Probably onyx...or jet....or black glass....is there any marking on the gold part?
Why painful to wear?

I don’t know why they would be painful, unless you are screwing the backs on too tight. Or the posts are a material that you are allergic to.

Even though they’re screw back, they’re still for pierced ears, so I wouldn’t think you’d have to tighten them right up like you do with the non pierced kind. I think the back part of the screw is more for stopping the earring falling out altogether.

Not because I know but because I want to add my 2¢. Perhaps the screw backs are because the stones are of some value. I just lost an earring back this morning while I was sitting in a chair. Search area would be limited but I still haven't found it even with the aid of a flashlight. And if it's the screw back that's uncomfortable, try a push on back and see if it makes any difference.

They might be uncomfortable if the post is thicker than usual. Also the threading on the post could irritate the inside of the piercing.

Ding ding ding - ElizabethA gets it on both counts - The posts are thick and the screw threads are sharp!

Lindac, I haven't found any marking on them.

I have another pair of her screw backs that my father always called 'cats eyes'... Always wondered about those stones too.

My sister taught me a trick to use with earrings that have thick posts or are just hard to get in. Dip the end of the post into a small amount of Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment. The earrings slide right through and I've never lost a back, nor do I have my usual issues with metal sensitivity. Could you also use the clear plastic disc earring backs (between the earlobe and the screw back) that are sold to keep heavier earrings from falling forward?

My DH bought me some diamond earrings years ago, and they are screw backed, pierced. Sometime along the way, I was told that valuable earrings have the screw back. And they are very uncomfortable! I want to give to one of my GDs, but I know they would not like them due to comfort.

I have a pair of "old" earrings with a screw back just like that. They are nothing special, a fancy glass dangle. But I usually wear wires now and the holes in my ears have shrunk...when I wore my Trainers....those earrings you wear while your ears are healing, the holes were stretched and those screw backs were comfortable. I need to do that again.

Yes, I believe that your piercings can shrink. I had a pair of hoops that I wore forever. My husband bought me a pair of beautiful, new hoops for Christmas - they about killed my ears. Finally, I just sucked it up, and wore them for about a week straight while dousing them with alcohol several times a day. The piercings have opened back up now and I have no problem with these earrings.

Have you thought about having the stones put into a different setting?

Without seeing or handling those stones, I can only guess what those might be: onyx, jet, obsidian. Other names for obsidian are volcanic glass and Apache tears. There is another black stone that incorporates the black oxide of iron in its chemistry and it weighs more than glass based stones.

Do the "cat eyes" actually have the cat eye effect? Or was your father talking about some other aspect of the earrings? I think those stones have lost popularity over the years, but I'll always like them.

"Tiger Eye" is a chalcedony stone that is thickly infiltrated with asbestos fiber. It is the fiber embedded in the stone that gives the chatoyancy effect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger%27s_eye

There are other stones that also exhibit the chatoyant effect. In most of these, the effect is caused by a closely packed fiberous/needle structure. The reflected image tends to shift as the stone is turned. some of these stones can be quite striking. Sometimes, these are called 'cat eye' stones.

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I'm searching online for a match to the black stones and I still can't say what they might most likely be. :p

I need to find the cats eye earrings and post a pic! They aren't like tiger eye stones.... I.e., not a cats eye effect. Some kind of agate maybe. Will post photos when I can.

If you look at the stones with a loupe, you may see signs of them having "worked"...carved or shaped...in which case it's most likely onyx. Jet was usually faceted and i have never seen obsidian used in jewelry.
and it's very likely it is black opaque glass. If you hold it up to a very strong light can you see any hint of purple in it?

I'd take these to a jeweler, have them IDed (for fun at least), and replace the posts so you can wear 'em. I suppose you should just put the stones in a different setting altogether and save the empty earrings for posterity but i don't know if that would be worth it. Plus, can you even find a jeweler who would copy that retro style setting?

I should look at jewelry more. Maybe the curvy setting is more common than I realize.

Anyway, wear them!

My friend just checked them and he thinks they're ebony. Does that sound right?

I found the cats eye earrings... Not easy to photograph.

Unfortunately, I don't have a loupe. I once knew some fairly local jewelers who could have ID'd these or made a custom setting, but they're long gone.

How about a magnifying glass? Ebony is wood....do they look like wood? I hardly think a bit of wood would be set into earrings.
Find a place that pierces ears and get a pair of the starter earrings and wear them non stop for 2 weeks....your ears will stretch and you will be able to wear both pair of earrings.

Take them to a jeweler and ask them what the stone is.

And if you like them enough, pay to have the backs changed.

Dh's grandmother bequeathed me a set of diamond earrings that were screw on backs. Most painful to wear. I had the backs changed out.

Those eyeball earrings are really different! Could they be glass? I'm afraid I'm gonna have to advise you to wear the black ones. :)

I don't think the cats eye earrings are glass, but I'm certainly no expert. Neither the black ones or cats eye ones seem to allow light to pass. I just know pretty stones when I see them. :)

Curious how much a jeweler would typically charge to test a stone for IDing? I bought a vintage earring/necklace set a few years ago, not realizing that a stone was missing from the necklace. I took it to the local jeweler to have a stone removed from the earrings and reset in the necklace. When I asked about the stones they said they could only ID with testing.

The stones in your ear rings are not "cat eyes". A better description is a high cabochon formed on a bi-color stone.

Its hard to say exactly what your stones are. These could have been cut from a variety of materials that may have orbicular patterns. An example of an orbicular pattern in agate is shown in the link below along with other forms.

http://godmadeagates.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Agate-Structures-Part-3.pdf

For my money it's not important to have a "scientific" test performed to name the stones....it's not like you are id-ing a 2 karat diamond to see if it's fake. I am sure a jeweler will either give you an opinion for free (which is just an opinion) or test it, removing from the setting and doing a specific gravity test and charging for it.
The Cat's eyes are likely a form of calcedoney.

The cat's eyes in your earrings are actually the operculum of a sea snail. My aunt was a missionary in Papua-New Guinea, and she gave me a bracelet made of them when I was a girl.

Wow!!....never knew of that....googling tells me you are most likely correct!
Who knew? Well now I do! Thank you!

Omg, that's amazing. Thank you, eflatmajor!

Thank you, everyone! I love these forums and all the neat, interesting, and weird stuff I learn from you all. Once in a while I actually know something weird to contribute myself. :). Will let you know if I get a jeweler's ID on the black ones!

You're welcome, lindac92 and party_music50, and thank you for your kind comments! I've enjoyed reading this forum for a long time, learning from knowledgeable posters about so many interesting items. I never expected to have any helpful information to offer, so being able to do so was a happy surprise.