The Ultimate Guide to Buying Diamond Stud Earrings
Diamond jewelry is classic - and diamond stud earrings are so versatile that they can be worn in just about any setting, whether it’s a formal business meeting or an intimate dinner party with friends and family. No matter the diamond shape, they loog great, They also look good against any precious metal, whether it’s silver, yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, platinum, or others - however you style it, a pair of diamond stud earrings is sure to class up your look.
For anyone who appreciates luxury and classic style, two diamonds studs are the perfect accessory to invest in, but there are many other factors to consider before you make your final decision.
If you’re looking to buy diamond stud earrings, there are many things to consider from what budget you can afford to the cut, quality, and other attributes of the diamonds used in the earrings themselves. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with this comprehensive guide that includes all of these things to consider before buying diamond stud earrings.
Let’s dive right in! But first, let’s take a look at the glorious history of diamond stud earrings.
The Glorious History Of Diamond Stud Earrings
Women and men have adorned their body with various ear ornaments for millennia. Many individuals are unaware of the historical significance of earrings. The most primitive kind of body modification is a piercing on the lobe of the skull.
Evidence of this really old jewelry can be found all over the world. Egypt had a long tradition of wearing stud earrings. Aside from that, early evidence of a pair of earrings has been discovered all over the world, including Asia, Rome, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, and the Mediterranean. The royal family and rich households were the first to wear the earrings. They were one of the few people who had these high-end items.
Modern diamond stud earrings first appeared in the late 1800s and have remained popular ever since. Their popularity soared in the 1970s, and they've remained fashionable to this day. While many athletes and celebrities choose diamond studs, they are also popular among the general public.
The Most Comprehensive Diamond Earring Buying Guide
Now that we have talked about the history of earrings in general along with diamond stud earrings, we’ll now begin with our detailed guide on buying diamond earrings.
1) Know your budget
Diamond stud earrings can cost from a few hundred dollars up into the thousands. If you’re only going to buy one pair of diamond earrings in your life, don’t skimp on quality and try to stretch your budget—you’ll probably end up spending much more in repairs and replacements down the road.
If, however, you plan on adding diamond studs over time, it makes sense to start small and buy less expensive pairs that you can wear often without worrying about them. Either way, shop around before committing so you know exactly what's out there (and for how much). Ideally, get a couple quotes from jewelers who specialize in diamond studs or know their stuff when it comes to quality diamonds.
2) Evaluating Quality: Understand what makes for quality diamonds
You will often hear from people that the quality of the diamond isn't a big deal while buying diamond stud earrings and that you can easily pass your slightly yellowish diamond with noticeable imperfections. Here, the presumption made by them is that hardly anyone will look at your ears too carefully.
Nevertheless, we feel that one should only invest in higher-quality diamonds since these earrings will ultimately become a part of inheritance that will be passed down to generations and will never go out of style.
One of the best ways to make sure you’re getting quality is by educating yourself about what makes diamond quality so special and paying attention to certification. Certified diamonds come with certificates from entities like GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or HRD (Heritage Research Diamonds), which tell you all sorts of things like where your diamond was mined, whether it was color treated, how many imperfections it has, and more.
When choosing a diamond, you want to obtain the most value for the money. One respite when compared to choosing a diamond engagement ring, where every last detail counts, you have greater discretion when choosing diamond stud earrings.
This is where the 4Cs, i.e., color, carat, clarity, and cut, enter the picture.
Color:
Diamond color is important. A diamond's surfaces act as minuscule mirrors, reflecting whatever is around them. This means that the color of the metal in which the diamond is housed, your complexion, your hair color, and anything surrounding it, such as eyewear or other jewelry, will be picked up by the diamond. All of these factors will influence the diamond's apparent color.
As a result, the price of a colorless diamond isn't as crucial as it formerly was. When you choose colored diamonds with a lower D-to-Z color scale, you will ultimately save money on the perfect pair that you have been looking for.
Carat Weight:
If it's possible, you should try to purchase diamonds that are 0.50 carat (ct) or larger. Keep in mind that picking stones that are a few notches below the ideal weights of 0.50 ct, 0.75 ct, 1.00 ct, and so on can save you money without sacrificing attractiveness.
However, don't make your decision solely on the basis of carat weight. A badly cut diamond will lack brilliance, flare, and scintillation. It will appear flat and lifeless, which is not the impression you want to portray.
Clarity:
No one will be able to see flaws and defects on your diamond studs until and unless they come close and check your earlobes with a jeweler's expert tools. Included (I1, I2) or Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) diamonds that are on the lower spectrum of the clarity scale can be an excellent deal for a perfect pair, allowing you to spend more on the other Cs of the 4Cs.
Cut:
Everyone wants their diamond stud earrings to gleam and stand out, and the cut of the diamond plays a big role in that. Look for a diamond with a brilliant cut facet configuration because it will have the maximum shine.
For instance, if you end up choosing round brilliant diamond studs, make sure they have a GIA cut rating of Very Good, or Excellent. In this way, you can be rest assured that each diamond is proportioned, symmetrical, and well-crafted to provide the sparkle you seek.
