Pierced earring with improved nut

A pierced earring comprising:

• a pin member having formed therein an engaging groove;
• a nut made from resilient thin plate material and including a one-piece cylindrical fastener body having first and second opposite ends, said second end being open;
• a guide part integral with said first end of said fastener body and tapering therefrom in a direction outwardly therefrom and away from said second end of said fastener body, thereby forming means to guide insertion of said pin member into said fastener body;
• a radial flange extending outwardly from said guide part in an axial direction toward said second end;
• a pair of engaging ridges integral with said fastener body and extending inwardly from an inner peripheral surface thereof at locations to fit in said engaging groove when said pin member is inserted into said fastener body;
• said fastener body having formed therein only a single slit extending longitudinally thereof from said second end thereof throughout substantially the entire length thereof, and thereby defining means to enable said fastener body to deform outwardly, in cooperation with the resiliency of said plate material, during insertion of said pin member into said fastener body and to contract resiliently inwardly when said engaging ridges become aligned with said engaging groove, thus ensuring intimate engagement of said engaging ridges in said engaging groove;
• and
• said single slit being defined by confronting longitudinal edges of said fastener body, said fastener body being circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted from a first said edge to a second said edge.