Diamond Pendants

The diamond pendants on the site fall into two groups with very different jobs.

The first three are fine everyday pendants in 14K gold, made to order in yellow, white or rose. The last four are one-of-a-kind iced house pieces covered in natural diamonds. For the iced group in detail, see iced out pendants.

Total carat weight (ctw) adds up every stone. A pendant with 0.31 ct spread across many tiny stones and one with a single 0.31 ct stone look nothing alike. Small stones in a halo or pavé make a bigger bright area than their carats suggest. A single stone shows more fire and depth. So when you compare two diamond pendants, ask three things: how many stones, how they are set, and the color grade. GIA's 4Cs put cut first for a reason: cut decides how much light comes back out of the stone.

• Halo: a ring of small diamonds around a center stone. Makes the center look larger.
• Pavé: many tiny stones set close together so the metal almost disappears. The iced house pieces use this.
• Prong: claws hold the stone and let in the most light.
• Bezel: a metal rim around the stone. The most protective, a touch less sparkle.

A pendant gets fewer knocks than a ring, so prong and pavé settings hold up well here.

GIA grades color from D, colorless, down through the alphabet. E is the second-highest grade. Clarity runs on an 11-step scale from Flawless to I3. VS1 means small inclusions you would struggle to find with a 10x loupe. GIA notes that VVS and VS stones usually look the same to the naked eye. That is why VS1 is a smart grade for a pendant: you pay for a stone that looks clean without paying for differences you cannot see. More at what VVS diamonds are.

The iced house pendants in the case are natural diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds too, and must be disclosed as lab-grown under FTC rules. Lab stones cost less per carat; natural stones are rarer. What is not a diamond: cubic zirconia, glass, or crystal. A seller should state the stone type in writing. If the listing says "gem" or "crystal", it is not diamond. Our fake diamond guide covers the home checks and why a tester alone is not proof.

For her, the small 14K pendants on fine chains at 16 to 18 inches are the everyday pick; they sit on the collarbone and go with everything. For him, the iced house pieces on a 4 mm or wider chain at 22 to 24 inches make the statement. Both are real diamonds in real gold. The difference is scale, and the chain you hang them on.

Small 14K diamond pendants sit on 1 to 1.5 mm chains. Iced house pieces want 4 mm or more, usually a Cuban, Franco or rope. Check that the bail opening clears your chain and clasp. Clean with warm water, mild soap and a soft brush, working behind the stones. Want a diamond cross or a custom shape? See cross pendants and the custom process, which gives you a design and an exact price before anything is made. For the matching chain, start at the diamond Cuban guide. Visit the showroom at 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, Miami FL 33147 to see the iced pieces. More at all pendants and iced out jewelry.