While a diamond engagement ring puts marriage in the spotlight, diamond stud earrings are purely aesthetics. This dazzling pair is simply worn to brighten her face and boost the sparkle in her eyes!
Now, some might assume that if shopping for one diamond is already overwhelming, what more if there’s two? But without a heavy symbol, are diamond stud earrings easier to purchase?
Should you carefully inspect the diamond like how you would for engagement rings? Or just trust the best jeweler in town?
Pre-Set vs. Build-Your-Own Diamond Stud Earrings
As a regular consumer, you’d browse through a jewelry store and see pre-set diamond studs. The salesperson will then offer ones that match your budget (or even pricier!) with the promise of better quality. Fancy labels will be thrown in the air as you view the gem under a 10x loupe. And you’re initially sold! You trust the brand, the seller, and you see it sparkle, what else could you need?
But you’re not a typical consumer; you like to know your money’s worth. That’s why you can’t just settle with a pre-set diamond without a grading certificate, unless it’s below .30 carats. If the pair is bigger than 0.30 carats individually, I would recommend building your own diamond stud earrings to assure its value and quality.
Plus, it’s fun picking your own diamond!
So, what is there to look out for diamond stud earrings? Don’t worry, the specifications are laxer with diamond studs considering they are viewed from further away than engagement rings. You just have to take note of the 4Cs of the diamond and the quality of the setting.
Best Carat Weight for Diamond Earrings
Not everyone knows that the diamond cut is the most vital characteristic of the diamond. But what captures second looks is the size of the diamond!
With stud earrings, since they’re worn on the ears, carat weight is the most evident. So, if you really want to stand out, go as big as you like and your budget allows. For diamond studs the carat weight is counted in CTW meaning Carat Total Weight. If your CTW is 1.00 that means that you have two diamond studs counting 0.50 CT each.
Best Diamond Color for Diamond Studs
The sweet spot in diamond color for engagement rings is Color G as you’d barely notice the difference when it’s compared to the highest color grade side by side. So, for diamond stud earrings that have a farther viewing distance, you may even go for as low as H to I.
In fact I consider the I color grade to be the absolute sweet spot for diamond earrings. In the example above with real life images you can notice that it is only at the I color that the diamond begins to display a tiny little bit more body hue. Then consider that you are actually wearing the diamond on your ear where you wouldn’t notice that tiny detail at all. G to I is the win zone!
Clarity Grade
Like color, clarity doesn’t need to be the highest for diamond stud earrings. Some stones that are not eye clean are actually considered eye clean in earrings. Though, this doesn’t mean that you can opt for the lowest clarity grade. You should still make sure the diamond is eye clean. And that’s usually in the VS2-SI2 ranges.
Diamond Cut
We may be lenient with the other 4Cs, but Cut is still immutable; Cut is always King! Given the display stretch compared to the in-your-face engagement ring, diamond stud earrings need optimal sparkle and greater size to really shine. Excellent Cut is the way to go!
Stud Settings
Now, the setting isn’t just the holder of the diamond. Even the most brilliant gem can look off if it’s paired with a low-quality setting. There should be symmetry and craftsmanship. But best of all, settings should be able to amplify the beauty of the diamonds, as much as the beholder.
A Reputable Diamond Vendor Should Have the Following:
Diamond Display Technology
Buying diamonds online offers huge price advantages, but it’s quickly set off if you don’t know what kind of diamond you’ll be getting. After all, you can see them in person in a physical store.
For this reason, it is important that you get to view as much of the diamond as possible. Just knowing about the cut, carat weight, clarity, and color of the stone is not enough. It won’t give you an idea of what the diamond looks like.
This issue is of particular importance when checking the eye-cleanliness of diamond stud earrings, and making sure the diamonds exhibit superb fire, brilliance, and scintillation.
A reputable diamond store shouldn’t just display a generic image or some animated picture of their diamonds. They should offer high definition photos from different angles or better yet, provide actual videos. This way, you can be sure that the vendor is not hiding anything from you!
Grading Certificate
You should also be able to easily access a grading report; preferably one from either GIA or AGS. The top vendors today offer diamonds that are mostly graded by these two best grading labs. It’s a seal of quality and assurance. A testament that you are getting exactly what you fell in love for in their gallery!
The diamond stores below offer all of the above plus more! So, without further ado…
Here Are the Best Places to Buy Diamond Stud Earrings for Your Girl
James Allen
James Allen has revolutionized diamond shopping as the first company that has introduced magnified HD 360 ° videos of ALL their diamonds! This means that you know what you’ll get in advance.
At the moment, James Allen is the only vendor that offers high definition 360° videos of all the diamonds in their inventory, topped with an excellent customer service. See it for yourself!
Blue Nile Diamonds
Blue Nile is known for pioneering the online diamond business. They still have the largest selection of diamonds and the company with the biggest turnover. However, Blue Nile has lost its power and is losing increasing market shares because of customers who are not willing to buy diamonds blindly.
The Bottomline
Although the search for the perfect pair of diamond stud earrings is not as strict as engagement rings, cut remains cardinal to the overall beauty of the diamond. Marry it with a good carat size and the best bang for the buck color and clarity grades, and all you need to do is pick one of the best online vendors above. Choose impeccable settings, and watch your diamonds dance in 360° HD!
Should you have any question about diamond stud earrings, please feel free to comment down below. Or write to me! My advice is free. 🙂