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What makes diamond studs the most popular earring in the world? Of course, diamonds! They shine and sparkle on your face, illuminating it.

This simply stunning earring first gained popularity in the nineteenth century and is still popular today. Diamond stud earrings are the foundation of every woman’s jewelry wardrobe, whether worn with a casual outfit in the park or a couture gown on the red carpet. They’re so good that some women never take them off.

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who doesn’t have a pair, diamond studs are a safe bet if an engagement ring isn’t involved. You want to choose the perfect pair because they are an everyday classic that you will wear for the rest of your life. Here’s a step-by-step guide to purchasing diamond stud earrings.

1. Establish a Budget

Diamond stud earrings are a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, whether you buy them for yourself or as a gift. That means they had better be great! Our customers frequently purchase diamond stud earrings to commemorate Valentine’s Day, a promotion, an anniversary, the birth of a child, or as the foundation of an actual jewelry wardrobe.

Studs are a traditional wedding day gift for the bride to wear: unlike the dress, she can continue to wear them as a constant reminder of the joy of the occasion. They are a long-term investment, our customers typically set a budget in the thousands rather than the hundreds (but if you are looking for petite studs, even fine quality will be less.)

2. Choose a Shape and Size

Which earring size do you prefer? The most popular size is one-carat total weight diamond stud earrings, which have a half-carat diamond set in each earring rather than a full carat in each earring.

What size is that? In comparison, a half-carat diamond is 5mm in diameter, and a one-carat diamond is approximately 6.4mm in diameter. Is bigger in studs better? Not all of the time. Large diamond studs protrude quite a bit from the ear, so make sure the setting has a nice profile.

Smaller diamond studs that layer beautifully with other earrings and ear cuffs have recently gained popularity. These are frequently one-half carat total weight or one-quarter carat total weight.

Round and princess cut diamonds are the most popular diamond shapes for stud earrings. Of course, you can commission studs in any shape you want, but keep in mind that studs can rotate as you wear them, so choose a shape that you like sideways as well as straight up and down.

3. The Importance of Quality

Many people will tell you that diamond quality isn’t important in earrings and that you can get away with a slightly yellow diamond with visible inclusions. The assumption here is that no one will be looking at your ears that closely. However, we feel better about investing in higher-quality diamonds for something that will be passed down for generations as an heirloom and that will never go out of style. The same quality we recommend for engagement rings is H-I color and VS2 or SI clarity.

Additionally, ensure that your diamonds are responsibly sourced by purchasing from a vendor who can trace the origin of the diamonds and precious metal used to craft your earrings. We buy directly from De Beers sight holders, with full Kimberly process documentation, and use only recycled precious metals at McGee Company. Our settings are handcrafted in our Los Angeles workshop rather than mass-produced in a foreign factory.

The two diamonds in a pair of stud earrings should be the same size. Unfortunately, automated tools that select two diamonds from a database will not suffice. They do not assess the patterns of a diamond’s cut adequately. A real person is required to compare the side of the diamond by the side.

That is why, at McGee Company, we hand-match stud earring pairs for our customers, combing through parcel after parcel to find twin diamonds that match not only in size, color, and clarity but also in brilliance and sparkle patterns. It simplifies the process of selecting only well-cut diamonds, which are more consistent and easier to match. Because our trained gemologists hand-select and grade each diamond for our stud earrings. The quality is so consistent that we don’t certify the diamonds unless requested (which adds about $200 to the cost of the earrings).

4. Design the Environment

Diamond studs are simple, but the details count. Choose exactly what you want to add your own spin to the classic silhouette. When selecting a setting style and precious metal, you can incorporate details from your engagement ring setting.

McGee Company creates round diamond stud settings with three to eight prongs and everything in between. The most light enters the gem through a classic three-prong martini setting. A four-prong ring appears to be more substantial. A corona of prongs surrounds the diamond, which is held in place by a six-prong setting. A simple solitaire is given a sophisticated look with a double-prong setting. Which one do you like better?

If you prefer a more contemporary look, we also make diamond stud earrings with bezels in all metals with a more sleek style.

A few factors influence your choice of metal. To begin, do you want to match the color of an engagement ring, wedding band, or another piece of jewelry that you frequently wear? White gold is a good choice if you wear many different metals because it blends in with the diamond. If you are allergic to metals, platinum is a good option: it is hypoallergenic and will not cause an allergic reaction no matter how long you wear it. Platinum is heavy and therefore not often recommended for earrings, but diamond studs contain so little metal that platinum isn’t noticeably heavier than gold.

5. Provide Support

The earring back is the most overlooked aspect of purchasing diamond stud earrings because it is not visible when worn. Have you ever misplaced an earring? Earrings are the most commonly lost jewelry item, and the loss is made even more painful because the remaining earring sits alone in your jewelry box to remind you.

Given the possibility of losing your diamond studs, your choice of earring back is critical. Screw backs are the most secure type of earring backs and are recommended by McGee Company. Butterfly backs loosen and become less secure over time. Screwing on a back takes a little longer, but it keeps your diamond stud firmly in place, so we think it’s worthwhile.

They also stay snug, preventing your earring from drooping on your ear, even if you later add a drop or jacket to your stud.

We want to make certain that once you’ve found the ideal diamond stud earrings, you keep them safe. Your children and grandchildren will also appreciate it! What makes diamond studs the most popular earring in the world? Of course, diamonds! They shine and sparkle on your face, illuminating it.