3) Choosing The Right Carat Weight for Diamond Earrings
Diamond earrings are often selected based on carat weight. Carat, of course, refers to a diamond's size. But when it comes to buying diamond stud earrings, carat weight is only one consideration. A larger-size diamond has more potential for blemishes, so when it comes time to choose carats, go with a smaller stone rather than larger for clarity and fire.
For example, instead of choosing a 0.7-carat diamond (the highest in carat weight), consider an 0.55-carat stone that's better quality and appearance; you'll save money without sacrificing aesthetics—which might be your number one priority when purchasing your earrings after all!
In general, you should choose a diamond stud earring that’s within 1/2 carat of the size of your diamond rings. (If you wear a size 5 ring, for example, go with .50 ct. earrings.) That said, there are no hard and fast rules on how large a diamond needs to be in order to look nice on your ears—it all depends on your personal preference.
4) Picking a Shape for you Diamond Studs
Diamond stud earrings come in a variety of shapes, each with their own qualities and costs. These are available in shapes like: round brilliant (or round), princess cut, cushion cut and emerald cut; among others.
If you're not sure which shape is best for you or what stone quality makes sense for your budget and lifestyle, consider asking some trusted friends or family members which they like best before making a purchase.The shape you choose will depend on how you want your diamond earrings to look and how much money you want to spend.
Round Brilliant Cut:
For diamond engagement rings, the round brilliant cut is the most popular. In a colorless diamond, it also
possesses the most brightness, fire, and shine. As a result, it's also a popular option for diamond stud earrings.
If you're considering a round diamond stud earring, make sure it's a true round; they're not always perfectly circular. Round diamonds also tend to have more light refraction, meaning they'll sparkle more than other shapes like princess cuts. For something more affordable, consider purchasing two rounds that sit opposite each other, known as hoops.
Princess Cut:
The square shape, which is a categorical feature of Princess Cut diamonds, can look a little edgy when it comes to diamond earrings. The Princess cut diamonds are known for their remarkable brightness and scintillation due to their enhanced brilliant facet arrangement. Princess cut diamonds are cut like diamonds used in crowns and can be very elegant-looking.
5) Deciding on the Setting
After you’ve chosen what type of earring you want, it’s time to decide on a setting. The most popular style of diamond stud earrings is those that use a four-prong setting (with one prong on each side of your stone), but there are plenty of other options out there.
More specifically, you need to decide between a post or screw back. A screw back will cost more than a post, but it also makes changing your earring as easy as turning a screw; no tools are required and they are less likely to fall out or catch hair.
6) Understanding How Color Affects Price
Another thing you’ll need to decide is whether you want colorless diamonds or not. This decision will affect how much your diamond stud earrings cost, because of something called grading. A diamond is given a grade based on its cut, color and clarity.
The most prevalent colors for diamond stud earrings are yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, and platinum. Personal preference is the deciding factor. If you're not sure, look at the rest of your jewelry. Alternatively, pick a hue that will stand out among your other jewelry. Gold will be less expensive than platinum, yet it will be sturdy enough to be worn on a daily basis.
As you go up in quality, it means that fewer imperfections are present in your stone – and these can dramatically increase your price. For example, a colorless round brilliant cut diamond with an AGI grading could cost as much as $10,000 per carat while an I1 (imperfect) colored round brilliant cut could cost as little as $200 per carat!
7) Understanding Clarity Grading
The grade of a diamond can be based on a number of factors, including its carat weight, color and clarity. Carat refers to how much diamond is in an earring or ring setting. Color is whether or not it has any yellow tint. Clarity relates to if there are any internal flaws in the diamond (like black spots or cracks).
There are 4 grades for diamonds when it comes to clarity: Flawless, Internally Flawless, Very Slightly Included and Included. The higher up you go with each grade, the more rare and more expensive your earrings will be. Ultimately it's all about what you like and finding something that works within your budget.
8) What are Flaws?
Whether you’re buying diamond stud earrings or a $1 ring from a garage sale, it’s important to understand how flaws in diamonds are evaluated. You may have heard terms like flawless used when it comes to describing a diamond, but do you know what makes up that flawlessness?
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades and classifies diamonds on a 10-point scale of 1 (flawless) through 10 (very badly flawed). No matter what kind of diamond you’re considering, there are three grades for color, three for clarity and four for cut. Take these into consideration before making your purchase.
9) Do Your Research on Jewelers
Get yourself a wide range of diamond stud earring options from different jewelers and try them on. Before you start shopping for diamond stud earrings, it's important that you do your research on what cuts, shapes, sizes and quality of diamonds are available in your budget.
Choose jewelers who can help you make these decisions before making any purchase. For example, if the price is not a major concern and quality is more important to you, there are various online companies like Menashe & Sons Jewelers that sell high-quality diamonds at relatively lower prices.
Conclusion
Choosing the right diamond stud earrings is not an easy task if you are unaware of various considerations that you need to make about the quality of the diamonds, color of the material, the ideal cut and so on. That’s why we have curated this comprehensive guide to help you buy diamond earrings that not only fit your budget, but truly stand out.
We hope that we have aptly equipped you with all the information that you’ll need to choose your first or next diamond earring studs.