subject: How to Choose Stud Earrings [print this page] How to Choose Stud Earrings How to Choose Stud Earrings
Stud earrings are widely considered to be an essential to any woman's jewelry collection. These earrings consist of a stud with some ornamentation attached to the back and a clasp. Typically they feature gemstones such as diamonds, but may have semi-precious gems, crystals or even fake gems. For those who would like to purchase a pair of stud earrings that can be coordinated with other pieces of jewelry such as wedding rings, here is a short guide.
The first thing that should be considered is the ornamentation. Stud earrings, unlike other earrings, are minimalist in nature and generally feature a single gemstone, very often a diamond. It is for this reason that a woman looking for stud earrings should be very careful, especially if she would like a diamond, as there are earrings that feature imitation diamonds such as Moissanite and Cubic Zirconia. However, it should be noted that there are stud earrings that are significantly larger and contain more gemstones and sometimes re in shapes such as flowers.
There are numerous ways to cut a diamond and consequently, numerous shapes. Because of the simple design of stud earrings, the best shapes are those which hare minimalist, such as the ever popular round brilliant diamond, which is versatile and can be matched with most pieces of jewelry including wedding rings. However, other shapes such as the Princess and Marquise shapes are also quite popular in stud earrings as well.
Next, consider the setting of the stone you decide to use. The setting is perhaps the most important part of the earring other than the stud itself as it is what will keep whatever precious gemstone you use in place, whether emerald, diamond, ruby or sapphire. Typically, these gems are set using prong or bezel settings, although earrings that feature multiple stones may make use of a channel or bezel settings.
Diamonds go by the 4 C's clarity, color, cut and carat weight. It is a good idea to read about these different characteristics. Gemstones are evaluated on a similar but different scale. It is recommended to read about these characteristics as well, so you can better choose gemstones without the interference of an overeager salesperson.
The final step that is perhaps the most important is to consider the price. Diamonds and other precious gemstones are priced based on a series of characteristics and they become increasingly expensive the heavier they are. If you can find a similar earring to what you found in a brick and mortar store online, use the lower price as these gems are just as high in quality, but do not have the embedded fees necessary to run a regular jewelry store.
