With holiday deadlines approaching fast and your list is probably not written out for gifts. You’re probably wondering what to get your loved ones this year. Fear no more, diamond studs are here! Diamond studs symbolize beauty, honesty, brilliant, and loyalty. Diamond studs are not only extremely stylish but also add an advantage to your loved ones everyday outfit, and never go out of style.

Worried about budget? Relax! Mervis Diamonds will work with your budget to provide you the best possible diamonds for your loved ones. Worried about size? Know it is guaranteed to fit your loved one, but also know that Mervis has the best trade-up policy around. Our lifetime trade-up program means we will trade your Mervis Center Diamond at 100 percent of its original cost at any time for anything else. This means you can buy according to your budget now then come back at any time when you’re ready bigger diamond studs.

Diamond Earrings have always been considered among the most charming and thoughtful pieces of jewelry one can give or receive as a gift. Your gift of diamond studs is defined as a quick heart melter, ego booster, and all-around joy to wear. You will score popularity with your loved one as it’s always seen to be outfitted with the classics. 

The last thing you want to happen after buying an expensive set of diamond earrings is for them to fall off during an evening out. This is something that can be easily prevented if you know what to look for in an earring backing. Contrary to popular belief, a secure backing does not mean having to sacrifice comfort. Let's look at several earring backings so you can choose the most appropriate one.

Push Back

Also known as a butterfly due to its unique shape, this is one of the more popular earring backing types. It consists of a post that inserts into a metal piece behind the ear to hold in place the earring. However, it is known to not be as secure as other backings due to its looseness.

French Clip

Also known as a clip post, this combines a typical post with a clip to securely hold the earring. While less likely to lose the earring than a regular push back, they are known to sometimes pinch the earlobe and over an extended time, can become uncomfortable. 

Lever Back

The lever back back uses a piece of metal resembling a fishhook that pushes through the ear. It is then secured to a lever from the the back of the earring. This is known to be a good choice for valuable diamond earrings, even those that are larger sized. 

Screw Back

These backings use a post that works like a screw. The back is screwed onto ridges for a tight fit. While being one of the more secure types of earring backing, those with sensitive ears might wish to avoid these. The threaded post may not be as comfortable as other backings. Furthermore taking them off and on is known to be a bit more involving.

Jumbo Friction Back

If you have sensitive ears, jumbo friction backs make a better choice over screw backs. It consists of a small metal piece that gets pushed behind the earlobe onto the earring post, while being secured by friction. The  larger size of these backings provides added weight, stability, and security. For even greater security, consider asking your jeweler to add a small plastic disc to the earring back. 

La Poussette

Known for its combination of comfort and security, the la poussette is a viable option that, unlike the friction back, will not loosen over time nor slide off if the earring is pulled. It's composed of a flat metal backing with a small clutch on each side. Both clutches need to be squeezed to release it (which can be done rather quickly), otherwise the earring remains securely in place. The post on the back of a la poussette earring has a groove towards the end of it that makes it very difficult for it to be pulled off unintentionally. Heavier earrings will also benefit from the la poussette since this backing prevents drooping by holding the earring close to the ear. As you might have guessed, this level of engineering does come with a price tag. Most jewelers reserve this type of backing for only their most valuable of earrings.

We've looked at several options available for diamond earring backings, and as you can see, not all backings are equally secure or comfortable. With the investment you're going to make in a pair of diamond earrings, selecting the right backing will minimize the risk of loss while ensuring your earrings are a pleasure to wear.

[Image Credits: Push Back, French Clip, Lever Back, Screw Back, Jumbo Friction Back, La Poussette]

If you're thinking about the perfect gift for Christmas, then let me help you with two words: Diamond earrings. Diamond stud earrings are classic, gorgeous, and versatile. You can wear them all week at work but also dress them up for a fancy party too.

The best part about our diamond earrings is that they can grow over the years. We have a 100% trade up policy where you get every penny back when you want to splurge for a bigger pair down the road. This will make for a perfect surprise gift one day when you are panicking and don't know what to buy. Just swoop on it and be the hero. Diamond studs!

Many people have thought about upgrading their diamonds, and some just upgrade on their spouse. When it’s time to upgrade your diamonds and your other half gladly entertains the idea, you know you’re with the person of your dreams.

