This men’s diamond earrings guide covers everything you need to know, from earring styles and diamond sizes to quality and prices. Whether you’re buying studs or hoops for yourself or as a gift, it can get tricky to pick the right ones with so much choice on the market. This complete guide explains:

  • Solitaires VS clusters VS hoops 
  • Single studs VS pairs
  • Diamond quality
  • Carats and size
  • Prices
  • Best investment earrings

 

Solitaire earrings

A diamond ‘solitaire’ means a single diamond. Solitaires are usually displayed on their own because they need no other adornments to catch the eye.

Solitaire earrings from £129

 

Diamond cluster earrings

A diamond cluster earring is where several small diamonds are set close together to create the illusion of one large diamond. They’re a fantastic option if you’re looking for ‘big 1-carat look’ on a smaller budget as small diamonds cost less per carat than solitaires.

Diamond cluster earrings pair from £685

 

Round VS Square solitaires

The cut of a diamond refers to its shape. Solitaire stud earrings most often come in two cuts: round cut and princess cut. Round cut diamonds are the classic choice and offer exceptional sparkle. Princess cut diamonds are square, look contemporary and also offer a high level of radiance.

 

 

Diamond hoops

The hoop earring used to be the favourite of bohemians, but recently it’s found new celebrity status (think Michael Jordan). Hoop earrings are not for everyone, but if you manage to pull them off, they add a touch of stylish creativity to your look.

Single diamond hoops from £145

 

Dangly diamond earrings

The dangly charm earring is the trendiest look right now. These earrings make a definite statement. So if you wear one, do it confidently and expect to get noticed. You can wear one on its own, or pair it with a diamond stud on the other ear.

Diamond charm earrings from £175

Gold VS platinum

Here’s what you need to know about precious metals:

Platinum – This metal has a silvery-white colour and it’s hypo-allergenic. Platinum is the toughest precious metal of them all, so this is the best quality you can buy. The downside? It’s the most expensive metal.

Gold – Gold is a fantastic, versatile choice that comes in different colours and offers a lot of flexibility in price. You can choose between white gold, yellow gold and rose gold to suit your taste. You can also choose between different purities: 18K gold represents the highest quality and price point, while 9K gold is very affordable but contains less pure gold.

Silver – This is the most affordable precious metal. However, it’s also the softest. So you have to be careful not to bend it out of shape so the diamond falls out. Choose sterling silver for higher quality and do not sleep with your silver earring in.

 

SINGLE vs PAIR

Fashion-wise, both singles and pairs are perfectly acceptable these days. A single earrings is a timeless look that you cannot go wrong with. Double earrings say ‘bling’ and you need to have the bravado to carry that off.

In terms of cost, if you buy a pair of earrings, the good news is you’ll get some discount from a retailer for the second diamond so you’re not looking at double the cost of a single.

 

Your skin tone and metals

Your earrings should also match your skin tone:

  • Fair skin: Silver or white gold look the best on you. Yellow gold can be ok, but not as flattering as white gold. Avoid rose gold because it emphasises the pink in your skin.
  • Olive skin: You’re lucky, olive skin looks great with any gold colour.
  • Dark skin: Any gold colour looks good on you but yellow gold is the most flattering.

 

Your face shape

Your face shape plays a big role in how good your earrings look. Pick your earring shape as follows:

Long or oval face – If your features are long or oval, and rounded at the forehead and chin, then you’re lucky because any earring style will suit you.

Inverted triangle face – When your face is wide at the forehead and tapers down through the cheekbones to the chin tip, then bar earrings and small round studs are your best friends.

Square face – Chiselled jaw and cheekbones? Is your face a rectangle or a square? Then round, oval and curved earrings, including hoops, provide the perfect balance to your features.

Round face – With a rounded face that’s equally wide at the forehead and the cheekbones, you want to contrast your features with earrings that are square or geometric.

Claw setting

The most common way to hold a diamond in place is the claw setting (sometimes called the prong setting). It basically looks like tiny claws or prongs holding the diamond in place. There can be four or six claws.

The fantastic thing about the claw setting is that it allows a lot of light to enter the diamond from every angle, including the top and the sides of the stone. This makes your earring sparkle more.

Diamonds in claw setting £1365

Rubover setting

The rubover setting is the most secure way to attach a diamond to an earring. This is because the gold or platinum ‘wraps’ around the diamond so that it protects it from all sides.

An extra benefit of this setting is that it also makes the diamond appear bigger than it actually is. The downside is that it doesn’t allow light to enter the diamond from the sides, so only the top of the diamond sparkles.

Earring in rubover setting £599

 

 

Men’s diamond earrings guide – Carat weight

Diamond weight is measured in units called carats. The heavier the carat weight, the larger the size of your rock. Carat weight is usually shown as a number, followed by the letters CT. For example, one carat is shown as 1.00CT and half a carat as 0.50CT.

Men’s diamond earrings guide – SIZE

To give you an idea of real diamond size:

  • A small round diamond, 0.05CT in carat weight, measures about around 2.5mm across
  • An 0.25CT square princess cut diamond is about 3.4mm across
  • An 0.50CT round diamond is about 5.1mm
  • A 1.00CT round diamond is about 6.5mm

 

Diamond quality

Diamond quality is a complex topic. If you want to read about it in detail, we recommend our diamond quality article.

In the meantime, use this rule of thumb:

If you pick a solitaire earring UNDER 0.50CT, you’re perfectly fine with premium quality. If you want a step higher, H/Si quality will give you a stunning white diamond at a great value. At this carat weight, you don’t need any better quality than that.

When you buy a solitaire earring OVER 0.50CT, then you do need better quality. That’s because diamonds are natural gems and all of them come with tiny little markings or flaws, called ‘inclusions’. The larger the diamond, the fewer inclusions it should contain so that it looks unblemished to the naked eye. H/Si quality should be your minimum, but G/Vs quality or above is ideal.

If you buy a diamond cluster, hoop or charm earring, you’re dealing with tiny diamonds so you can get away with premium and H/Si quality.

 

Solitaire earring prices

A men’s diamond earrings guide wouldn’t be complete without price. Remember, when it comes to diamond solitaire earrings, carats + diamond quality together make up the price. Here are some examples of diamond prices:

  • Solitaire stud at premium quality, size 0.05CT, from £129.00
  • Solitaire stud at H/Si quality, size 0.50CT from £1505.00 
  • A pair of studs at premium quality size 0.10CT total (so 0.05CT each) from £159.00
  • A pair of studs at G/Vs quality 1.00CT total (so 0.50CT each) from £4,300

 

Paying in instalments

If you’re making an expensive purchase, 0% finance can be a good option. It allows you to pay the earrings off monthly, without having to spend all your savings at once. Simply ask your retailer if they offer finance.

Investment value

From a fashion point of view, diamond studs are a timeless accessory. They’ll always stay in style and they’re perfect for combining with any outfit, formal or casual. So buying men’s diamond earrings for yourself or as a gift is a classic fashion choice.

If you’re looking for financial investment, you should be thinking of a big diamond of at least 1.00CT, minimum quality G/Vs, and the setting metal must be 18K gold or platinum. This way, if you buy men’s diamond earrings for yourself, they’ll have heirloom and resale value.

 

Need more advice?

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need expert advice. Our Personal Shoppers are always happy to help.

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The post Men’s diamond earrings – Guide to buying and wearing appeared first on The Diamond Store Magazine.