It all depends on your diamond quality preferences. I wouldn't do SI2 for earrings, but there are certainly people here who do. The search is just harder because you have to find ones that are eye clean. I'd go down in color and up in clarity if it was me. I'd much rather have G-H VS2 over D-E SI2. But the number one requirement for me was that the stones be excellent cut. I just personally wouldn't spend thousands of dollars on diamonds that weren't high quality overall.