I've got 2 piercings in my left ear and a matching pair, plus a top cartilage one ( Helix?) in my right. I do change the studs from time to time, but atm, since mid-Dec I've had pair of zirconia in gold in the lowest pair and amethyst in gold in the upper pair. The top one I don't chnage, its gold stirrup with a gold bar to hold it and zirconia in the ball.
I've only once had a comment and that was positive.