Buying Diamond Earrings - Step by Step Guide

Wearing diamond earrings is a popular choice for many people, not only for that special look, but because they can be worn with almost any type of outfit from everyday wear to formal occasions like weddings and graduations. They make the perfect gift for birthdays,  anniversaries, special holidays, and friendships. The resilience of diamond jewelry can make it a treasured heirloom.

Diamond earrings are a timeless and classic piece of jewelry which come in different styles and sizes to fit your needs. The versatility of diamond earrings can vary from simple to elaborate styles making them an easy choice to wear with a variety of outfits and for a multitude of different occasions.

Diamonds are valued for their sparkle, brilliance and beauty. Diamond earrings command attention as an important accessory to your outfit while giving you the feeling of luxury, beauty, and being loved. 

A Brief Look at the History of Earrings

The history of wearing earrings can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The earliest earrings were most likely made of simple materials like shells, bones, and stones.

Eventually, earrings were made from gold, silver, and gems.

There is evidence of earrings worn in Persia as far back as 2500 BC. Egypt was another country where earrings were popular for both men and women. Back in those ancient times, earrings were made of precious metals and gemstones, and like today were often thought of as a symbol of wealth and status. You could also find earrings being worn for religious and spiritual reasons.

Some countries like Greece, wore earrings for symbolic and cultural reasons. Earrings were thought to bring good luck and ward off evil. In ancient Rome generally only wealthy women wore gemstones and gold.

Earrings declined in popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages, but remained a fashion icon in other parts of the world like Asia and Africa. Some cultures even used ear piercing as a rite of passage for a child to transition into adulthood.

Earrings regained popularity in Europe especially by the aristocracy in the 16th and 17th centuries. Elaborate earring designs contained precious gemstones and pearls.

Earrings became more available to the general public in the 20th century with the introduction of mass production techniques. Today countless styles and a variety of materials make earrings a popular and beloved accessory for both women and men.  

How to Buy Diamond Earrings

Choosing the perfect diamond earrings as something special to wear for yourself, or for a loved one, involves many different considerations. Let’s look at the following items as your buying guide of the many features you will want to keep in mind when choosing your diamond earrings.

Start with your Budget

Diamond earrings can range in price from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars based on the style, size, quality and quantity of diamonds (4Cs), types of metal color, complexity of the design, and brand name of jewelry that you select.

It is important for you to set a budget that you are comfortable with spending when making your choice in buying diamond earrings. Consider what the occasion will be for the earrings. Will it be for a special occasion or for everyday wear? 

When setting your budget, consider what your personal preferences and priorities are for  choosing your diamond earrings. Your budget will help determine which features are most important to you for the earrings you ultimately select for yourself or for a loved one.

Choosing your Type of Precious Metal 

Once again, there are many things to contemplate before choosing your precious metal. Will the earrings be for yourself or for a loved one? What is the personal preference of the person who will be receiving the diamond earrings? What precious metal will suit your/their personal style and wardrobe? If you aren’t sure what style of precious metal the recipient prefers, check out what they already wear.

Consider skin tone when choosing a precious metal. If the recipient’s skin tone has cool undertones, white gold, platinum, or silver may be the preferred choice. If the skin has a warmer tone, you may want to consider yellow gold.

Think about the color of the diamonds. If you have colorless or white diamonds, white gold and platinum will highlight their sparkle and brilliance. If you have diamonds with a warmer tone like yellow or brown, you may want to consider yellow gold.

Precious metals vary in their durability. Platinum is a precious metal that has more durability. You may want to choose platinum for everyday wear earrings. Platinum is also a good choice for those in need of a hypoallergenic precious metal. Some precious metals like white gold may need more maintenance over time and re-plating.

When choosing the precious metal, the weight of the jewelry can affect it’s comfort and wearability. While heavier pieces like platinum may feel more luxurious, it can also be tiring to wear for a long period of time. Gold that is higher in karat will weigh more. That means diamond earrings with 18K gold will weigh less than 24K gold. Silver is lighter than both platinum and gold. 

