Go for Gold with a Gold Diamond Pendant and You’ll Always Place First

Types of Gold for a Pendant Necklace

While it might seem surprising to start here instead of with the diamond itself, learning a bit about the types of gold you choose from is a solid entry point to determining your personal style. So a bit about gold: we talk about types of gold using the term “karat”. But unlike diamond “carat” which refers to a measure of weight, “karat” is a percentage of purity. So 24 karat gold is totally pure. And as the number gets lower, that means there’s a higher percentage of other metals like copper and silver that have been added to the metal alloy to change its color and hardness and, ultimately, its price. The lower the karatage, the lower the price. But also the harder the metal, as gold is relatively soft compared to the other metals used in alloys. This is why you don’t see a lot of pure 24k gold jewelry, as it’s so soft it’s not great for everyday wear and would easily bend.

Yellow Gold At Frank Darling, our 18K gold alloy is 75% gold, 15% silver, and 10% copper.

White Gold Our 14K white gold is 58% gold, 23% copper, 9% copper and 10% nickel. Our 18K white gold alloy is 75% gold, 14% copper, 5% zinc and 6% nickel.

Rose Gold Our 18K rose gold is 75% gold, 24% copper, 1% silver with trace elements of zinc. The zinc accentuates the color of the copper and gives it a lovely blush pink hue.

While our white gold is rhodium plated (as is most white gold on the market) to give it a bright white shine, there is no other plating on our gold jewelry. If you’re shopping around, keep an eye out for gold plated products. It will often be at a much more affordable price point, but that plating can wear off over time. 

Types of Diamonds for a Pendant Necklace

Ok, now for the sparkly stuff! Let’s talk about diamond shapes. A diamond pendant necklace can include any shape of diamond you like. There are really no limits. Do you like a super classic round diamond? Check. A sharply square princess cut? Check. An elongated emerald cut diamond pendant? Done and Done. Pear shaped diamonds, ovals, and marquises too. 

While choosing a diamond shape is a personal preference, remember that round and square cuts will be perfectly even and hang shorter, while elongated shapes like pears or ovals can create a more dropped look, hanging from a simple chain. But these elongated shapes can also be set in an east-west pendant setting, which means horizontally along the chain, giving you an elongated look in the other direction with more diamond spread.

When shopping for a gold and diamond pendant necklace, pricing for your diamond is just like for a diamond engagement ring. Diamond price is always determined by the 4Cs—cut, color, clarity and carat weight—so you can use those qualities as levers to fit within your budget. Shopping for warm, champagne colors or fancy shapes instead of round can help save you a bit of cash. Also, look just under the full carat mark and shop a .90 carat stone instead of a 1 carat. You won’t be able to tell a visual difference in size, but you’ll save money because diamond prices jump at the whole carat mark.

Pendant Size and Design

Choosing your diamond carat weight for a pendant is totally based on budget and preference, and carat weight is super related to the size your diamond will have in actual millimeter measurements. Anything from a petite .25 carat stone to a big whopper-sized diamond will do the trick, it’s just based on what you like. And you can set that diamond in a number of ways.

Diamond Solitaire Pendant A diamond solitaire pendant just refers to your pendant being a single diamond, suspended from a chain. It’s simple, subtle, and practically essential if you’re building your jewelry collection. Definitely include one of these.

Diamond Halo Pendant A diamond halo means a center stone is surrounded by another circle of small diamonds, typically in pavé settings, giving it a sort of glittering collar. This is a great option if you want to step up the design of a solitaire pendant without totally changing the look. It can also make a smaller center diamond look larger by giving it an overall size bump.

Diamond Cluster Pendant A cluster-style diamond pendant, instead of being one focus stone surrounded by accents, is an arrangement of several stones to create an overall look. The design can be nearly any shape or form, from a bubbly look to a floral pattern to something super geometric. You can also choose to incorporate color, with colored gemstones or fancy colored diamonds.

Diamond Drop Pendant A diamond drop necklace is basically any design element that accentuates your diamonds, with a longer dangle style that sort of drips down from the main chain element. This could be a subtle line design, with a vertical bar drop. Or perhaps it’s a fanciful flower or teardrop shaped pendant.

Diamond Necklace Unlike a diamond pendant which is an element that hangs from a chain, a diamond necklace is really a style that has more diamonds or built-out elements that encircle the neck or go all the way around. For example, a diamond eternity necklace that surrounds your entire neck with a glittering row of diamonds in any shape and size you like.

When choosing your gold and diamond pendant necklace style and size, think about how you’d like to wear it. Bigger, bolder styles don’t necessarily go with everything in your closet, so perhaps that’s more of a special occasion look. While something more simple, but still sparkling, can give you just a hint of “dressed up” when popping out of your neckline. Think about the collar style you typically wear, and whether you want the diamond to hang over your shirt, or be visible above the collar to determine the chain length you’d prefer. 16-18 inches is a standard pendant chain length for something that sits high on the body, just at the nape of your neck, between your collarbones. You can go longer if you prefer more of a drop style or want the chain to lay on top of your shirts.

How to Care for a Gold and Diamond Pendant Necklace

A diamond pendant or necklace takes much less wear than our rings or bracelets, but you still want to be aware of the proper way to care for your fine jewelry. Here are a few simple tips:

Always put your jewelry on last: Put your fine jewelry on after you’ve applied any lotions or perfumes to avoid getting any in the little crevices which can cause oily, dirty buildup. And putting your jewelry on after you get dressed helps prevent any accidental snags or tears.

Store your jewelry separately: Always store individual diamond jewelry pieces separately, as diamonds can scratch each other or scratch other gems and metals, so take care when putting them away. Soft pouches are great, or get a jewelry box with separate compartments to make this part super easy!

Cleaning your diamond jewelry: If your diamond pendant starts to look cloudy or dull, it’s likely that there’s some buildup from normal wear. Establishing a normal cleaning routine can help it stay sparkling at all times. You can use a pre-made jewelry cleaning solution or simply mix a few drops of dish soap into water and, with your jewelry placed on a soft towel, you can gently scrub with a super soft toothbrush (buy a baby toothbrush for this if you can!) and ta-da, you’ll be good as new!