Diamond Solitaire Earrings for Women
A solitaire earring holds a single diamond in each ear: as a classic stud, a close-fitting huggie or a drop. Ours come in six diamond shapes, in natural, lab-grown and lab-grown fancy color diamonds, set in yellow, white or rose gold.
Read the Carat Weight Twice
Earring weights are almost always quoted as the total for the pair, often written "ctw" (carat total weight). A pair listed as 1 carat has two diamonds of about 0.50 carat each, and a 6 carat pair has two 3 carat diamonds. Our product names follow the same rule, so halve the number to see what sits in each ear.
How Big Each Earring Looks
For round diamonds, these are typical diameters per earring by pair weight:
- 0.50 ct pair (0.25 ct each): about 4.1 mm
- 1 ct pair (0.50 ct each): about 5.1 mm
- 1.50 ct pair (0.75 ct each): about 5.8 mm
- 2 ct pair (1 ct each): about 6.4 mm
- 4 ct pair (2 ct each): about 8.1 mm
- 6 ct pair (3 ct each): about 9.3 mm
Elongated shapes such as oval and pear look larger than a round of the same weight because they're longer. Around 0.50 carat per ear reads as a noticeable but everyday stud, and from about 1 carat per ear they become a statement. For help choosing a size as a present, see our guide on how to choose earrings as a gift.
Prong, Bezel or Halo
Prongs hold the diamond with small metal claws and let the most light in, so a prong-set stud gives the most sparkle for its size.
A bezel wraps the diamond's edge in a smooth metal rim. It gives a little less sparkle but protects the stone, sits flat without catching on hair or sweaters, and makes the diamond look slightly larger because the metal frame reads as part of the stone.
A halo circles the center diamond with smaller ones, adding sparkle and making the center look bigger. Our halo studs still have one main stone per ear, which is why they belong in this collection.
Studs, Huggies and Drops
Most of the collection is studs, which sit directly on the earlobe. If you want the diamond to sit a little lower or move as you turn your head, a few designs are made as huggies, where a single diamond sits on a small hoop that hugs the lobe, and drops, where the diamond hangs just below it. More of each style is in our huggie earrings and dangling earrings.
Shapes and Colors
The collection includes round, oval, emerald-cut, princess, pear and radiant diamonds. To browse one shape across all earring styles, see our round, oval, emerald cut, princess cut, pear and radiant earring collections.
A note on names: our "emerald solitaire earrings" are emerald-cut diamonds, a rectangular step-cut shape. They aren't green emerald gemstones.
Many of our solitaire earrings come in lab-grown fancy color diamonds: pink, yellow, blue and green, in round, oval, emerald-cut, pear and radiant shapes. See all colored diamond earrings, or go straight to pink diamond earrings or yellow diamond earrings.
A Matched Pair
With only one stone per ear, any difference between the two is easy to spot. The diamonds in a solitaire pair are matched for size, shape and color so they look the same from either side. That matters most in fancy colors, where two stones of slightly different tone would show.
Backs and Everyday Wear
Our solitaire studs come with a choice of push backs or screw backs. Push backs slide on and off quickly. Screw backs thread onto the post, so they take a moment longer but are much harder to lose, which is worth it for larger diamonds or earrings you sleep in. All designs come in yellow, white or rose gold, in 10K, 14K or 18K. If your ears are sensitive, our hypoallergenic earrings guide explains which gold suits you.
Natural, Lab-Grown and Certificates
Natural solitaire earrings go up to 1 carat per ear, a 2 carat pair. A natural diamond of 0.50 carat or more includes an IGI or GIA report, so pairs of 1 carat total and above have a report for each stone. See all natural diamond earrings.
Lab-grown pairs, including fancy colors, go up to 3 carats per ear, a 6 carat pair. A lab-grown diamond of 1 carat or more includes an IGI report, so pairs of 2 carats total and above are covered. Browse lab-grown diamond earrings.
Any pair priced above $800 also comes with a GSI certificate for the finished earrings.
Care
Diamonds attract skin oil and lotion, which dulls their sparkle quickly on an earring. Soak them in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap, brush gently behind the stone with a soft toothbrush, rinse and pat dry. Check that the backs still grip firmly every few months. Our care guide covers more.
