You might be one of the biggest jewelry lovers in the world with a collection that spans the spectrum from fun costume jewelry to priceless fine jewelry, but have you ever thought about making something for yourself rather than buying from a jeweler in a store or online?

It is easier than ever nowadays to head to a website and find the necklace or diamond drop earrings you are looking for, but what about taking the time to craft and create something that is uniquely and wonderfully yours?

Nothing says simple but stunning more than a perfect pair of round diamond stud earrings. Dsiamond jewelry is always going to be popular and sought-after, so why not add to your collection with your own diamond earrings?

We’re not talking about you physically making a pair of diamond studs but instead making use of bespoke services offered by high-quality jewelers. This involves picking your stones, choosing the precious metal, and deciding on the basic design elements.

To make the perfect diamond studs, you need to know where to start and what to do. Keep on reading for a comprehensive guide on how to build a pair of diamond studs from scratch that would not be out of place in any jewelry showroom across the world!

Set A Budget

The first thing is to set a budget for your earring project because if you are going to buy natural diamonds you need to know what you can get for your dollars.

The more realistic you can be about your wishlist, the better you are going to feel by the time you reach the checkout stage. Be realistic about what you think you can afford because even loose diamonds for ‘design your studs are going to be pricey depending on things like cut and clarity.

Something smart that you could do is opt for lab-grown diamonds. They are equally beautiful, indiscernible from natural diamonds, and cost a good deal less.

Some jewelers will also give special offers on certain kinds of loose diamonds, so make sure that you keep an eye out and inquire!

One thing to remember when considering the finances of bespoke stud earrings is that you need to ensure you get value for money in your diamond. The diamonds you buy should have a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate. This report details how your stones measure up against the 4Cs - the four factors on which a diamond is evaluated - cut, clarity, color, and carat. These 4Cs will also feature in how you choose your stones.

Match The Gemstone Size

This is regarded as being the most important step. Getting two stones that match is vital to achieving a balanced pair and even on smaller stones, small differences seem much bigger. If you choose stones that have even just .50 of a carat difference, it can end up throwing off the symmetry of the set and it will be noticeable.

Don't be satisfied with just finding two stones with the same carat weight (ctw). Diamonds can be just like people in the sense that two that weigh the same can boast a very different shapes.

You should be slightly more invested in matching two stones that share the same millimeter measurements. Nobody will weigh your ears with their eyes, but they will notice how your earrings measure up against your earlobes. Sometimes stones that aren’t the same carat in weight can look identical on the ears thanks to being similar in terms of width, especially when you consider that not all the stone is visible regardless of which type of setting you choose, especially if you choose bezel set.

Pick A Shape Or Cut

Another important factor is picking a shape or cut of the diamond. There are endless choices of loose diamond shapes to select from including princess cut, marquise cut, Asscher cut, and more, Most commonly, diamond studs are round cut or cushion cut (square).

There are a few different things to think about when considering which shape or cut you would like to use, like the size and shape of your earlobes and the shapes of other stones in the jewelry that you wear most often.

Depending on the impact you want to make, something like a classic round diamond earring is never going to be deemed unfashionable or go out of style. Elegant white round-cut diamonds are entirely versatile and will complement any and every outfit choice. They are a safe bet!

Ultimately, you want to pick a shape that is going to comfortably fit a classic martini setting which is the most common type of setting that is used to create sturdy stud earrings to last a long time.

Focus On Color

Color, for the most part, is not particularly a big issue, simply because the vast majority of people are not able to distinguish a completely white diamond from an off-white diamond, essentially colorless versus near colorless!

That is, of course, unless the difference between the two stones is obvious. If you have one stone that appears to be rather yellow and another that is much clearer, they won’t look so good together.

Aim for two stones that share a similar hue (in the color ranges of D, E, F, G, H, and I), but anything below a J on the range is going to look distinctly yellow to the naked eye.

Of course, if you are not looking for clear diamonds and want to consider other color diamonds in the range of blues, reds, green and more, these are less scrutinized.

Don’t Worry Too Much About Clarity

You will probably have heard and read a lot about clarity when researching your diamonds, but the truth is that unless one of them has a particularly large and visible inclusion (flaw), it isn’t something that you necessarily need to worry about on a stud earring.

When they are small and on your earlobes, nobody is going to know if your stones are classed as flawless or not. It’s not like a diamond engagement ring where you are obliged to show it to anyone who wishes to get a close-up view.

In general, it is good advice to stick within the SI1 to I1 clarity grades, which is the standard range for quality earring jewelry across the board.

Unless the diamond has black marks or is distinctly milky or full of white inclusions, you shouldn't worry too much about extreme clarity!

Pick A Precious Metal

Once you have found the perfect pair of loose diamonds, think about the precious metal that will be in the form of the studs, creating the setting, prongs, and screwback or push-on elements.

The metal is purely your personal preference but you should consider how it will work with the rest of your jewelry. If going with clear white diamonds, we happen to think that 18k white gold or sterling silver is a classic choice, but there are also options like yellow gold and rose gold to consider.

Think about the rest of your jewelry and also think about the complexion and tone of your skin. Which precious metal do you think would look best against your face?

Once all of these factors have been addressed and stones, shapes, and sizes picked, all you need to do is head to your chosen jeweler either online or in-store to arrange the creation of your special and unique studs.

Build Your Own Diamond Studs Today!