We know how hard choosing the right pair of diamond earrings can be so use our diamond earrings buying guide for tips on finding the perfect pair to bring a little glamour into your everyday life.
Diamond earrings are a great way to bring a little subtle sparkle into your everyday life. Often a lot more affordable than diamond rings and necklaces, earrings are a great entry-level piece for the woman who wishes to start her diamond jewellery collection.
But like any other kind of diamond piece, diamond earrings can be a big investment. This makes it important to know what you should consider before making your purchase as if you change your mind, earrings are the one item you cannot return and get your money back on.
Diamond Earrings Buying Guide Overview:
- How To Choose Diamond Earrings
- How To Buy Good Diamond Earrings
- Different Diamond Earring Styles
- The 4Cs Of Diamond Earrings
- The Bottom Line
How To Choose Diamond Earrings
There are three things you have to consider before choosing diamond earrings, they are how much you intend to spend on your pair of earrings, what style and setting that you intend to go with, as well as the all-important 4Cs of diamonds. To find out more about the 4Cs, check out our Diamond Guide.
How To Buy Good Diamond Earrings
Before you even look at any earrings, the first thing youll need to figure out is how much you are willing to spend on them. While every budget is different, diamond earrings can range from as low as $100 to up into the high thousands, sometimes into the millions. It all depends on the style and the quality of the diamond you are looking to purchase. Now, no one is saying you should go out and drop $2500 on a pair of earrings, but if you do want something that is of a superior quality save up more if you just want something that looks nice and sparkles you can get away with spending a lot less.
If you do intend to spend more than you normally would on an item of jewellery, there are plenty of great money-saving hacks to ensure you can have a decent diamond budget. These include avoiding ordering takeaway or avoid ordering from places that incur a delivery fee, taking a list with you food shopping to ensure you don't fall into a trap of buying items you don't need, downloading a real-time petrol price guide to ensure you get the best value when you're refuelling and using a banking platform which helps track your spending. Find out more about the price of diamonds in our Diamond Price Guide.
Different Diamond Earring Styles
Deciding on a style is the second most important part of choosing your pair of diamond earrings. Whether you're on the hunt for a pair of earrings for every day, a pair for formal occasions or perhaps something a little bit edgier, there is a myriad of different earring styles and settings out there.
Below are the earrings styles which are the most common:
Hoop Earrings
A throwback to styles from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, hoop earrings are arguably the most popular style out there. Coming in an array of colours, shapes and sizes, hoop earrings can be incredibly simplistic or very intricately detailed and are often adorned with tiny diamonds. Hoop earrings are a great everyday piece as they will likely pair well with most items in your wardrobe and will suit every hairstyle you decide to don. If you choose to invest in a pair of diamond hoop earrings, you are automatically guaranteed a pair of earrings that will be a beloved piece in your jewellery collection for many years to come.
Stud Earrings
Arguably the most classic earring style, stud earrings are a sensible choice for those who just want simple diamond earrings. Stylish yet understated, studs are an ideal item for everyday wear. They also come in an array of shapes, colours, metals and styles meaning you're bound to find something that fits your style. If you're after something more classic, you could opt for a square or round stud with a simple diamond stone. If you would prefer something a bit more eclectic you can opt for a unique shape like a flower, star or heart. You could even try a more personal approach by picking out a pair of studs with your initial or birthstone. Initial jewellery and birthstone jewellery is on trend.
Drop Earrings
Often featuring a decorated stud with an elongated drop that dangles just below the ear, drop earrings tend to be seen as a lot dressier than other earrings styles out there. Regularly adorned with diamonds, zirconia jewellery or other gemstones, there is just something so glamorous about the way these earrings sparkle as they effortlessly dangle with every movement. They bring a whole new level of sophistication to your look, particularly when it comes to eveningwear. You will find this style in a variety of colours and metals, featuring some very intricate designs including infinity symbols, religious crosses, dreamcatchers and more.
