Guide To Buying Diamond Earrings

Colour is another aspect that greatly affects a diamond's appearance and value, especially when it comes to diamond earrings. While your eyes may tell a different story, many will be surprised to know that most diamonds are not completely clear or colourless. Often invisible to the naked eye, most white diamonds will have a tinge of yellow or brown to them. In fact, colourless diamonds are extremely rare and will often come with a very hefty price tag to compensate for this.

But while colourless diamonds may be extremely valuable, they are trumped only by vibrantly coloured diamonds known as fancies' that come in all shades of the rainbow including black and pink. When a diamond is priced, jewellers will refer to a diamond colour chart developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that will grade a stone's hue using an alphabetical system. According to the GIA chart, D, E and F diamonds are the most valuable as they are characterised by being completely colourless with full translucence. 

A diamond's clarity is pretty cut and dry. During the formation process, many diamonds will accumulate small black specks or hairlines known as inclusions that occur as the result of uncrystallised carbon. Generally hard to spot without any sort of magnifying equipment, it is extremely rare for a diamond to have at least some inclusions but when they do have next to none, they are referred to as a flawless' diamond and are extremely expensive. 

So, when shopping for your next pair of diamond earrings, it is a good idea to have somewhat of an understanding of the diamond grading system used to determine a stone's level of inclusions. Especially if having a stone with very few inclusions is important to you. A diamond's clarity is measured using a GIA scale that ranges from F or IF (flawless or internally flawless) to P1 (imperfect). For diamonds under one carat, the average clarity level is VS1 or VS2 (very slightly imperfect). 

When choosing the metal you want your earring's setting to be, most people make the decision based on what type of jewellery makes up the bulk of their collection whether it be elegant gold, cool silver or romantic rose gold. However, there is so much more to consider when making this decision, including what kind of metal in your collection you think is going to get the most wear, what ones won't interfere with your sensitive ears and of course, what is the most durable. While most metals used in jewellery are relatively durable, some are more delicate than others.

For one, pure silver earrings are probably not as desirable as sterling silver earrings that contain other metal alloys to make them more durable. However, these alloys don't stop them from tarnishing and can occasionally cause allergic reactions if they contain nickel. Then there are gold earrings which rarely become corroded or tarnished but are often a lot more expensive.

A more recent debate to arise in relation to purchasing diamond jewellery is the type of diamond that you want to get. Not all diamonds are the same. Wander into any jewellery store and you won't just find mined diamonds; these days, you will also find Lab-Grown Diamonds, Treated Diamonds and Fancy-Coloured Diamonds. 

The most traditional of the bunch, mined diamonds are stones that have been sourced directly from the earth's crust. Sometimes over a billion years old, mined diamonds are made out of carbon and are formed due to extreme pressures and temperatures. Generally almost or completely colourless, they are generally more expensive due to being the most sought after. However, man-made or lab-grown diamonds are produced in a controlled laboratory setting that mimics the conditions in which a mined diamond is produced. This makes lab-grown diamonds 25% more affordable than mined diamonds and much more eco-friendly. 

Then there are treated diamonds. Although rare, treated diamonds are very similar to treated gemstones in the sense that they contain a special chemical filling that enhances the stone's clarity, making them at least 50% cheaper than their equivalent mined diamonds. 

Lastly, there are fancy-coloured diamonds. The holy grail of the bunch, coloured diamonds are the rarest of them all. Coming in all different shades, resulting in everything from flirty pink diamond rings to daring black diamond earrings, coloured diamonds are the result of trace elements interacting with carbon during their formation. Coloured diamonds are arguably the most expensive of all diamonds.

The diamond-cut you choose when picking your stud earrings is extremely important as it impacts the way your diamond sparkles. Earrings are generally small so it can be hard for them to stand out as well as diamond bracelets or rings. But with the right shape, you can ensure your diamond earrings occupy centre stage. 

The most popular diamond-cut is the round-cut and that is for a good reason. With over 58 facets, round-cut diamonds give off an immense sparkle. They are also the most versatile and are used in everything from single stone styles and cluster styles to halo style earrings. 

There is the subtle yet extremely stylish emerald-cut that will give your diamond jewellery a slightly more art-deco feel. Then there is the princess-cut, which gives off a decent amount of sparkle and can sometimes have a somewhat edgy look, especially when set into rose gold earrings.