What To Look For When Buying Diamond Stud Earrings
Diamond stud earrings are a classic jewelry accessory, as they're beautiful and versatile. These earrings also come in many sizes and shapes. If you're in search of the perfect diamond stud earrings, here's what to look for.
Carat and Cut
The carat and cut of a diamond are two of the most important aspects of the stone. The number of carats measures the size of the diamond, and the cut determines how sparkly it is. While the highest carat count and cut grade might seem to be the most desirable, what is right for you depends on a couple of personal preferences.
First, consider how large you want the earrings to be. You might prefer large diamond stud earrings if you have large earlobes, or you may want small studs if you have more petite ears. Try on a few pairs of earrings until you find a diamond that seems to be the right size. Check how many carats the diamonds on this pair of earrings is, and limit your search to earrings that have a similar number of carats.
Second, determine whether you want the diamond stud earrings to be a statement piece or a complementary accessory to another item. Get the highest grade cut you can if you want the earrings to be the most noticeable item you wear, as a high-grade cut will ensure the earrings sparkle and catch the eye. Go with a lower-grade cut if you want earrings that look nice, but that don't overwhelm other items you wear.
Setting
The setting refers to how the diamond is secured to the earring's metal. Most diamond stud earrings have three, four, six, or eight prongs. There are a couple of factors to think about when determining how many prongs you want the setting to have.
Settings with only three prongs might have a unique look, but these aren't terribly secure. If a single prong breaks, the diamond is liable to fall out of the earring.
Adding a fourth prong greatly improves security, as there are still at least three prongs holding the diamond in place if one of the prongs breaks. Limiting the number of prongs to only four also ensures that the setting doesn't dwarf the diamond itself. This setting tends to be well-suited for many small- and medium-sized diamond earrings.
The largest diamonds might need six or even eight prongs to hold them secure. These diamonds are also large enough that many prongs won't overwhelm the diamond.
Visit a jewelry store to find diamond earrings for sale.