When my husband and I first started dating I trained him early with the earring upgrades. Yep, that’s right ladies – when you buy Mervis diamond studs you can actually upgrade them at any time and you get exactly the price they were sold for towards the next pair! Guys, are you listening?? You can start smaller, because they can always grow larger. There is always an option to fit your budget. I have personally gone through three upgrades with my earrings.

This policy is also applied for solitaire diamond pendants and the center diamond for the engagement ring. So why wouldn’t it make sense to purchase a Mervis diamond? There are plenty of places that offer upgrade policies, but nothing like ours. Trust us, we have done the research!

The other great thing about our trade in policy is that you can apply it to whatever you would like. Say you have a solitaire pendant and never wear it. Why not trade that in towards a pair of studs, a bracelet, or that anniversary band you have always wanted?

When you are first starting out, it may not be the first idea that pops in your head that you may want to upgrade, but after 5, 10, 15 or 20 years of being married you may just want to do it. After all, I’m sure she deserves it. So the next anniversary, birthday, promotion or special moment, take a minute to think, is it time for an upgrade?

Those buying diamond engagement rings for the first time can feel a bit intimidated. There are a lot of things to consider beyond just your budget. Every diamond is unique, as is the person purchasing it and the person who will be wearing it.

My husband purchased my diamond engagement ring about 15 years ago. He did it secretly all on his own and bought the most brilliant and romantic diamond that, in my eyes, is something Wonder Woman could have used as a secret weapon to temporarily blind her opponents.

A few years later, we had to have the ring appraised to renew the insurance policy. My husband pulled out this certificate (who knew diamond engagement rings came with certificates?) and he told me how nervous he was back then to venture out and make this big purchase all on his own. It was his first foray into what he thought would be an intimidating diamond purchasing adventure. He went to the Mervis location in downtown DC and said he had to walk through a special doorway and worried briefly that he wouldn’t pass muster to go further. But they welcomed him in, sat him down and put him at ease by giving him a little intro on what to look for in a diamond.

The 4Cs -- Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight

CUT:

The cut is the most important of the 4Cs. The cut of the diamond affects how much light it refracts and reflects. A meticulously cut and polished diamond will manipulate the light to make for the utmost beauty and brilliance, as light reflects from facet to facet and pours out of the top (or “table”). A poorly cut diamond, on the other hand, will be less brilliant as light spills out of the bottom and sides. The cut goes way beyond the shape alone -- oval, princess, round brilliant, emerald, etc. The cut is the only factor of the 4Cs that is not dictated by nature, so it is important that you seek a diamond that was cut by the hands of a master craftsman. Gemological Institute of America (GIA) assigns grades to the cut: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

 


 

COLOR:

“Aren’t all diamond engagement rings the same color?” you ask. No, they aren’t. The ideal diamonds are colorless, like water. They are the most expensive, because they are the rarest. The color of diamonds range from colorless to yellow, and each diamond is assigned a color rating from D (colorless) to Z (yellow). But remember that the 4Cs work together. Just because a diamond is not completely colorless on the scale, it does not necessarily mean it can’t be beautiful. Again, a meticulously cut diamond can make all the difference in the world.

Another factor in grading the color is fluorescence, or the emission of visible light when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. On a diamond certificate, you will see fluorescence exhibited as none, faint, medium, strong, and very strong. Flourescence can have a positive or negative effect on the beauty of a diamond, depending on where the diamond is on the color scale I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

 

CLARITY:
Most diamonds have tiny imperfections or “inclusions.” The fewer and less detectable those imperfections, the more valuable (and rare) the diamond. Like the previous Cs, there is a grading scale for clarity, ranging from internally flawless to imperfect:

IF - Internally flawless
VVS1, VVS2 - very, very small inclusions, category 1 and 2
VS1, VS2 - very small inclusions, category 1 and 2
SI1, SI2, SI3 - slightly included, category 1, 2, and 3

 

CARAT WEIGHT:
This seems to be the factor most people emphasize and remember when they talk about diamond engagement rings. “How many carats?” Carat weight is indicated by points, with each carat being 100 points. If a diamond is 150 points, it weighs 1.5 carats. But don’t go by weight alone. As you just learned, there are many factors that affect the beauty of a diamond and it is about so much more than just the number of carats. The 4Cs will help you determine the diamond that sings to you.