Inverness Corporation was established in the United States in 1974, with the invention of a safe, quick and sterile system for piercing the ears in a retail environment. Until that time, ears were usually pierced with a needle; at home,by a jeweler or in a doctor's office. By today's standards these methods are considered crude and dangerous. Inverness has been the leading innovator and supplier of piercing earrings and related products since the company's inception.