Earrings Guide
Our collection of earrings includes classic stones and designs that will fit that style and tastes of any woman. Our aim is to provide a wide range of options with diamonds or other high-quality gemstones and an assortment of precious metals. Our designs are both eye-catching for today and timeless with memorable designs to last over the years. Every woman will find something she will love and cherish from the wide range of colors, styles, and designs in our collection.
Types of Earrings
The basic earring styles are studs, hoops, halos, drops, and various contemporary designs.
Diamond Stud Earrings
This is the classic earring style. Each stud is typically a single diamond or other precious gemstone. This style of earring is worn close to the ear, typically in the middle of the earlobe, but it can be attached wherever the ear is pierced. Studs are ideal for everyday use. They show off the sparkle, brilliance, and color of the gemstone or diamond.
The gem is backed and supported by a precious metal head. Each stud has a post which passes through the piercing in the earlobe and is fixed with a friction or screw-on backing to keep earring from falling out. The screw-on variety of attachment provides an extra measure of protection against loss. It is the best choice for larger stones.
The beautiful illusion of a diamond stud or other gorgeous gemstone is that it floats on the surface of the ear. This is the best choice to simply show off the sparkle of a diamond or the striking color of a sapphire, emerald, or ruby.
The fact, that studs are so easy to wear, makes them a great choice for a woman of any age. If you are giving earrings as a gift, this is a safe choice. They look flattering with any skin tone or face shape. A pair of earrings with diamonds or a favorite colored gemstone will always be well-received and worn for virtually any occasion.
Hoop Earrings
Hoops are versatile earrings that typically go well with all shapes of women’s faces. This earring style uses a metal loop that both holds the gem and passed through the piercing in the ear. Loops connect at the back of the ear to assure that they are not lost. This style is harder to lose than studs. Our earrings are made with a variety of precious metals and gemstones. This style can very simple, close to the ear, and great for every day wear. Or it the loop can be larger and more extravagant and complex with more than one gem or with a more extensive setting. Also, a loop can be a very fine wire or be fairly substantial. Contemporary designs may be asymmetrical with a woven design of metal and gems.
These are the hoop styles to consider.
J Hoop Earrings
This hoop has a shape (you guessed it) like a “j.” The ends of the hoop do not come back around in a circle. The end of the hoop is secured with a push or screw backing as with a stud. The front part of the hoop earring is where the gemstones or diamonds are. This reduces the weight of the earring but gives it a trendy look.
Huggy Hoop Earrings
This style of hoop hugs close to the earlobe. By reducing the space between the earlobe and the bottom of the earring the huggy is more secure and typically more comfortable than a larger hoop. They are less likely to catch on clothing and are better for everyday use. Huggies can be set with a single larger diamond or colored gemstone or with multiple small ones.
Prong Set Hoop Earrings
This hoop earring is circular like a traditional hoop but uses a prong clasp to secure the connection. Set with diamonds and gemstones, this hoop sits farther off the ear. Thus, as the wearer moves, so does the hoop and its sparkling gems.
Halo Earrings
The halo earring has a single diamond or colored gemstone surrounded by a halo or circle of smaller gems. When artistically crafted, this earring can be truly striking. It is attached to the ear by a stud. The art of crafting a halo earring is to have equal quality of cut, color, and clarity of larger central gem and the surrounding smaller stones. This look is then uniform and flawless. The center stone can have a variety of shapes that include round, princess, oval, and cushion. Halo earrings can be worn daily like a stud earring. And, the halo design can be carried over to other earrings as well.
Drop Earrings
Drop earrings dangle beneath the earlobe. They vary in size and shape and are typically worn on special occasions. The basic variation of this earring is a simple basket holding a gem. The earring is typically secured using a lever backing. Another approach is to simply have a wire hook that loops through the piercing of the ear. French wire backings are also used. These backings help balance the weight of the earring which may have several gems chained together in a string. The make sure that the drop earring is secure and fit comfortably. Drop earrings can be as long or short as you wish and they can contain all of the same gemstone or a complementary mixture. This earring style can be a great gift.