Huggie Earrings
A more pared-down version of the hoop earring, huggie earrings or sleepers have seen a surge in popularity thanks to the reemergence of styles that were popular in the 80s and 90s. A go-to pair of earrings for every day, huggie earrings can range from super plain to extremely detailed with diamonds, gemstones and other embellishments. Many not only favour this style of earring for their truly understated nature but because they rarely get caught up in your hair or other diamond accessories like other earring styles occasionally do. Huggie earrings also look incredibly chic when paired with a stylish updo when you're in the office or on the go.
Chandelier Earrings
Similar to that of drop earrings, chandelier earrings are a large pair of earrings with intricate detailing which causes them to dangle from your ears almost like a chandelier hanging from a ceiling rose (hence their name). Uber-popular during the early 2000s, these earrings come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Traditional pairs of chandelier earrings generally feature an assortment of diamonds and other gemstone jewellery which hang off one another with a small hinge. Due to how heavy and intricately detailed these earrings are, many women will reserve this style for special occasions-particularly formal occasions where they elegantly flatter evening gowns.
Fancy Earrings
Fancy earrings is an umbrella term for earring styles that don't really fit the mould of other more traditional earrings. They can include anything from the understated and minimalist threader drop earrings to the edgier jacket earrings. Another example of a fancy earring style is the street-style fresh ear cuff which allows those who don't have their ears pierced to sport an earring. With these earring styles, anything goes really.
The 4Cs Of Diamond Earrings
Like all diamond jewellery, its extremely important to consider the 4Cs of diamonds: cut, colour, carat and clarity; before making your purchase. The 4Cs will not only help you determine the type of diamond in your price range, but it will also help figure out whether the diamond you are looking at is of good quality.
For a refresher, here is what the 4Cs mean and how they play a role in determining the value of your diamond:
Cut
A diamonds cut refers to the shape that the stone is polished into after being mined, rather than its actual shape. The cut of a diamond will determine its symmetry and ability to shine, which will ultimately affect the stones value. Diamond cuts that arguably have the most sparkle include the round cut, princess cut, cushion cut, emerald cut and oval cut. These diamond cuts are not only often the most valuable, but they are also frequently used in earring settings, particularly stud earrings where the diamond is arguably the star attraction. A diamonds cut will play a role in determining how big the stone will come across, this is ideal for earrings as they will generally feature a smaller stone.
Colour
A diamonds colour is a huge factor in determining its value. The most desirable stones on the market are the ones that are almost, if not completely colourless. This is because it is extremely rare to come across a completely transparent diamond. While practically invisible to the naked eye, most diamonds have tiny flecks of yellow in them. The closer the stone is to being completely clear, the more valuable it will likely be. While colourless stones are usually the most prized, coloured diamonds tend to be the most valuable. Referred to as fancies, these stones appear in almost every colour of the rainbow including, pink, brown (also known as Australian diamonds), green, blue, black, blue and yellow.
Carat
The carat of a diamond refers to the stones size and weight. Derived from an ancient measuring system used in the 1500s to estimate the volume of seeds within a carob tree, a diamonds carat is a huge factor in determining its value. Priced on a per carat basis, one carat is divided into 100 points. Diamonds that are under one carat are referred to as pointers and they are priced accordingly. Because of their size, earrings tend to feature diamonds of a lesser size. Bigger diamonds can sometimes be too heavy for earrings and may even weigh them down, causing discomfort.
Clarity
A diamonds clarity refers to the absence of inclusions and blemishes. While you may not notice unless you look at the stone under a microscope, most diamonds have tiny flecks, scrapes and other imperfections. Referred to as inclusions, they incur during the diamonds formation. A diamonds clarity is measured by a special grading chart. Diamonds that feature heavy inclusions will gain an I score which stands for inclusions, while a stone with little to no inclusions or imperfections will receive an F score which stands for flawless. Natural diamonds with a flawless score are extremely rare and their value will often span into the thousands, even the millions.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line when it comes to investing in diamond earrings is to choose a pair that you know you are going to get a lot of wear out of. Earrings are not returnable, so you'll want to pick a pair you know is going to stand the test of time. You'll also want to find a pair that is going to fit into your everyday style and lifestyle, while also ensuring that you choose ones that are comfortable, easy to wear and wont get caught up in your hair or other accessories. Earrings are also extremely delicate, so find a pair with a good warranty and a decent level of durability to ensure you can endlessly sparkle without any worries.