A jewelry item has a closure that uses shape memory to provide two stable positions. For example, an earring has a setting and a pin, and the closure closes the pin over the ear. The closure consists of a leaf spring extending outwardly in a first loop part from a first location on the setting and looping back in a second loop part to a second location adjacent the first location on the setting. The loop parts each have shape memory and are set with different remembered shapes. The two different remembered shapes work against each other to flip the closure between two stable positions, a first position in which the closure connects to the pin to close the earring and a second position in which the closure is spaced away from the pin to open the earring. The design is particularly suitable for a huggie style earring.