On purpose or on accident?

are.. are you a time traveller? How did you know Johannes Vermeer? And more importantly what machine is this expensive and essential machine? I'm kinda curious. &&Why didn't you say something when you first dropped the earring? Is the reason it broke have anything to do with it running after the earring fell in? Because then maybe if you said something immediately the servicemen would be there fishing out an earring so the machine could be used rather than fixing it? I'm a little uncomfortable tbh as it seems like you are currently being paid to cost your employers money....

I'd say you should go to your boss and tell him that you may know why the machine is broke. Just say that you've realized that there's one of your earrings missing. He won't be too hard.

Sad..

You know, Van Gogh had a way of dealing with stress that I think would really help disqualify you as a suspect if the earring is ever found…

Definitely come clean. It's better than being caught after the fact.

Buy another set of them, wear both and say it isnt yours.

Aren't you supposed to avoid wearing jewelry around heavy machinery?

Gotta say YDI, you know what the problem is and can help them get it fixed and business back up and running but you choose not to

just say something along the lines of "you just realized one of your pearl ear rings is missing and point out your close proximity to the machine and say its possible it could have fallen in while working " which phrases it to save both your ass and the companies