Q&A: In the Market for Diamond Stud Earrings…

Thank you for your site and the information that it contains. I have found this to be helpful and educational!

Though I won’t bore you with the details, after 41 years, I have decided to get my best girl some diamond stud earrings. I have looked at local retailers, as well as on line, and she has tried some on to see what “fits”. Ultimately, per your suggestion, it would seem that James Allen has the ability to allow me to pick out what I want, while at the same time allowing me to look at the actual stones. Further, I have inferred from what you have written, that the James Allen site seems to be one of the “better” sites on the web. Unfortunately however, when I look at the stones on this site, they seem to have these very obvious defects, which make me concerned for how attractive they will be once I get them.

In particular, with your suggestions, and the ability to “search” on the James Allen site, I have looked at
:
• 18K white gold settings (4 or 6 prong); I suppose 14K gold would work well too and ultimately, I would want a screw on backing
• Color: G, H
• Clarity: SI1, SI2
• Cut: Very Good, Good
• Total weight of both earrings: 1.4 – 1.6 carrots (this could be perhaps up to 1.7)

Over 40 suggestions come up on the site, and in a price that I am comfortable with (~$5,000 – $6,000). However, as I look at the photos, some of these diamonds look like they have these “huge” defects. I am not sure if this is a function of the magnification that the site offers and that in fact some of these would be fine. I found though that I was hesitant to actually make any decision regarding this purchase – especially since this is a rather large sum of money that potentially I am paying on the internet, but not at a physical store that I can go back to.

So ultimately, I guess my question is, given my above parameters, how does one determine what is a good set of diamonds for studs, given that the photos show “huge” flaws (that in fact may be trivial), but I don’t know how this translates to what is visually appealing and is a special gift for my best girl?

If you could perhaps provide some insight into how I might sort through this, that would be most helpful. I can’t thank you enough for your time and for any help you can provide.

Thank you for the suggestions below. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, but I have been tied up at work as well as trying to take a look at some additional diamonds on the James Allen site.

Though I suspect I am being silly, and though I perhaps don’t need what appear to be “cleaner” diamonds in the exaggerated photos on the James Allen site, (especially since these are going to be stud earrings), I found the following diamonds that I like a little better:

SKU 156829 (0.73 carat; H; SI1; excellent cut)
SKU 205548 (0.72 carat; H; SI1; excellent cut)
SKU 215598 (0.71 carat; G; SI1; excellent cut)

I appreciate your thoughts on these, or any other items you might think appropriate. Thanks so much for time and help.

Lets see if this helps you out.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.73-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-156829?a_aid=dmnd1357

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.72-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-205548?a_aid=dmnd1357

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.71-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-215598?a_aid=dmnd1357
Thanks again.

I went ahead and made the plunge!! I talked to someone on the phone who was most helpful. He double checked that the two stones picked out individually would look nice together; suggested how the photos on line are so exaggerated (magnified) that to get a sense of what you might really see in person, you should step back 10 feet and then look at the magnified photo; and so on. Over all, most helpful. It is nerve racking spending a big chunk of money on-line, but you certainly made this a little easier, as did this person at James Allen.

Thank you for all of your help.