Just like all other types of jewelry, diamond earrings come in a range of styles so that there is something suitable for every occasion. Even with so many contemporary designs available, the most popular and enduing style are simple diamond studs which are also known as diamond solitaire earrings.
The classic diamond stud earring contains a single stone weighing something between 0.125 and 1.00 carat attached to a metallic post. That's all. There are no fancy designs and no additional accent stones. The variety comes through the size, shape and color of the stone, the prong arrangement and the type of metal used.
Larger diamonds will obviously make for more eye catching earrings, particularly if the wearer has long hair which tends to hide smaller earrings. Luckily, even stud earrings containing comparatively large stones can turn out to be surprisingly affordable because there are no additional stones to be factored into the overall price. Round stones are the most popular shape followed by princess cuts and heart shapes.
Diamonds with G-H colors are regarded as the most suitable for stud earrings although I-K colors can also be used and are more affordable. Color enhanced diamonds particularly black have become popular in recent years.
The most common prong arrangement for diamond studs is a 4- or 6-prong setting although bezel settings are sometimes used with larger stones. The choice of metal is less important than with other types of jewelry, but the use of yellow gold will give the studs a very different look than white gold or platinum.