Contemporary Earring Styles
Contemporary earring designs commonly build upon basics of other earrings but with an additional artistic touch. These earrings may have exquisite metalwork designs, a wide variety of gems, or a mixture of designs such as halos or flower shapes. When these designs are carried off artistically they give the appearance from a distance of a larger gemstone. If you want a striking and totally modern look, ask to see our selection of contemporary earrings.
The Metal in the Earring
Our earring all use platinum, white gold, rose gold, or yellow gold.
14 karat White Gold
14 karat white gold is a common choice for earrings. This metal is whitish silver and is usually plated with rhodium to give it an extra luster. 14 karat white gold contains an alloy to make it stronger as pure gold is too malleable for use in jewelry. The gold content at 14 karats is 58.3%. With the alloys, this metal is durable and resistant to damage from normal use. Thus 14 karat white gold is an ideal option for earrings that will be worn every day.
14 karat white gold works well with thin or small earlobes and for young girls. It is very light in color and it gleams when set with any diamond or gemstone. The shine of the white gold enhances the sparkle of the gemstone.
This precious metal does not corrode or become tarnished. All you need to do is routinely clean it to keep its shine. To keep this metal beautiful have it cleaned and polished professionally every few years.
14 karat Yellow Gold
If you like a warmer look to a precious metal, use 14 karat yellow gold. This precious metal goes well with any skin tone and goes well with diamonds or any colored gemstone. This metal is 58.3% gold and has copper and silver added as alloys. The alloys make the metal stronger and more durable. This makes earrings with 14 karat yellow gold excellent for wearing every day. The best use of this precious metal is with green emeralds or red rubies.
14 karat Rose Gold
14 karat rose gold has a pink tone added to the gold. Many find this look to be romantic. Rose gold looks good with both light and darker skin tones. It is 58.3% gold with copper added as an alloy. This precious metal is durable and safe for the wear and tear of daily use. We mostly use 14 karat rose gold with warm toned gems but it can work well with diamonds as well. There is an antique quality to rose gold that many find appealing.
Platinum
Earrings made of platinum are an alternative to white gold. They are 95% platinum and contain 5% alloy of iridium. These earrings do not require a coating of rhodium like white gold. This metal is heavier than gold, very hard and durable making it virtually scratch resistant. The metal is very dense as well. If you have very thin earlobes, you will want to avoid wearing more complicated earrings as the weight could become an issue.
Platinum is an ideal choice for pairing with a diamond with a high color grade as it highlights the perfection of the gem. When used with colored gemstones like sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, it provides a white background that enhances the colored gemstone.
Gemstones to Use in Earrings
Diamond
The diamond solitaire earring is a classic and timeless choice. The choice of a set of diamond earrings means that you will have something that will last virtually forever and be passed down from generation to generation. A basic diamond earring can be worn every day or on particular occasions.
When we craft diamond earrings, we make sure that the gems match for color and clarity. This makes sure that you will get the look you desire. If you are going to buy diamond earrings, look at the different styles available.
Diamonds studs are a classic look for women of any age. They can be worn with any wardrobe choice and for any occasion. The round cut diamond has the most sparkle for a diamond stud but other shapes such as cushion, emerald, oval, princess, or marquise all can be very attractive.
And, diamonds do not need to be confined to studs. When used in halo or cluster earrings this accents the size and quality of the diamond in the center. All of the gems in the cluster can be diamonds or there can be a central diamond and accent gems of different colors.
Round and princess shapes are popular diamond choices for earrings. The basic reason to go with a round cut is that it has the most facets and the most sparkle. For a very high color grade diamond the best choices are white gold or platinum. However, a nice diamond looks great with yellow gold as well. Diamonds are hard and durable, which makes them a great choice for earrings to be worn every day, year after year. They can be routinely cleaned with a non-abrasive soap and warm water, or with a commercial diamond cleaner. They will be a thing of beauty forever.
Ruby
A deep red ruby is famous for being the color we associate with passion. It is an attractive gem with a great sparkle. This red gem is best set using yellow or white gold as either of these is a good complement to the red color. The most prized rubies are larger and have what is called a pigeon blood red color. When the ruby color is much fainter or much darker it is less attractive and less valuable. Unlike the diamond, the ruby does not have precise grading scales for cut, color, or clarity. However, there are accepted standards for ruby quality based on its total look. The best quality ruby is an AAA. Make sure when you buy ruby earrings that the color, size, and cut match side to side and within groupings such as a halo cluster.
