Info on Buying Stud Earrings

[IanG]

Hey Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had some good literature on buying stud earrings other than the stuff already on Pricescope. I''m particularly looking at rounds, but I''ll read anything really. I read everything under the sun about the 4 C''s when buying my engagement ring, so I''ve graduated beyond the basics. I''m looking for tips on matching, areas that can be sacrificed to save money, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/25/2010 11:46:48 AM
Author:IanG
Hey Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had some good literature on buying stud earrings other than the stuff already on Pricescope. I'm particularly looking at rounds, but I'll read anything really. I read everything under the sun about the 4 C's when buying my engagement ring, so I've graduated beyond the basics. I'm looking for tips on matching, areas that can be sacrificed to save money, etc.

Thanks!

Hi Ian

A few tips are that you can go lower in colour and clarity to save money, for example SI2 clarity or even some eyeclean/ eyecleanish I1 could be an option. I or J colour can be an excellent choice for earrings.

You can also consider a different type of cut for earrings and pendants if you don't want to go with the more traditionally proportioned diamonds we often see, shallower proportioned stones which can show obstruction in a ring ( visible darkening of the stone at close scrutiny) can make excellent earrings/ pendants as normal viewing distances don't apply. Some shallower stones have larger tables so this is an option, I wouldn't personally go far beyond 60% for table size.

You can use the HCA to help you, generally stones which score below 1 are shallower proportioned, see this chart also.

When matching, a trusted vendor can match you a pair of if you want to do so yourself look at similar table sizes and diameters for each stone where possible, weight should be within similar range but the proportions mentioned previously are the main things to look for so the stones look visually similar. If you are in any doubt, request the help of your vendor in matching a suitable pair for you.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Tips on matching - be sure the diamonds have the same measurements (it is possible to find nearly identical everything - including angles, etc. If the diamonds are nearly eye clean, you can go down to an S12 and go lower in color. Also, simple white gold basket settings can be purchased for inexpensive prices.

For my studs, I went up in color to F and down in clarity to SI1. For half the amount I paid, I could have easily found J SI1s and been just as happy with those.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I''d look for J SI1/SI2 for earrings.

What kind of budget and setting are you looking for?

Be sure the measurments match, the ct weight doesn''t really matter as long as the measurements match

 

[artdecogirl]

IanG, I am not a expert but one thing that suprised me when I shopped for my studs was how many types of settings there are and how they sit in the ear. You have the basics covered with the diamonds, you might want to spend time reading the threads about the settings and how people feel about them for certain types of ears then look at your gals ears, does she wear alot of heavy earrings? are they larger holes or smaller? does she like the stone to stand out a little or be more flush with the ear. How many prongs? 3,4,6 even 8? or bezel. And backs are very important if she will wear them everyday like many of us do, taking on and off clothing can be hazerdous to earring backs! Some are more secure then others. Have fun and show us pics!

 

[IanG]

I''m looking at a 6-7K budget....but if I like something more expensive I have time to hold off and budget for 1-2K more (I have until July).

lcom - You bring up another issue for me. I''m going to give these as a surprise wedding present the night before our wedding so she can wear them on our wedding day. What I''m afraid of is that they''ll droop and not look right. I obviously won''t have time to get another setting at that point, so I could shoot myself in the foot. Her holes are a little bigger than normal, which makes me nervous. Not "a little bigger" like you could fit a pencil through them, but "a little bigger" as in up close you could tell she wears heavier earrings. Any suggestions on settings? I really like the 8 prong martinis pictured here... https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cocktail-hour-2-16-tcw-studs-reset-into-8-prong-martinis.133892/. I definitely want to get her screw on backs too.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I was thinking eight prong martinis would be perfect! I would not get screw backs, but that''s me personally.

Call yekuteil at ID jewelry, brian Gavin, and Whiteflash and see what they can do for you. if you go down to J SI1 or 2 in idael cut diamonds you could get some serious ear bling

 

[IanG]

If you knew my fiance, you''d be recommending that I get the earrings welded on instead of just screw backs. If Lucy Ricardo and Clark Griswald had a child, it''d be her...

 

[smallshinypebble]

good thread.

i''m in the same boat myself. long story short- my bf got me earrings [and then we exchanged them for studs] for v-day from helzberg and i discovered pscope trying to learn about them. needless to say, they turned out to be awful- they sold him on their ''radiant star'' branded cut and i [gently] sent him back [again]. Thanks for saving us you guys!

i hear you on the backings, i don''t wear many earrings w/ posts and in the first half hour of wearing them my hair ate a backing and dangled it around. i was lucky i even noticed.

i''ve been looking at backings but no one seems to like screwbacks very much -are they really that uncomfortable? or is it only when putting them on and off?

and what are people''s opinions on the la poussette backings? .. i haven''t quite figured out how they work yet- do you have to squish them to take them off? what makes them frustrating?

does anyone know of any other kind of ''secure'' backing?


