Diamond Stud Sizing

[inyminy]

This is going to sound like a strange question, but has anyone experienced trying on smaller diamond studs that were more visible on their ears than larger studs? Allow me to explain. I was in a store trying to determine whether I wanted 2 ctw, 2.5 or 3. For some reason the 1 ct in the ear was more visible than the 1.35 ct (they didn't have 1.25) and the 1.5 ct. They were all the same basket setting (they didn't have martini) so that wasn't the issue. The 1 ct seemed front and center and drew more attention to itself. It was perplexing to say the least. The larger sizes, you tended to see more metal face on - seeing the diamond necessitated a 3/4 turn of the head. Perhaps because larger stones sit higher due to having bigger/deeper settings (more metal). I don't know if this is a non-issue w/martini settings. The 1 ct seems like a good every day size, I'm just worried they're going to look too small relatively soon. I also can get a good deal on a 3 ctw that I'd hate to miss out on if that's the size I'll ultimately want. Am I crazy?

 

[heididdl]

I think you should get the pair that has the best cut.... I have 2.41 1.21 each....and I love the size.

 

[inyminy]

The ones I tried on were average cut quality, but the ones I would buy would be ideal H&A.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think you just can't compare average or poorly cut diamonds to ideal cut. I can promise you that 1 ct ideal cut stones do not look smaller than 1.35! Many jewelry stores carry uncertified stones, so there is no telling what the diameter of those stones really were.

I do agree that with basket settings, I like the stones set very low. You have to request that because I have had to reset studs that were set too high before. My prongs are tiny and hardly show any metal at all.

 

[LLJsmom]

I've been struggling with a similar question about size for a while. Cut v. size on studs. I compromised, but still got the size I wanted now. I'll explain more in another thread that I'll post later. However, what pushed me over the edge was that I wanted to be happy about my studs, given how much I've spent, and the size just didn't get me there. I kept thinking when I could do my next upgrade when I had barely gotten the new studs.

So I guess I don't have any decent advice to give except to figure out what matters to you most, and then prioritize from there... Good luck!

And I do think well cut 1 carat would not look smaller than an ok cut 1 carat. I did (but I didn't) go with cut is king (Are the PS gods going to send an electric bolt through my head as we speak?) in my decision.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think you just can't compare average or poorly cut diamonds to ideal cut. I can promise you that 1 ct ideal cut stones do not look smaller than 1.35! Many jewelry stores carry uncertified stones, so there is no telling what the diameter of those stones really were.

I do agree that with basket settings, I like the stones set very low. You have to request that because I have had to reset studs that were set too high before. My prongs are tiny and hardly show any metal at all.

Oops...I meant to say that 1 ct ideal cut stones will not look LARGER than 1.35 cts!

I do agree with LLJsmom that people do have different priorities with studs, and that is fine. I just learned from trying some on several years ago that you have to have diameter and not just weight to compare diamond sizes for studs.

 

[Sayde64]

similarly confused here. In the Studs thread I see pictures in which some of the diamonds with larger weights and spreads just seem smaller than some of the diamonds with lower weights and smaller spreads. The size of the ear lobe seems to have a big impact, and having the diamond sit flat against the ear lobe also seems to have a big positive impact, and of course excellent cut seems to have the biggest impact. But there still seems to be this mysterious unaccounted for "delta" in the appearance with respect to size. My own new studs sometimes just seem larger or smaller to me, from moment to moment as I look at them in my ears. They seem to morph in absolute terms as well as subjective terms -- from being "just the right size" to sometimes being too petite. I had tried on different sizes at the BM store and very deliberately arrived at the conclusion that a "7/8" size, which the BM store measured for me as a 4.8 mm diameter, was "just right". So armed with that evidence and decision I ordered diamonds with a .485 (avg) diameter -- and they're perfect -- and yet, and yet - - - - -

 

[LLJsmom]

similarly confused here. In the Studs thread I see pictures in which some of the diamonds with larger weights and spreads just seem smaller than some of the diamonds with lower weights and smaller spreads. The size of the ear lobe seems to have a big impact, and having the diamond sit flat against the ear lobe also seems to have a big positive impact, and of course excellent cut seems to have the biggest impact. But there still seems to be this mysterious unaccounted for "delta" in the appearance with respect to size. My own new studs sometimes just seem larger or smaller to me, from moment to moment as I look at them in my ears. They seem to morph in absolute terms as well as subjective terms -- from being "just the right size" to sometimes being too petite. I had tried on different sizes at the BM store and very deliberately arrived at the conclusion that a "7/8" size, which the BM store measured for me as a 4.8 mm diameter, was "just right". So armed with that evidence and decision I ordered diamonds with a .485 (avg) diameter -- and they're perfect -- and yet, and yet - - - - -

Saydee, I had similar thoughts when I was wearing the .8 studs. For me, it all came down to perspective, meaning my perspective, the wearer. Other people could see the full diamond when they looked my ears. But of course the wearer has a different and more obstructed view because we can only see a portion of our ears, and we see the stone at an angle, which means less visual surface area. That is what made me feel like they weren't "big enough". Now, with the new ones (I've tried 1.1-1.2 sizes at the store.), these should be big enough to let me see more on my own ear. And then of course that does even factor in the size and shape of your lobe which also makes a difference. Yeah, it's been confusing. The stud is a whole different animal.

 

[inyminy]

Thanks everyone. Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to suggest the 1 ct looked bigger than the 1.35 or 1.5 ct, only that it was more visible in it's entirety from my perspective. Well I ordered the 1 ct ideal cut so we'll see how they fair IRL compared to the ones I tried on in the store. Oh and Sayde I totally agree w/your points.