Eyelet

A type of body jewelry composed of a hollow tube and something to prevent the tube from falling out of the piercing. Also called earlets, grommets, or flesh tunnels. Some eyelets are double-flared, which requires stretching the piercing out a bit to fit in in there but makes the chances of it falling out pretty damn small. Others are single-flared and held in place with small rubber bands that snap into a small indentation in the tube. You need to go about 6 gauge or so before eyelets become really apparent - finding them above 8 gauge or so is pretty hard anyways. They're not that suitable for fresh piercings, but stretching up directly to them is just fine.

I myself have a 6 gauge single-flared eyelet, and it's a pretty neat looking piece of jewelry. It's fun to lift things with it, and just the realization that you have a gaping hole through your ear can be amusing. Watch out though - I've squicked a few people with it, and I can't imagine prospective employers will love it, but it's a pretty unobtrusive way to have something special in your ear as long as you stick to high gauges.

Eye"let` (?), n. [F., dim. of eve, fr. L. oculus. See Eye, and cf. Oillet.]

1.

A small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc.

2.

A metal ring or grommet, or short metallic tube, the ends of which can be bent outward and over to fasten it in place; -- used to line an eyelet hole.

Eyelet hole, a hole made for an eyelet. -- Eyelet punch, a machine for punching eyelet holes and fastening eyelets, as in paper or cloth. -- Eyelet ring. See Eyelet, 2.

 

© Webster 1913.