The other day I was chatting with a personal shopper, Cathy Phillips, about diamond studs and we were discussing how they’re just the most versatile piece of diamond jewelry available. We agreed that they look dazzling both with evening wear as well as with jeans and a t-shirt. So my question to Cathy was simple: When are diamond studs not appropriate to wear? And her answer? She was speechless for a few moments and then politely corrected my line of questioning. They’re ALWAYS appropriate. Bam bam, thank you ma’am. She should be writing our advertising for us.

So, before I get carried away here, let me write up a few pointers about diamond studs. In honor of our old friend David Letterman, we’ll do a Top Ten Things to Know about Diamond Studs:

10) When listed by carat weight, it’s important to remember that a pair of 1 carat studs means that each one is half a carat. Typically, it’s the total weight that’s listed.

9) We typically sell our studs in a white gold four prong setting. That’s the classic and timeless way to do it. If you’re totally set on platinum or have allergic reactions to white gold, we can also use platinum for a slight charge. Also, we can do a three prong setting if you’re so inclined. That’s also known as a ‘martini setting.’

8 )  Of the 4 C’s (Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight), you should concern yourself most with Cut and Carat Weight when buying diamond studs. Remember, go for what you can see. With studs in particular, you won’t be able to see the inclusions when they’re set in the ear. So forget about clarity. What you’ll be able to see is the flashes of white light and brilliance.  That’s a function of a good “Cut” — meaning precision of angles. There’s 57 angles on a diamond and each one has to be just perfect in order for the light to bounce around and refract out to hit the eye. With a poorly cut diamond, the light is leaked out the side or bottom.

7)  Diamond studs can vary in cost, totally dependent on size and quality. With Mervis, our entry-level of studs begins around $500 and goes to roughly $25,000. Anything larger is possible too, but it’s not pre-set. We’ll custom set them for you.

6) Shape: We sell most diamond studs as rounds, but it’s also possible to also make princess cut diamond studs. For those of you who don’t know, princess is a shape that is square-like. We recommend round diamonds for studs because they’re simply always in the right position. What I mean by this is that diamonds turn on the ear, and with square-shapes, you’ll often times be in a position where the diamond is turned on its side and looks wrong. One ear won’t match the other. Maybe this bothers you, and maybe it doesn’t.

5) Upgrade policy: At Mervis, we have a very generous upgrade policy, wherein we’ll exchange your diamond studs at any time in order for you to trade up to a bigger size. We’ve had many couples take advantage of this and come back to us year after year, anniversary after anniversary.

4) Backings: All of our diamond studs have a double friction backing. This is preferable and superior to a screw-on because a screw-on backing can unscrew. There’s simply less chance of losing your diamond earrings.

3) Cleaning: Every now and then, it’s a good idea to clean your diamond earrings with a solution of ammonia and water. You can just use Windex or some other light household cleaning product.

2) When are diamond studs too big? Never?

1) And the number one thing to know about diamond studs is: They make the perfect gift item. You simply can’t go wrong with them because they’re the ultimate classic accessory!