range, tops generally do swap across gauges — which is half the appeal of the system, and what makes building a collection actually fun. We talk more about that in mix and match threadless jewelry.
What to Order
Four common situations:
New to threadless and buying your first piece. Get a complete stud. Everything you need shows up in one package. Browse threadless jewelry or CZ bezel threadless studs.
You already own our bars and just want a new look. Buy tops. This is the efficient way to expand — one bar, lots of different ends. The VitalFit collection is built exactly for this.
Buying several pieces at once for a stack. Count your bars. If you're adding three new placements, you need three bars — not three tops. Complete studs are the simpler route unless you already have spare bars sitting around.
Buying as a gift. Go with complete studs, unless you know for sure what they already own and what gauge it is. A lone top makes a pretty confusing present.
Materials Don't Change
Both parts of the piece touch your body, so both need to be appropriate. For a healing piercing that means implant-grade titanium, solid 14K or 18K gold, or niobium — for the bar as much as the top. Our comparison is in titanium vs surgical steel.
A titanium top on a steel bar still means steel is what's sitting in your piercing. The bar is the part that matters most.
Browse implant-grade titanium for both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear a threadless top on its own?
No. A top is just the decorative end with a pin on the back. It needs a labret bar to press into. On its own there's nothing holding it in your piercing.
How do I know if a listing includes the bar?
Look for "top only" or "bar not included" in the description, and check whether you're asked to choose a gauge and length. If there's no gauge and length option, you're almost certainly buying the top alone. Everything in our VitalFit collection is tops only.
What gauge do I need?
It depends on the piercing. Earlobe and nostril are usually 20G or 18G; cartilage is typically 16G. Ask your piercer if you're not sure — guessing means jewelry that doesn't fit, and a gauge that's too thin for cartilage can cause problems beyond just fit.
Is 6mm or 8mm right for me?
6mm is standard for a settled piercing and the most commonly ordered. 8mm gives more room where the tissue needs it. If your piercing is still healing, talk to your piercer about downsizing rather than ordering a length yourself.
Will your tops fit a bar I bought elsewhere?
Not reliably. Pin diameters and post bores vary between manufacturers, so mixing brands can create a fit that feels secure but isn't. Our tops are designed to work with our labret bars.
Can one bar hold different tops?
Yes, within our range — that's the whole point of the system. Buy the bar once, swap the top whenever you feel like it.
Does the bar material matter if the top is titanium?
Yes, and arguably more. The bar is the part inside your piercing. For a healing piercing both parts should be implant-grade titanium, solid 14K or 18K gold, or niobium.
I ordered tops by mistake and have no bars — what now?
Just order bars in the gauge and length your piercings need and the tops will be perfectly usable. Nothing is wasted. If you're unsure what gauge you need, ask your piercer before ordering.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you are unsure what gauge or length your piercing needs, or whether a piercing is ready for a jewelry change, ask a reputable professional piercer.