I'm 71. Grew up with parents that said Catholics, loose women, gypsies, and women of the streets only had pierced ears. They said decent, God-fearing women didn't have holes in their ears! I aways loved diamonds and thought they would be so pretty to wear.
So, when I was 25 and long time away from them, my friend talked me into letting her pierce mine with the ice cubes, sewing needle and thread, dipped in alcohol. I thought I was going to pass out when she did the first one and I jumped. She laughed and went ahead and did the other one!! She told me to turn the thread daily with alcohol so they wouldn't get infected. They didn't.
So could only afford a gold pair of studs at that time. DH bought my first pair of diamonds! I was so happy but ended up losing those. He bought me another pair with backs that screwed on and I had them a long time. Never could wear the cheap, nickel ones because they made my ears swell up, get red and bleed.
DH bought me another larger pair of diamonds with screw backs and I kept them a long time, like years and years. Rarely took them off. Six months ago, I had an MRI before back surgery and lost one while I was redressing. No one found it or reported they found it. I haven't felt well enough to go shopping for a new pair but when I do, they are going to be LARGE diamond ones! Right now I am just wearing gold hoops with a diamond on the front curve. They're pretty but I like studs better.
What's funny is when my Mom was about 60, she decided to get hers pierced because she like the diamonds too. Go figure!!!