Guide To Diamond Earrings

Diamond stud earrings are a versatile jewellery piece, made for both women and men and make great gifts for anniversaries. Not sure what to look for? Here’s our guide to what you should consider when buying diamond stud earrings.

The 4 C’s

As with all diamonds, earring quality can be judged on the 4 C’s – Cut, Clarity, Carat and Colour. Depending on your budget, purpose, or preference, each of these four categories will differ slightly. For example, those on a budget can choose a diamond clarity grade which has inclusions, but not noticeable to the human eye, which will bring the cost down. Another example would be carat size, usually, it’s best to pick a lighter carat as these will be hanging in the ear. Men’s studs also tend to be larger to better fit the proportions of the face. Generally, 1ct diamond is a popular choice for a stud earring.

Settings

There are different types of settings available, and the most popular are prong settings and bezel settings. Generally, bezels are more secure as they hold the diamonds by encircling them with metal bands.The downside to bezel settings is that they also hide more of the diamond compared with prong settings. Prongs are less safe as they can bend or break more easily, but they leave more of the stone visible. Regardless of your choice, you should make sure that the structure of the earrings is sturdy enough and doesn’t look like it is going to fall apart easily.

Precious Metals/Durability

One of the factors to consider when choosing a metal for diamond earrings is durability. For example, yellow gold is softer than white gold, the latter of which is a better choice if you are looking for earrings whose parts will not bend or scratch easily. An even better choice is platinum, but it is also much more expensive. If you are set on gold, whether white or yellow, ask if the earrings contain nickel – not all people are allergic to it, but to be on the safe side, it is advisable to purchase jewellery with low nickel content (as in 14-karat or 18-karat gold) or no nickel at all. You can also take into account clothing, hair colour, and skin tone, and consider them when choosing the colour of the metal. For example, yellow gold complements darker tones, whereas white metals are a better match for lighter tones.

Here at Hatton Garden, we have a range of diamond stud styles, which you can view here. If you have any questions or would like more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch using the contact form, call, or pop into one of stores located in Hatton Garden. We have friendly, knowledgeable staff who can guide you.