How do you clean diamond earrings?

“If you wear diamonds regularly, I suggest cleaning at home every few weeks to remove dirt and oil buildup, keeping your diamonds clean and sparkling,” says Crawford. “In addition, I would recommend taking your earrings to a jeweler for a professional cleaning and inspection twice a year to ensure your settings are in good shape,” she adds. According to Crawford, the safest way to clean your diamond earrings at home is by filling a shallow dish with warm water and diluting a couple of drops of mild liquid dishwashing soap free from bleach or moisturizing ingredients. “Drop your diamond earrings in and let them soak for a few minutes,” Crawford explains. Once the time is up, remove your earrings and reach for a soft-bristled toothbrush to finish cleaning. “Gently clean the surface of the diamond as well as the back of the diamond, where dirt is easily accumulated,” says Crawford. “Rinse with water and pat dry with a soft, clean cloth, or let air dry.” When cleaning diamond earrings at home, Crawford warns against submerging them in any liquid for too long, using hard chemicals, or scrubbing too vigorously. “Doing so increases the risk of scratching diamonds or damaging settings,” she explains.

Can you shower with diamond earrings?

Crawford doesn’t recommend wearing diamond earrings in the shower because they could fall out and get lost down the drain. Additionally, Crawford says “cleaners, soaps, and moisturizers can leave behind a residue on your earrings, building up over time, eventually leading your diamonds to sparkle and shine less.”

Are lab-grown diamonds real?

“Yes, the only difference between a lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond is the origin of the stone,” says Crawford. “Lab-grown diamonds are made of carbon, just as mined diamonds are,” she adds, noting how they are optically, chemically, and physically identical to diamonds grown beneath the earth’s surface.

The 10 Best Diamond Earrings of 2023

The 10 Best Diamond Earrings of 2022 — Gorjana / Catbird / SHW

If you’re looking to invest in a piece of fine jewelry, diamond earrings are a great place to start. For one, they boast a ton of sparkle and elevate any ear party. Second, they are timeless and can easily become one of your most-worn jewelry pieces. Whether you’re shopping for a special occasion like your wedding day, or looking for an investment piece to commemorate a big moment in your life (think: Job promotion, new baby, or new home), gifting yourself a pair of diamond earrings to mark the moment makes it all the more special.

Meet the Expert

Kristin Crawford, VP of merchandise and product at Clean Origin.

From traditional round diamond studs to trendy huggie hoops, we curated a list of the best diamond earrings, looking at everything from diamond quality to style, plus factors like price, ethics, and sustainability to come up with our picks for best in show.

Ahead find the best diamond earrings to add sparkle to your earscape.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Gorjana Diamond Studs at Gorjana.com

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Best Value:

Catbird Diamond Stud at Catbirdnyc.com

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Best Splurge:

Communion by Joy Diamond Studs at Communionbyjoysmith.com

Jump to Review

Best Hoops:

SHW Medium Salo Hoops at Shwjewelry.com

Jump to Review

Best Huggies:

Stephanie Gottlieb Huggies at Stephaniegottlieb.com

Jump to Review

Best Bar:

Mejuri Long Bar Studs at Mejuri.com

Jump to Review

Best Lab-Grown:

Clean Origin Oval Diamond Stud Earrings at Clean Origin

Jump to Review

Best Colored:

Lightbox Diamond Single Stud at Lightboxjewelry.com

Jump to Review

Best Trendy:

Brilliant Earth Diamond Huggie Earrings at Brilliant Earth

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Best With Pearls:

Tiffany & Co. Pearls Stud Earrings at Tiffany.com

Jump to Review

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Byrdie

Gorjana

View On Gorjana.com

For a high-quality pair of diamond earrings with a moderate price tag and everyday wearability, you can’t go wrong with the Gorjana Diamond Trinity Studs. These 0.23-carat diamond stud earrings feature two three-millimeter stones set in 14K gold with a comfortable post back. They’re an excellent choice for daily wear since they offer an elevated spin on a more traditional diamond stud.

Price at time of publish: $650

Metal: 14K gold | Carats: 0.23 | Clarity: SI1

Catbird

View On Catbirdnyc.com

If you want a diamond stud that is budget-friendly yet still unique and high-quality, the Diamond Pinprick Stud from Catbird is one of our favorite options. These studs add a fleck of sparkle to your ears with their 2.2 millimeter round diamonds set in 14K gold. Beyond the price and touch of shimmer, these earrings are a fan-favorite due to the fact that the brilliant white diamonds are recycled, giving them an eco-friendly edge. Plus, you can buy them as a set, or purchase a single stud for a one-off piercing.

