Diamond Necklaces

All are 14K gold, made to order in yellow, white or rose.

With small diamonds, the setting does a lot of the work. A halo rings a center stone with smaller ones, so the whole piece reads larger. Pavé covers a shape in tiny stones so it glows as one surface. A bezel wraps each stone in a thin gold rim: less sparkle, more protection, and a clean modern look. A cluster groups stones into a flower or star. Two necklaces with the same carat weight can look very different, so pick the setting first and the carat number second.

GIA's 4Cs are cut, color, clarity and carat. Cut decides how much light comes back out of a stone, and it matters most. Color runs from D, colorless, down the alphabet. Clarity runs from Flawless to I3; GIA notes that VS and VVS stones usually look alike without magnification. On small stones like these, a well-cut, well-matched set of diamonds matters more than any one grade. On the iced house necklaces, the grade is listed: E color, VS1 clarity. Read what VVS diamonds are for the clarity scale in plain words.

On most women, 16 inches sits just above the collarbone, 18 inches on it and 20 inches just below. A small diamond pendant usually looks best at 16 to 18 inches, where it frames the neckline. Remember that the pendant's own drop adds length. For a man wearing a diamond necklace, 20 to 22 inches is typical.

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, and US rules require the origin to be disclosed. The fully iced house necklaces are lab-grown, which is how a 30 carat piece costs $8,950. The gemstone pieces, like the Third Eye Necklace ($690), pair diamonds with a colored evil eye, and the description says so. Fakes use cubic zirconia or glass and rarely state a carat weight. Our fake diamond guide covers the checks.

Many of these pieces carry a symbol. The evil eye, found on the Pave Evil Eye Necklace ($675) and its blue, black and white charm versions, is worn across many cultures to ward off bad luck. The hamsa, an open hand on the Opulent Hamsa Pendant ($640), stands for protection and blessing. The Diamond Divinity Necklace ($810) carries the Om symbol. Hearts, daisies and lilies need no translation. A symbol makes the gift easy to explain, and it gives the wearer a reason to keep it on.

A quick rule for gifts: if you are unsure of her taste, the halo and the bezel designs are the safest choices, because they are clean and classic. The symbol pieces are better when you know what the symbol means to her.

14K gold, 58.3 percent pure, is the standard for fine diamond necklaces: soft enough to show a rich color, hard enough to hold small stones. Layer a diamond pendant at 16 or 18 inches with a plain gold chain 2 inches longer. Clean with warm water, mild soap and a soft brush behind the stones, then dry flat. Every order ships insured. For the iced side, see iced out jewelry, the iced out buying guide and what an iced out chain costs. For heavier diamond pieces on a Cuban, read the diamond Cuban guide. Visit the showroom at 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, Miami FL 33147. More at all necklaces.