This simply stunning earring first gained popularity in the nineteenth century and is still popular today. Diamond stud earrings are the foundation of every woman’s jewelry wardrobe, whether worn with a casual outfit in the park or a couture gown on the red carpet. They’re so good that some women never take them off.

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who doesn’t have a pair, diamond studs are a safe bet if an engagement ring isn’t involved :). You want to choose the perfect pair because they are an everyday classic that you will wear for the rest of your life. Here’s a step-by-step guide to purchasing diamond stud earrings.

1. Establish a Budget

Diamond stud earrings are a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, whether you buy them for yourself or as a gift. That means they had better be great! Our customers frequently purchase diamond stud earrings to commemorate Valentine’s Day, a promotion, an anniversary, the birth of a child, or as the foundation of a true jewelry wardrobe.

Studs are a traditional wedding day gift for the bride to wear: unlike the dress, she can continue to wear them as a constant reminder of the joy of the occasion. They are a long-term investment, our customers typically set a budget in the thousands rather than the hundreds (but if you are looking for petite studs, even fine quality will be less.)

2. Choose a Shape and Size

Which earring size do you prefer? The most popular size is one-carat total weight diamond stud earrings, which have a half-carat diamond set in each earring rather than a full carat in each earring. This is known as a “total carat weight” of one carat, and it is how most jewelers describe studs: it includes all of the diamonds in the earrings, not just the center stones.

What size is that? In comparison, a half-carat diamond is 5mm in diameter, and a one-carat diamond is approximately 6.4mm in diameter. Is bigger in studs better? Not all of the time. Large diamond studs protrude quite a bit from the ear, so make sure the setting has a nice profile.

Smaller diamond studs that layer beautifully with other earrings and ear cuffs have recently gained popularity. These are frequently one-half carat total weight or one-quarter carat total weight.

Round and princess cut diamonds are the most popular diamond shapes for stud earrings. Of course, you can commission studs in any shape you want, but keep in mind that studs can rotate as you wear them, so choose a shape that you like sideways as well as straight up and down.

3. The Importance of Quality

Many people will tell you that diamond quality isn’t important in earrings and that you can get away with a slightly yellow diamond with visible inclusions. The assumption here is that no one will be looking at your ears that closely. However, we feel better about investing in higher-quality diamonds for something that will be passed down for generations as an heirloom and that will never go out of style. The same quality we recommend for engagement rings is H-I color and VS2 or SI clarity.

Additionally, ensure that your diamonds are responsibly sourced by purchasing from a vendor who can trace the origin of the diamonds and precious metal used to craft your earrings. We buy directly from De Beers sight holders, with full Kimberly process documentation, and use only recycled precious metals at McGee Company. Our settings are handcrafted in our Los Angeles workshop rather than mass-produced in a foreign factory.

The two diamonds in a pair of stud earrings should be the same size. Unfortunately, automated tools that select two diamonds from a database will not suffice. They do not assess the patterns of a diamond’s cut adequately. A real person is required to compare the side of the diamond by the side.

That is why, at McGee Company, we hand-match stud earring pairs for our customers, combing through parcel after parcel to find twin diamonds that match not only in size, color, and clarity but also in brilliance and sparkle patterns. Our gemologists are obsessed with finding the perfect match every time. It simplifies the process of selecting only well-cut diamonds, which are more consistent and easier to match. Because our trained gemologists hand-select and grade each diamond for our stud earrings. The quality is so consistent that we don’t certify the diamonds unless requested (which adds about $200 to the cost of the earrings).

4. Design the Environment

Diamond studs are simple, but the details count. Choose exactly what you want to add your own spin to the classic silhouette. When selecting a setting style and precious metal, you can incorporate details from your engagement ring setting.

McGee Company creates round diamond stud settings with three to eight prongs and everything in between. The most light enters the gem through a classic three-prong martini setting. A four-prong ring appears to be more substantial. A corona of prongs surrounds the diamond, which is held in place by a six-prong setting. A simple solitaire is given a sophisticated look with a double-prong setting. Which one do you like better?

If you prefer a more contemporary look, we also make diamond stud earrings with bezels in all metals with a more sleek style.

A few factors influence your choice of metal. To begin, do you want to match the color of an engagement ring, wedding band, or other pieces of jewelry that you frequently wear? White gold is a good choice if you wear many different metals because it blends in with the diamond. If you are allergic to metals, platinum is a good option: it is hypoallergenic and will not cause an allergic reaction no matter how long you wear it. Platinum is heavy and therefore not often recommended for earrings, but diamond studs contain so little metal that platinum isn’t noticeably heavier than gold.

5. Provide Support

The earring back is the most overlooked aspect of purchasing diamond stud earrings because it is not visible when worn. Have you ever misplaced an earring? Earrings are the most commonly lost jewelry item, and the loss is made even more painful because the remaining earring sits alone in your jewelry box to remind you.

Given the possibility of losing your diamond studs, your choice of earring back is critical. Screw backs are the most secure type of earring backs and are recommended by McGee Company. Butterfly backs loosen and become less secure over time. Screwing on a back takes a little longer, but it keeps your diamond stud firmly in place, so we think it’s worthwhile.

They also stay snug, preventing your earring from drooping on your ear, even if you later add a drop or jacket to your stud.

We want to make certain that once you’ve found the ideal diamond stud earrings, you keep them safe. Your children and grandchildren will also appreciate it.

Please take a look at our article about men’s earrings.

Take the time out to read more educational articles about jewelry.