The mariner link - an oval link with a central bar - is a chain vocabulary with genuine nautical heritage that has been absorbed into contemporary jewelry as a standalone motif. Rachel Zoe uses it as a stud earring face: a single mariner link in 14K gold over sterling silver, polished, proportioned to sit cleanly at the lobe without extending into drop territory. Butterfly back closure. This is a piece for the person who finds plain metal studs too minimal but wants the utility of a stud with the character of something more considered. The link motif gives the earring a story without demanding a theme.