When It Comes to Diamond Stud Earrings It Turns Out Size Does Matter

Does Size Matter? 

Spoiler alert: it always matters. Obviously, the bigger the diamond, the heftier the price tag. But for all my frugal friends out there, much like engagement rings, it is also a case of bigger isn’t always better. When buying earrings, the total carat weight you see is for the pair of earrings, not the individual pieces, before you go thinking you’ve found the deal of the century. Diamond earrings do a great job at bringing light to the face, but go too small, and you may as well wear Claire’s accessories [no offense Claire]. 1/2 carat per ear is a good starter if you have small features and particularly if you have other ear piercings, as going too big can make your ears look too busy. 1 carat per ear (2 carat diamond total) is the best option if you’re looking for something that you can wear any time of the day and night, and want that one pair to last you until you’re old and grey and sipping whiskey in Whistler during your retirement, and looking chic doing it. Anything bigger than 2 carat total borders on being too much, depending on your lifestyle. It would be a good idea to steer away from 2 carat or 3 carat studs if you have any other earlobe piercings, or if you have small earlobes. Even for those with big ears, 2 carats & 3 carats (4 carat total & 6 carat total, respectively) are more likely to draw attention to than mask – if that’s what you’re looking for. And you might end up looking like a less botox’d cast member of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – so choose wisely.

All About The Shape

We’re not basic b’s – and so the princess cut and round cut diamond stud earrings aren’t the only options we have. It’s worth deciding your size and shape in conjunction as the optical illusion of certain shapes can make your chosen carat weight look bigger than others. Opt for something like Asscher cut diamond stud earrings if you want to live out your Lily Van Der Woodsen (Bass/Rhodes/Humphrey) fantasy. 

All About Protection

Have you ever lost a diamond earring?… Same. Whether you’re clumsy or not, even the slightest knock or movement like fixing your hair or trying on clothes or taking off your jacket and personally, the one earring life isn’t for me. The main styles of earring backing are push-back, screw-back, and protector-back.

Traditional butterfly push-backs will be on the majority of your existing earrings, and these loosen over time, becoming gradually less secure, and aren’t suitable for any super valuable earrings. Screw backs are the most secure kind of earring back. Screwing on your earring back takes a bit more time but keeps your diamond stud firmly on your ear, so I’ve got to promise it’s worth it to be able to put two diamond studs safely back in your jewelry box after a night out on the town.

Protector backs have the same sort of “push the sides together’ mechanism you find on Benadryl bottles [not that I’d know anything about that]. These are a good option however can be a bit fidgety so don’t try and put your earrings on over a sink – because plumbers don’t appreciate getting called out on the weekend to fish jewelry out from the water pipes.

The Right Setting Will Set You Free

The Classic 4-Prong Setting

This is your plain vanilla standard setting; you can never go wrong but it is pretty common – so not one if you’re not like the other girls. This is a 4-prong setting that raises the diamond high off your ear as much as possible – good for making the stone pop however can easily catch on your hair or clothes – so a protector-back or screw-back will come in clutch here!

The Simple Bezel Setting

This setting is commonly chosen for engagement rings and features a unique setting. The metal fully encases the stone and slightly overlaps the edges creating a smooth and fluid look. It also means it is an extremely secure setting and can be used for any shape of diamond.

The Signature Clutch Setting

Similar to the Bezel Setting, the clutch setting overlaps the stone on opposite edges, rather than fully. It is an extremely unique setting, but one of our signatures (which means we do it really well). It incorporates the secureness of the Bezel Setting without compromising on showcasing the beauty of your chosen stones.