Color, in terms of diamond earrings, is probably the simplest choice to make. Contrary to popular belief, diamonds are not primarily clear: diamonds come in just about every color in the rainbow. In fact, color is second only to carat size in affecting a diamond’s price. Because clear diamonds are so popular and relatively hard to find in the diamond world, “white” or clear diamonds get higher grades (and higher price tags) the less yellow they contain. Colorful diamonds, or “fancy color” diamonds, are graded according to a different scale wherein the deeper the hue, the better.
Once you’ve chosen between the clearest diamonds money can buy and the ones that match the receiver’s eyes, size should be the next deciding factor – if it isn’t first to begin with. The size of a diamond affects its price first and foremost, so it’s best to get that out of the way before selecting less costly features such as clarity and cut. Diamonds are measured in units of weight called carats, one carat being equal to one-fifth of a gram. Selecting appropriate carat weight depends on the size of your budget, but it also depends on the size of the setting and how many diamonds you wish to include in the piece. And because these are diamond earrings rather than a necklace or ring, comfort to the wearer is also an issue. As in selecting color, use your own discretion.
A common diamond misconception is that the more carats, the bigger the diamond; but carats refer to weight only – therefore two diamonds of similar or even identical carat weight may be much different in appearance, depending on how they are cut. A shallow-cut diamond, for example, will be significantly wider than a deeply cut diamond of the same carat weight. The purpose of a diamond’s cut is not, however, to produce the largest diamond possible: it is to produce the most beautiful diamond possible, creating surfaces on the exterior and interior of the gem to reflect a maximum amount of light through the top (or “crown”) or the diamond. This reflection, known as the diamond’s fire or brilliance, is optimally achieved with the “ideal cut” diamond; however, other “fancy cuts” can also create high sparkle or brilliance in the stone. This is good news for those in the market for diamond earrings, as ideal cut stones may be too bulky for delicate earring settings.
In addition to color, carat weight, and cut, diamonds are graded on their clarity, or the degree to which they are flawed. The fewer imperfections, or “inclusions”, in the stone, the clearer it appears: this clarity, or lack thereof, can dramatically affect the color and cut of the stone by the way it alters light reflection. Diamond clarity is measured on a scale from FL (flawless inside and out) to I (imperfect to the naked eye, on its own scale of 1 to 3).
As for settings, white gold is particularly well-suited for framing diamonds in diamond earrings – it is always in style, goes with any outfit, and will not overpower the diamond aesthetically; yet it is also reflective and beautiful enough itself to set off a diamond’s brilliance to optimal effect. If you or the person you are buying the earrings for is allergic to the nickel often used in gold and white gold alloys, upgrading to a more expensive white gold alloy that uses palladium instead will solve this problem. Otherwise, consider buying hypoallergenic earrings, which are formed with stainless steel. From there, simply ensure that the diamond’s setting does not overpower the diamond – or vice-versa – and matches the wearer’s taste in jewelry and clothes. A clerk at a diamond or jewelry store can assist you with this; otherwise, diamond earrings are easily purchased online or via catalogues through various precious gem distributors.
By Rachel Campbell