Diamond Stud Earings - $1K budget

[Alias]

Hi All,

I'm back! With your help purchased an engagement ring just over one year ago. We're getting married in June!

My family is looking to buy her diamond studs as a wedding day gift. The current budget it ~$1,000.

Initially I was hoping to get 1.0 ctw but it does not seem that the budget will yield anything great.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[VRBeauty]

Call ID Jewelry (look for contact information under "resources/featured sponsor). Let them know your budget, what style setting you want, and that you'd like "PS quality diamonds". Personally I like I/J color for earrings, but... I've seen absolutely beautiful K/L earrings as well. With earrings as with any other diamond apllication, cut is king - and stones with great light return will look both lighter and larger on the ear than the so-so stones you're likely to find on sale at your major department store or Costco's. (If your girlfriend has darker skin it'll provide contrast that would allow even L/M earrings to look whiter!).

There have been many threads here about favorite setting styles. A 4-prong basket is probably the most classic look and I don't think you can go wrong with it. I like the minimalist look of a 3-prong martini setting... I think it's also a somewhat dressy look for some reason. My everyday earrings are .46 ctw, so .23 each, set in 8-prong martini baskets. I love thse earrings - they're like little drops of light on the ear! don't think IDJ carries 8-prong basket though, although you could ask. I haven't seen IDJ's bezel settings in person - so maybe someone else can comment on those settings?

You might also wander over to the diamond stud earrings thread in the "show me the bling" forum to get a look at the various setting styles.

Here's another another option that be beautiful for your wedding day - and of course afterwards: diamond cluster earrings from Whiteflash: http://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-earrings/flower-cluster-diamond-earrings-1049.htm

HOLD THE PRESSES! - it turns out you can get pre-set 8-prong martini earrings, .5 ctw, from whiteflash within your budget! My earrings were set by whiteflash. Their settings are beautiful and very secure, and their diamonds are top-notch! http://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-earrings/8-prong-martini-diamond-earrings-643.htm

 

[heididdl]

I would have the same suggestions only I wouldn't to K?L The white flash .50 are great in the 8 prong but I prefer white gold

 

[Alias]

Call ID Jewelry (look for contact information under "resources/featured sponsor). Let them know your budget, what style setting you want, and that you'd like "PS quality diamonds". Personally I like I/J color for earrings, but... I've seen absolutely beautiful K/L earrings as well. With earrings as with any other diamond apllication, cut is king - and stones with great light return will look both lighter and larger on the ear than the so-so stones you're likely to find on sale at your major department store or Costco's. (If your girlfriend has darker skin it'll provide contrast that would allow even L/M earrings to look whiter!).

There have been many threads here about favorite setting styles. A 4-prong basket is probably the most classic look and I don't think you can go wrong with it. I like the minimalist look of a 3-prong martini setting... I think it's also a somewhat dressy look for some reason. My everyday earrings are .46 ctw, so .23 each, set in 8-prong martini baskets. I love thse earrings - they're like little drops of light on the ear! don't think IDJ carries 8-prong basket though, although you could ask. I haven't seen IDJ's bezel settings in person - so maybe someone else can comment on those settings?

You might also wander over to the diamond stud earrings thread in the "show me the bling" forum to get a look at the various setting styles.

Here's another another option that be beautiful for your wedding day - and of course afterwards: diamond cluster earrings from Whiteflash: http://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-earrings/flower-cluster-diamond-earrings-1049.htm

HOLD THE PRESSES! - it turns out you can get pre-set 8-prong martini earrings, .5 ctw, from whiteflash within your budget! My earrings were set by whiteflash. Their settings are beautiful and very secure, and their diamonds are top-notch! http://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-earrings/8-prong-martini-diamond-earrings-643.htm

That looks great! I like WF - bought her engagement ring from them. The diamonds are uncertified are are H/I SI...is that okay for studs?

Thanks for the info!

 

[danielxlin]

I was at IDJ yesterday. I think they'll be able to find you a pair of 1ctw in J SI2, or a 0.75 carat in a higher color/clarity, for $1K. They won't be as nice as the White Flash but will look significantly larger in ear.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I would also suggest contacting IDJ. As long as the cut is on the better side (not going to get ideal for the budget) I think it's fine for studs. Same with lower color and clarity. They're in your ears, they do not get scrutinized the way anything in a ring does. Just make sure the setting allows for easy cleaning to keep the diamond at their brightest.

 

[VRBeauty]

That looks great! I like WF - bought her engagement ring from them. The diamonds are uncertified are are H/I SI...is that okay for studs?

Thanks for the info!

You're right - the diamonds WF uses in their pre-sets are uncertified and not given a cut grade. I asked the sales rep I had worked with for my earrings about the cuts used, and she said that"I asked our production manager and he said his best guess would be a very good cut." I can tell you that the little tiny .25ctw pre-set earrings I got from WF appear to be very well cut because they're very, very sparkly stones.

That said... my ~.50ctw earrings are my perfect size for casual wear, but I agree with the others that if you should try to get a larger pair for your GF/fiance if you can, and that most SI2s would do very well for earrings. I have a pair of ~.80 ctw studs (3-prong martini) that I often wore back when I still had to report to work every day . Even though they're not much larger than the .50's, they look (to me) quite a bit more polished and sophisticated.