Price at time of publish: $118

Metal: 14K yellow gold | Carats: 0.4 | Clarity: N/A

Communion by Joy

View On Communionbyjoysmith.com

The Inner Light White Studs from Communion by Joy are a splurge-worthy pair of diamond earrings. Allow us to explain: The gold stud earrings are handcrafted by jewelry artist Joy Smith and feature a dazzling 4-millimeter diamond shining front and center as a reminder of your own inner light. You can take your pick between a 14K yellow or rose gold setting, but no matter which you choose, they’re a special piece of fine jewelry with an artisanal spin.

Price at time of publish: $795

Metal: 14K yellow gold, 14K rose gold | Carats: N/A | Clarity: N/A

SHW

View On Shwjewelry.com

When it comes to earrings, hoops are the most fun. SHW Jewelry’s diamond hoop earrings boast a unique design, yet still feel classic enough to wear with virtually anything. Available in either 14K yellow, white, or rose gold, the hoop earrings feature six embezzled 0.01-carat diamonds at the top of the hoop, creating a cascade of eye-catching sparkle down the lobes. The earrings are available as a pair or single hoop in your choice of white, black, or green diamonds.

Price at time of publish: $600

Metal: 14K yellow gold, 14K white gold, 14K rose gold | Carats: 0.12 | Clarity: N/A

Stephanie Gottlieb

View On Stephaniegottlieb.com

Huggies are really popular right now. With so many styles to choose from, it can be tricky to find a pair that really stands apart from the rest. These Pave Star Huggies from Stephanie Gottlieb offer a fresh take on the classic wrap-around diamond hoop style but with a trendy twist: A star focal point at the earlobes. Though this detail makes them feel more like a cross between studs and hoops, we love how they gently hug the earlobe. These pave earrings are available in 14K white, yellow, or rose gold, and feature one large center stone and 12 mini stones—five on the star and seven down the hoop.

Price at time of publish: $585

Metal: 14K yellow gold, 14k white gold, 14K rose gold | Carats: 0.17 | Clarity: N/A

Mejuri

View On Mejuri.com

If the more traditional round diamond stud earrings aren’t your style, give the bar stud a try. These 14K yellow gold bar studs from Mejuri have a minimalist feel since they’re so subtle, but they’re actually deeply detailed with a ton of sparkle. You can shop the pair or buy just one and style it on your cartilage or in a second or third piercing hole.

Price at time of publish: $250

Metal: 14K yellow gold | Carats: 0.063 | Clarity: N/A

Clean Origin

View On Clean Origin

We love lab-grown diamonds because they are the same as natural diamonds—only more affordable and eco-friendly since they are created in a lab instead of mined from the planet. The cost also makes investing in a pair of diamond earrings a little more attainable, since they usually cost around 20 to 30 percent less. These earrings have an oval shape that offers a nice alternative to a more traditional round diamond earring. Something to note: The studs come with screw-back posts, meaning the earring backs screw onto the post, so you don’t have to worry about potentially losing them when wearing.

Price at time of publish: $1,535

Metal: 18K yellow gold, 18K white gold | Carats: 1, 1.5, 2 | Clarity: VS

Lightbox

View On Lightboxjewelry.com

Colored diamonds are a fun way to elevate your ear party with something that feels personal. Whether shopping for yourself or a loved one, a signature shade can make a set of diamond earrings feel more unique. Lightbox, like Clean Origin, offers lab grown diamonds, except in a variety of colors like pink and blue. Pick your favorite color, or gift a meaningful hue to a friend for a baby announcement, big birthday, or other special occasion.

Price at time of publish: $1,750

Metal: 10K white gold | Carats: 1 | Clarity: VVS

Brilliant Earth

View On Brilliant Earth

Chunky yellow gold jewelry is oh-so-trendy right now, and we are completely obsessed with these diamond huggie earrings from Brilliant Earth. Each hoop is decorated with 11 round diamonds in varying sizes, which feels reminiscent of champagne bubbles and makes them the perfect celebration gift. And, although they are chunky in design, the 14K gold earrings are on the smaller side, so they still feel subtle enough for daily wear. One more thing to love about these earrings: They are made from recycled gold and the stones are sustainably sourced, making them a good eco-friendly option, too.