Most rubies are inclusions which are tiny flaws in the gem. You will likely not find a pair of rubies of the same size and color that have either no inclusions or matching inclusions. When we use rubies in earrings we find gems that are the best match and whose inclusions have a minimal effect on the beauty of the gem.
The sparkle and color of the ruby are most important. The goal is always to use gems whose inclusions do not detract from these qualities.
If you are looking for a gift for a July birthday or wedding anniversary of 40 years, the ruby should be your choice. And because of the association with love and passion, a ruby can be a great gift on Valentine’s Day
Emerald
The deep royal green of an emerald is always a good choice for an earring. The quality of an emerald is based on its size, color, and the lack of inclusions. The color of an emerald may be perfect, but if inclusions block you from seeing that color, the gem will be dull and lifeless. Thus, we only use high-quality emeralds with few inclusions when we create earrings. AAA is the highest quality grade.
Since even AAA and other high-quality emeralds can have inclusions, it is important that a pair of emeralds match in lack of inclusions as well as color hue and saturation.
Emeralds look best when yellow gold or white gold is used for the earrings. The white and yellow are good matches for the vibrant green color of a high quality emerald.
Common gem shapes used for emerald earrings are round or cushion followed by emerald, princess, and oval. We suggest halo or classic style earrings as the best to show off an emerald and to go with any outfit. If you want to go the fancy route, consider a fancy shape for the gem and a drop earring.
Blue Topaz
Blue topaz is the most popular blue gemstone after the sapphire. This gem is mined in Australia, Russia, and Brazil. The natural color of this gemstone is a soft blue. These gems are heat treated which causes a permanent deep and saturated blue.
Inclusions are rarely an issue with the blue topaz. Thus the shine and sparkle of this colored gemstone is brilliant. These gems come in round, cushion, princess, and oval cuts. We craft our blue topaz earrings from AAA quality gems. As with all earrings and gems, we ensure that the gems match side to side in color, hue, saturation, clarity, and shine.
Use white gold with blue topaz earrings. And, the best choice for the cut and shape is round as it enhances the sparkle of this gem. Give blue topaz for a December birthday. A great look is to pair blue topaz with diamonds in a drop or halo style earring. But, the great sparkle and color of this gem make it a good choice for a solitaire stud earring as well.
Amethyst
The elegant purple amethyst gets its color from aluminum and iron impurities in the quartz crystal matrix. The best quality amethyst is graded AAA. The quality level of gem has a deep purple hue and the color carried throughout the gem. Although amethyst can be found throughout the world, it is mined predominantly in Bolivia, Canada, and Myanmar.
AAA quality amethyst is transparent. That means that it does not have inclusions and is referred to as an “eye clean” gemstone. It also means that the amethyst has a great sparkle.
The most common cuts for an amethyst are round and oval as they do the best job in emphasizing the purple color of the gemstone. These cuts also are best for enhancing its sparkle.
Fancy shapes are reserved for the amethysts with the deepest color and best saturation. When we craft earrings using this gemstone, we are careful to match the gems for hue, sparkle, and symmetry. Set this gem in white gold and for the best sparkle, cut in a round shape.
Diamond Earring Buying Guide
There are many kinds of gemstones. One of the most important things to be aware of when buying earrings is that you might be getting imitation gems that were created in the laboratory instead of natural gemstones that were created by Mother Nature deep within the earth.
Another factor to consider is that gemstones are often treated to improve them or to minimize and hide defects. Rubies and emeralds are often heat treated, which permanently deepens their color. Other treatments are usually not permanent and can damage the gem in the long run.
Colored gemstones are graded by color, sparkle, and clarity. Diamonds, on the other hand, have a very strict and precise grading system that defines their quality and their prices.
It is best if you understand the quality of the natural gemstones in your earrings before purchasing. And, it is important to know when a gemstone is natural or synthetic and when it has received damaging treatments to mask defects.
We do not carry synthetic gemstones and the only treatment applied to our colored gemstones is heat, which is the industry standard.
The bottom line is that you need to have a trusting relationship with your jeweler and you should ask about natural versus synthetic gems, types of treatments, and the quality of the gemstones used in the earrings you purchase.