It’s important to choose a precious metal that you like that will set off your earrings, and make your earrings feel comfortable and balanced.

Diamond Shapes

The personal style of the receiver is an important factor when choosing the right shape for diamond earrings. Shapes like the princess cut and round cut diamonds are timeless and classic. Others, such as marquise or pear-shaped diamonds are more unconventional and unique. Consider what your loved one will like and what will complement their personal taste and style.

Once again, you will need to examine your budget. Different diamond shapes come with different price points. For instance, round diamonds can sometimes be more expensive due to their popularity and the amount of the rough diamond that needs to be cut away to get that perfect round shape. Other shapes like cushion or oval may be less expensive while getting a similar stunning look.

The quality of your diamond is measured with the 4C’s. The 4C’s are determined by Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and include cut, color, clarity, and carat weight of the diamond. This is an area that will have an important bearing on your budget. Diamonds are rated and valued by the combination of ratings in each of the 4C’s.

Diamond Cut

The cut quality of a diamond will help determine its beauty and value. A diamond that is well cut will have more sparkle, brilliance and fire than a poorly cut diamond of the same carat weight. The angles, proportions, and symmetry of the diamond's facets are all critical to composing a well cut diamond. The quality of the cut determines how well the diamond will reflect and refract light which gives the diamond its brilliance. These cut diamonds are graded excellent, good, and poor from left to right according to GIA.

 

Brilliant diamonds are known for their brilliance and sparkle due to the special cut that optimizes the angles and proportions of the cut. This cut typically involves 57-58 facets that are arranged precisely to reflect and refract light to enhance the beauty of the diamond. The brilliant cut is the most common cut and most popular cut for diamonds.

The proportions of the diamond must be cut precisely to allow for optimum light reflection and refraction. If the cut is too deep or too shallow, the diamond will appear dull and lifeless.

The symmetry of the diamond’s facets is also important to ensure even distribution of light throughout the diamond. If the facets are asymmetrical, the light won’t be reflected evenly and will be less brilliant.

A well polished diamond will allow the light to pass through easily because of its smooth and flawless surface. A diamond can receive a polish grade of Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, or Poor for its polish. Buying a higher grade polished diamond means the smooth and reflective surface will enhance the beauty and enjoyment of your diamond.

Diamond Color 

Diamond color is the measure of the presence or absence of the color of the stone. The GIA rates the color of diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The value of a diamond rated closest to colorless is rated higher than one rated closer to Z.

The value of a colored diamond is determined by a number of factors to include the intensity, color, hue, and saturation of the color (as well as carat weight, cut and clarity of the diamond). The more intense the color, the more valuable it is likely to be. The GIA has a color grade system that rates colored diamonds from “faint” to “fancy vivid” which has the most intensity and valuable color.

The actual color of a diamond such as pink, blue, green, black and yellow is called its hue. Pink and blue are rare, making them more valuable and sought after. 

The saturation of color refers to the color purity. When comparing a diamond with higher saturation, it is more valuable than one that is rated with less saturation. 

Carat weight, cut and clarity also play an important role in the value of a colored diamond. Prices of colored diamonds depend on the demand and availability.

Diamond Clarity

The clarity of a diamond refers to the presence of internal and/or external imperfections or inclusions in a diamond. These inclusions happen naturally during the formation of the diamond. Inclusions will also impact the diamond’s beauty, brilliance, and transparency. Diamonds with fewer inclusions are more valuable on GIA’s clarity grade scale.

The clarity grade scale starts with Flawless (FL) and Internally Flawless (IF) under 10x magnification.The scale then proceeds to Very,Very Slightly Included (VVS1 & VVS2), Very Slightly Included (VS1 & VS2), Slightly Included (SI1 & SI2) and ends with the final category of Included (I1, I2, I3) where inclusions are visible to the naked eye.

