The Different Earring Settings for Diamonds

Dec 2
19:51

2013

Sanjana Antony

Sanjana Antony

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Learn about the various diamond earring settings and the impact it creates on the jewelry design.

mediaimage

Diamond,The Different Earring Settings for Diamonds Articles though more expensive than others, is the most popular gemstone for earrings and other types of jewelry. Most often, when people buy diamond earrings, the attention is more on the earring design, the stone, the carat, the cut, and of course the price, rather than the earring settings.  The settings should also be given the same importance as the other factors, because they have a large impact on the overall look and finish of your earrings. They can influence the resale value of your piece, and also the safety aspect.

There are several types of earring settings for a diamond stud. The style that you choose should depend greatly on the style and design.  As the design becomes more ornate and intricate, the more the settings become complicated it gets more expensive. Here is a list of the most commonly used settings for your diamond earrings.

1.  Prong Settings

These are the most basic and the most preferred earring settings by many jewelers; and this type has some variations. This can be a basket style with 4 or 6 prongs.  The setting is open-ended, which means that light can pass through the sides and top of the piece, so the brilliance provided is the maximum.

2.  Pave Settings

This is the name given to earring settings used for a group of similarly sized tiny diamonds arranged on a flat surface. The stones are set side by side with one another, with no metals in between, so the surface is completely covered with small diamonds. These settings are great and also popular to many because of the illusion of bigger stones.

3.  Martini Style Settings

This is considered the best earring settings for most jewelry makers and buyers, and this design is found mostly in antique jewelry. 3 prongs hold the stone, as opposed to the basket style/prong settings that have 4 or 6.  The martini style settings give a more clean and neat look and shows off the brilliancy of the diamond as there is less metal to cover it. The name came from the shape of a martini glass when you look at the piece from the sides.

4.  Frustum Settings

The frustum settings are also called the hollow cone settings and are ideal for solitaire diamond earrings. These settings have a conical or tapered shape, with the diamond resting on the cones inside.

5.  Bezel Settings

The bezel earring settings are characterized by the diamond being set deep inside a mounting.  These have been used by jewelry artisans since the earliest times.

Other settings styles include channel, invisible, and tension. Depending on the kind of metal used and the design, some earring settings may be more expensive than the others.  The martini style is the most highly priced one.  Some styles like the prong and martini are loved by women because of the enhancement given to the diamonds brilliance. However, there is also the least desirable style of settings, called the crown style. The design of this setting places the stone far from the ear, so it droops and is not upright for not having enough support. It is a cup-style earring settings