Price at time of publish: $890

Metal: 14K yellow gold | Carats: 1 | Clarity: SI

Tiffany & Co.

View On Tiffany.com View On Tiffany.com

Pearls and diamonds are a classic match made in heaven. These stud earrings from Tiffany & Co. are set in 18K white gold and each feature an Akoya cultured pearl highlighted by a round brilliant diamond. Available in three sizes—6.5-7 mm, 7-7.5 mm, and 7.5-8 mm—the pearl earrings might be the most timeless pair of earrings on our list.

Price at time of publish: $1,400

Metal: 18K white gold | Carats: 0.10 | Clarity: N/A

What to Look For in Diamond Earrings

Design

“When it comes to diamond earrings, the first things to focus on are the shape, style, metal type, and metal color,” says Kristin Crawford, the VP of merchandise and product at Clean Origin. “A white gold, four-prong round pair of diamond studs are always a timeless choice, but maybe a yellow gold bezel set emerald-shaped pair is more your style,” she notes.

The Four Cs

Next, Crawford says to focus on the four Cs: carat, cut, color, and clarity. Carat is all about the diamond’s size, while cut, color, and clarity are considered “quality requirements.” As far as diamond earrings are concerned, Crawford says the quality requirements can be “significantly relaxed compared to diamonds set in engagement rings because the average distance they are viewed from is typically farther than the distance at which an engagement ring is viewed.

Cost

“Always keep your budget in mind,” says Crawford. “Opting for a pair of lab-grown diamond earrings is a great choice because you get all of the value and sparkle of a mined diamond pair at a fraction of the cost,” she adds, explaining how lab-grown diamonds typically cost 20 to 30 percent less.

FAQ

How do you clean diamond earrings?

“If you wear diamonds regularly, I suggest cleaning at home every few weeks to remove dirt and oil buildup, keeping your diamonds clean and sparkling,” says Crawford. “In addition, I would recommend taking your earrings to a jeweler for a professional cleaning and inspection twice a year to ensure your settings are in good shape,” she adds.
According to Crawford, the safest way to clean your diamond earrings at home is by filling a shallow dish with warm water and diluting a couple of drops of mild liquid dishwashing soap free from bleach or moisturizing ingredients. “Drop your diamond earrings in and let them soak for a few minutes,” Crawford explains. Once the time is up, remove your earrings and reach for a soft-bristled toothbrush to finish cleaning. “Gently clean the surface of the diamond as well as the back of the diamond, where dirt is easily accumulated,” says Crawford. “Rinse with water and pat dry with a soft, clean cloth, or let air dry.”
When cleaning diamond earrings at home, Crawford warns against submerging them in any liquid for too long, using hard chemicals, or scrubbing too vigorously. “Doing so increases the risk of scratching diamonds or damaging settings,” she explains.
Can you shower with diamond earrings?

Crawford doesn’t recommend wearing diamond earrings in the shower because they could fall out and get lost down the drain. Additionally, Crawford says “cleaners, soaps, and moisturizers can leave behind a residue on your earrings, building up over time, eventually leading your diamonds to sparkle and shine less.”
Are lab-grown diamonds real?

“Yes, the only difference between a lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond is the origin of the stone,” says Crawford. “Lab-grown diamonds are made of carbon, just as mined diamonds are,” she adds, noting how they are optically, chemically, and physically identical to diamonds grown beneath the earth’s surface.

Why Trust Byrdie

Contributing writer Jessie Quinn has a bachelor’s degree in fashion journalism and covers style trends and the best fashion finds for various publications. She also covers diamond jewelry topics for Brides, highlighting everything from heirloom-worthy wedding jewelry to lab-grown diamond engagement rings. Jessie’s love of fine jewelry spans beyond her writing work, and she is currently pursuing a certification in jewelry design. When researching diamond earrings, Jessie leaned on her fashion and jewelry design education to source the best styles, based on quality, design, and wear.

Caitlyn Martyn is a staff writer for Byrdie, covering all things beauty and style. She previously worked at The Knot, where she learned everything there is to know about diamond jewelry. When writing this article, she leaned into different styles, trends, and price points and evaluated each pair based on quality and type.

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