There are five basic types of circular body jewelry: the ball captive ring, the horseshoe, the pincer, the segment ring, and the spiral. These five types will come in a variety of sizes and styles and will generally require two basic measurements: the thickness, or “gauge,” and the diameter.
Ball captive rings, often called simply BCRs, are wearable in a large range of piercings provided the correct sizing is available. They consist of two parts: an open ring, and a bead or ball that is held in place by divots to close the ring.
Horseshoes are exactly what they sound like, a horseshoe shaped barbell with a ball at each end. They too are applicable to a variety of body and facial piercings.
Pincers are worn primarily in the septum, ear, or eyebrow, though they may also be worn in other areas. These are unique as they are a single piece with no balls or beads needed. For this type of jewelry, you’ll find a horseshoe-like shape, but with a fatter center and graduated tips that resemble the natural pincers of a bug or crab, hence the name.
A segment ring is very similar to a BCR, with the exception that instead of a ball or bead, a thin piece is held into the opening of the hoop that is shaped in such a way as create the illusion of a seamless, continuous doughnut. As with most circular jewelry, the segment ring may be worn in many different piercings.
And lastly, the spiral is a spiral shaped barbell with a ball or charm to enclose each end. Spirals may very widely in their shape, and while some are very versatile, others are meant for a specific piercing. One example of this is a long multi-revolution spiral often called a “super spiral,” which is meant to be worn as a belly button ring.