Some inclusions can be hidden by the diamond’s settings or may have little impact on the diamond’s overall appearance, while others may distract from the diamond’s beauty. When choosing your diamond, consider the clarity grade as well as the overall appearance and beauty of the diamond.

Diamond Carat Weight

Diamonds are sold by weight, and the price of carat generally increases with an increase in carat weight. Once again, it is important to note that each of the 4C’s is important, but it is the combination of four of the C’s that determine the final value of the diamond.

Many people make the assumption that carat weight means the physical size of the diamond, but that isn’t necessarily true.Two diamonds with the same carat weight can have different measurements and shapes based on the cut of the diamond.

When shopping for diamond earrings, a larger carat diamond could be a more valuable diamond, but it will also come with a higher price tag. It’s important to consider your personal style and budget when choosing a pair of diamond earrings. Do you want a larger carat with a lower grading or a smaller carat with a higher grading to stay in your budget? It is crucial to consider all 4Cs when deciding on the carat weight for your earrings.

Types of Diamond Earring Styles 

• Diamond Stud Earrings are popular for their versatility.  They can be worn in both casual and formal settings.  A pair of diamond stud earrings is simple and understated, but will add a touch of elegance and sophistication to whatever you wear. Diamonds are a durable gemstone that are valuable and long lasting which make them an ideal piece for your jewelery collection! 

Some stud earrings feature a single diamond. These solitaires use a stud setting with prongs or a bezel setting.  A prong setting may include 3 to 4 prongs around the single stone.  Stud earrings are available in many shapes to include round, princess cut, marquise, cushion-cut and oval. 

Diamond stud earrings may consist of a solitaire diamond , or have a halo of smaller diamonds encasing it to give your studs a look with extra sparkle. You can also choose a cluster diamond stud. Many stud earrings use friction backs and screw backs.

• Hoop diamond earrings are circular and are set with diamonds along the hoop. They can come in a variety of sizes and styles. Many hoop earrings use a channel setting. Hoop earring backs often use a latch back or a leverback securing mechanis.

• Huggie Earring are a type of hoop earrings, but are worn closer to the earlobe. You can see examples of a leverback and friction back with these huggies.

• Drop and dangle earrings can be simple or elaborate and come in different lengths and styles. Examples of earring backs for drop and dangle earrings can include leverbacks, friction backs, push backs, and screw backs.

Where Should I Buy?

Online

You can buy your diamond earrings online, but let’s look at some of the benefits and risks in doing so. Online buying can be very convenient because you can shop anytime. You will have a large selection of options to choose from, with listed ratings of the diamond jewerly.

Potential disadvantages of buying online can include quality concerns. You will not be able to inspect the quality of the diamonds yourself before purchasing. Contact with the seller will be limited, making it challenging to get your questions answered. Diamonds can be lost, stolen or damaged in shipping. 

You would need to make sure that the seller offers insurance or other protections that you actually get a quality product. Are you able to return the earrings if there is a problem? Above all, you want to make sure you are not dealing with a fraudulent seller! You will need to research the seller’s reputation and customer satisfaction. 

In-Store Retailer

Buying in-store will give you more personalized assistance to find what you are looking for. They will be able to answer your questions about diamond settings, quality diamonds, precious metal color, types of earrings, earring backs, etc. You can touch, see and try on the jewelry in person. You will be able to take the jewelry home immediately after making your purchase.

Buying in-store may also give you the ability to negotiate the price of the diamond earrings you desire. Some jewelers will also give you the ability to custom design what you want. Buying in-store will give you a trusted jeweler to inspect and clean your earrings to keep them in great condition! 

Don’t forget to do your research about the reputation, customer service and customer satisfaction of the store you choose!

Check our diamond jewelry collection at our Scottsdale store for a trusted jeweler with quality diamonds. We feature our jewelry collections both in-store and online for your shopping convenience. We are eager to help you find the perfect pair of diamond earrings for any occasion!