and questions on the rocks- is there really any visible difference between F-I colored stones when worn as studs? -that and what about clarity? i keep looking at vs2+ because the inclusions in <=s1''s bother me, but can these really actually be seen and if so, at what size? [i''m looking in the under .5ct/rock range, but i''m sure the OP''s got something bigger in mind]

 

[IanG]

GREAT backing questions, Pebble! I''d love to hear a response...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/25/2010 7:07:45 PM
Author: smallshinypebble
good thread.

i''m in the same boat myself. long story short- my bf got me earrings [and then we exchanged them for studs] for v-day from helzberg and i discovered pscope trying to learn about them. needless to say, they turned out to be awful- they sold him on their ''radiant star'' branded cut and i [gently] sent him back [again]. Thanks for saving us you guys!

i hear you on the backings, i don''t wear many earrings w/ posts and in the first half hour of wearing them my hair ate a backing and dangled it around. i was lucky i even noticed.

i''ve been looking at backings but no one seems to like screwbacks very much -are they really that uncomfortable? or is it only when putting them on and off?

and what are people''s opinions on the la poussette backings? .. i haven''t quite figured out how they work yet- do you have to squish them to take them off? what makes them frustrating?

does anyone know of any other kind of ''secure'' backing?


and questions on the rocks- is there really any visible difference between F-I colored stones when worn as studs? -that and what about clarity? i keep looking at vs2+ because the inclusions in rock range, but i''m sure the op''s got something bigger in mind]

Hi Pebble and welcome!

When you say visible difference, there might be a slight difference between reliably graded F and I colour stones but it is possible not everyone would be able to tell the difference especially when set.

Stick with VS if thats what you prefer but you could certainly find eyeclean SI clarities in that size range.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/25/2010 7:07:45 PM
Author: smallshinypebble
good thread.

i'm in the same boat myself. long story short- my bf got me earrings [and then we exchanged them for studs] for v-day from helzberg and i discovered pscope trying to learn about them. needless to say, they turned out to be awful- they sold him on their 'radiant star' branded cut and i [gently] sent him back [again]. Thanks for saving us you guys!

i hear you on the backings, i don't wear many earrings w/ posts and in the first half hour of wearing them my hair ate a backing and dangled it around. i was lucky i even noticed.

i've been looking at backings but no one seems to like screwbacks very much -are they really that uncomfortable? or is it only when putting them on and off?

and what are people's opinions on the la poussette backings? .. i haven't quite figured out how they work yet- do you have to squish them to take them off? what makes them frustrating?

does anyone know of any other kind of 'secure' backing?


and questions on the rocks- is there really any visible difference between F-I colored stones when worn as studs? -that and what about clarity? i keep looking at vs2+ because the inclusions in <=s1's bother me, but can these really actually be seen and if so, at what size? [i'm looking in the under .5ct/rock range, but i'm sure the OP's got something bigger in mind]

Hi,
I'm very picky about clarity and have F SI1 stones that are AGS idea (ACAs) and there are NO visable inclusions. In fact, they're better looking than one of my VS2 stones because they're slightly better cut. Re: color, I can tell the difference between my E pendant and my G solitaire, but not my F and G. All comes down to how color sensitive you are. Diamonds under .50 in I color will look brilliant and white IF they're well-cut. You can always go look at stones in person before deciding. Just be sure to look at quality stones, not the average run-of-the-mill mall stones. (FWIW, I think my F stones were a bit of overkill. Same with my E pendant. If I had gone down to an H, I would have saved enough to get jackets for my studs or something else.) Oh, and I have a D stone, as well, and it's not as "white" looking as my F earrings because of the cut! It's still nicely cut but not as much of a knock out. That stone is .38 D VS2 - it was given to me. . .I wouldn't have spent the extra for a D stone.)

 

[Bella_mezzo]

for backs, i''d go with supabacks for everyday wear. So, I''d just have them made with regular backs, or with le pousette backs.

 

[Bosie]

My daughter lost a stud earring with the regular friction backs. Learned a lesson, the new pair came with LaPousette''s, she loves them, comfy, and they don''t fall out.

 

[smallshinypebble]

thanks y''all for the input-

so after reading the collective thoughts on color i found this H-VS2 ex-ex-ex-ex h&a in the database- but the idealscope image throws me off- it looks as though there is almost no light leaking from the edges, but i thought it was near impossible to achieve that. so now i''m wondering- does the color of the stone actually absorb the light so that the less white the diamond, the darker the idealscope image- making this more a stone color affecting performance, rather than a no-light-leaking instance?

H-VS2 idealscope

Bella- what are the advantages with supabacks? .. i thought they were just the plasticy backings that came with cheap earrings... clearly i''m mistaken. do they hold better than regular friction backings? or are they just to keep studs from sagging and for comfort?


also as a tangent- i''ve been searching the database and only looking at stones that are ex-ex-ex-ex... but i can''t figure out what it refers to, only that it has to do with cut i assume?




-pebbles