Flower cluster or engraved bezel for small diamonds

[dhimer]

Hi. I’m looking to make a pair of earrings in 22k yellow gold. I have been wearing 22k gold a lot and don’t have any diamond earrings in the metal. I’m looking for something that can be worn everyday and be comfortable but yet pretty/noticeable. I narrowed it down to 2 styles I like (as per below). The main/center stone will be around 0.3 carat each due to budget constraints. I think I will go with WF ACAs and have DK make them. So here are the options:
1) all diamond flower cluster earrings similiar to below
2) something with engraved bezel like below.worried this may look too small since the stones I will use are quite small



Any feedback on which one to chose ?thank youv

 

[elizat]

Are these going to be on posts or drops?

I have a 22k ring. It's fine as a ring and you have to be more careful, but I think earrings with posts are not the best idea. It's a soft metal. I think do the frame in it and the structure in a stronger metal,fwiw. I would not recommend it for earrings, especially posts where you are pushing and pulling with backs.

I don't even think the ear finding in 22k is a great idea, either way.

 

[MoxiRoxi]

I’m partial to flower cluster earrings as they are on my bucket list

 

[dhimer]

Are these going to be on posts or drops?

I have a 22k ring. It's fine as a ring and you have to be more careful, but I think earrings with posts are not the best idea. It's a soft metal. I think do the frame in it and the structure in a stronger metal,fwiw. I would not recommend it for earrings, especially posts where you are pushing and pulling with backs.

I don't even think the ear finding in 22k is a great idea, either way.

I can’t believe I forgot to mention it - These will be studs. My husband is of Indian descent and as a result I have a lot of 22k gold jewelry including some that have diamonds (alas bad quality ones). So was trying to have something for the ears that has some stones that I could wear when wearing some of the other 22k pieces I own.
I love the idea of doing the bezel/frame holding the frame in wg/plat and then yg. But worried that going that route (ie option 2) would result in very small earrings

 

[elizat]

I can’t believe I forgot to mention it - These will be studs. My husband is of Indian descent and as a result I have a lot of 22k gold jewelry including some that have diamonds (alas bad quality ones). So was trying to have something for the ears that has some stones that I could wear when wearing some of the other 22k pieces I own.
I love the idea of doing the bezel/frame holding the frame in wg/plat and then yg. But worried that going that route (ie option 2) would result in very small earrings

I think they could make the outward facing section 22k and the posts 18k or 14kt. That would be a bit better for long term wear. Everything you see would be 22k and the post and back construction a different, less soft metal. I would ask about that.

 

[Cerulean]

Agree with @elizat - 22k gold, while beautiful, is quite unsuitable for studs

I've even bent platinum and 14k gold posts accidentally

If budget is a major constraint, I would actually get a quote for diamond clusters before getting your heart set on it. I think you will find the diamonds + setting that is needed for the clusters might be more expensive than your centers, at least with those proportions (depending on the specifications of the stones of course)

The engraved halo will be far more cost-effective, and I think is still gorgeous. Still not inexpensive for a custom design though. Do you know your budget for the settings? If you like that style, David Klass is a great choice!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Most 22kt jewelry that I see these days has posts in 18kt. The only 22kt posts I’ve seen are extremely thick and uncomfortable. Would also suggest that you ask the jeweler to make the posts and backs in 18kt and the rest of the earring in 22kt!

Also, would you like a more Indian-y design to your earrings, so that they match the rest of your jewelry? I love the clusters but I feel like you would be seeing minimal metal so you lose out on the 22kt aspect of things.

I posted an example or two of a “typical” flower stud shape/design that you could get recreated with diamonds instead of polki or kundan (like has been used in th pictures). This would be cheaper and would match the Indian jewelry more. There are many other (and prettier) examples online - this was the first pic or two on google search. I like the second pic more than the first, and you could replace the six tiny diamonds on the outside edges with gold beads to really pack a punch of shiny gold colour.




Otherwise I think the thick gold bezel will show off the colour of the gold more than the clusters, so I would pick that, but I also feel like it may become too small.

 

[dhimer]

Agree with @elizat - 22k gold, while beautiful, is quite unsuitable for studs

I've even bent platinum and 14k gold posts accidentally

If budget is a major constraint, I would actually get a quote for diamond clusters before getting your heart set on it. I think you will find the diamonds + setting that is needed for the clusters might be more expensive than your centers, at least with those proportions (depending on the specifications of the stones of course)

The engraved halo will be far more cost-effective, and I think is still gorgeous. Still not inexpensive for a custom design though. Do you know your budget for the settings? If you like that style, David Klass is a great choice!

My budget would be 2k for the cluster setting and abt 1.5 k for the engraved one. Not sure if this is reasonable. Didn’t want to go to DK until I had a solid plan

 

[dhimer]

Most 22kt jewelry that I see these days has posts in 18kt. The only 22kt posts I’ve seen are extremely thick and uncomfortable. Would also suggest that you ask the jeweler to make the posts and backs in 18kt and the rest of the earring in 22kt!

Also, would you like a more Indian-y design to your earrings, so that they match the rest of your jewelry? I love the clusters but I feel like you would be seeing minimal metal so you lose out on the 22kt aspect of things.

I posted an example or two of a “typical” flower stud shape/design that you could get recreated with diamonds instead of polki or kundan (like has been used in th pictures). This would be cheaper and would match the Indian jewelry more. There are many other (and prettier) examples online - this was the first pic or two on google search. I like the second pic more than the first, and you could replace the six tiny diamonds on the outside edges with gold beads to really pack a punch of shiny gold colour.




Otherwise I think the thick gold bezel will show off the colour of the gold more than the clusters, so I would pick that, but I also feel like it may become too small.

I think the gold bezel will require a bigger stone to really be noticeable on my big ears. I think I may have to put that design on hold for now

 

[Cerulean]

My budget would be 2k for the cluster setting and abt 1.5 k for the engraved one. Not sure if this is reasonable. Didn’t want to go to DK until I had a solid plan

That’s a great price! The engraving is what is expensive for the bezels.

If you want lots of sparkle I think clusters are beautiful!