Stud Earrings

For everyday wear, most people land between a third of a carat and one carat total weight, which reads as polish without shouting. Two carats total and up becomes an occasion pair. If you are between sizes, go smaller for daily wear and bigger if the studs are the outfit. One tip worth knowing: total carat weight counts both ears combined, and that is the number stores quote.

Less than it does for a ring. Studs are seen from a few feet away against skin, not held up to the light, so near-colorless grades and eye-clean clarity look identical on the ear to far pricier stones. Put the budget into size or cut instead; cut is what makes studs catch light across a room.

Both are real diamonds, and at Perrara this is an option, not a religion. Lab grown gives you a larger stone for the same spend and is usually ready to go. Natural carries rarity and a long history. We stock both, label both clearly, and will walk you through the honest trade-offs without pushing either way.

Warm water, a drop of dish soap and a soft brush at home, then a proper clean once a year. If you bought them at Perrara, that annual cleaning, polish and check-up is free. Diamonds pick up skin oils faster than most stones, which is why studs go dull first and why a five-minute clean makes them look new again.