A diamond necklace can range from minimalist enough for everyday wear to intricate enough for special occasions. It’s important to recognize what you are paying for and how the qualities of a design influence appearance, comfort and wearability.
Man made diamonds necklaces allow you to acquire diamonds formed within controlled laboratory conditions rather than mined from natural deposits. They have the same crystalline structure and optical qualities as mined diamonds, but have a different origin.
This single difference can influence pricing, size options, design elements and sourcing considerations. A focus on the quality of your necklace can be more interesting than examining the overall carat weight for a particular piece.
Decide on Everyday or Formal Purpose
The diamond is typically the focal point in a necklace design and a good starting point for your search.
Diamonds are graded for cut, color, clarity and carat weight, but this does not mean that all factors carry equal value for a necklace.
A good cut can create a lively and bright appearance while larger dimensions have less impact if the proportions are poor.
Color describes visible tones within a diamond and diamonds closer to colorless tend to command higher prices. Differences within adjacent color grades can be difficult to see within a finished necklace design.
A diamond’s clarity refers to the presence of characteristic markings and you do not require the very highest grade for a necklace. A diamond appearing clean to the naked eye provides a good balance between value and appearance.
The carat weight of a diamond measures its weight in relation to the standard grain. While two diamonds may weigh the same, the proportions and shape can influence the perception of size.
Select a Necklace Style Ideal for Your Wardrobe
There are multiple popular formats for diamond necklaces.
Diamond Pendant Necklaces
A pendant creates a focal point at the center of the chain and is often the most basic format for a necklace. A round or oval shaped pendant can add some sparkle to everyday wear, office wear and evenings without requiring too much thought in terms of what to pair it with.
A solitaire pendant also draws the eye to the center stone and places an increased emphasis on cut quality and the settings selected for the design.
Example: If you often wear open necklines or simpler tops, a fine chain with a small round pendant provides some detail without covering too much of the exposed neckline.
Tennis Necklaces
A tennis necklace features a linear pattern of diamonds for a design which stretches around most or all of the neck.
In this design, total carat weight becomes more important as multiple stones are present within the design. The diamonds must also appear uniform in terms of their color and light performance.
Check chain flexibility and the security of the clasp mechanism as a well made tennis necklace design should not twist or fail to lay flat against the curve of your neck.
Diamond Station Necklaces
Station necklaces create lab made diamonds between the individual diamonds and offer the illusion of a thinner continuous band. It can also provide good options for layering as the separated diamonds avoid the appearance of one continuous chain.
Select a Necklace Chain Length Ideal for Your Wardrobe
Your necklace length will determine how low the design sits on your chest as well as how well it coordinates with your different necklines and clothing styles.
Common necklace length options fall within the 16 to 20 inch range, although longer styles can also be available.
Shorter styles sit lower on the neck and can work well with open collars or lower necklines. An 18 inch necklace is often considered ideal for a pendant style around the upper chest of many wearers. Longer lengths create more space between the pendant and your face.
Avoid making assumptions based on images in product listings as these lengths can vary greatly based on your neck size, the width of your shoulders, the width of the pendant and your clothing.
If possible, use a necklace which you already have, but which sits in a similar position on your neckline, as a reference point when examining the length options for a potential necklace.
Examine Metal Options for Color, Strength and Appearance
The color of a necklace’s metal influences the appearance of a design, the overall weight and the maintenance requirements. White gold creates a neutral background for the diamonds, yellow gold provides a warm appearance and rose gold offers a light pink tone. Platinum is also heavier and more dense than gold options.
Your existing jewelry can offer pointers in terms of a good color option. If you generally wear yellow gold items such as earrings and bracelets, a yellow gold necklace option might look best with your other pieces.
Metal options also control the contrast around the diamonds within a necklace. Some buyers prefer the appearance of a white setting which flows seamlessly into the diamonds, while others are interested in the appearance provided by contrasting clear diamonds and yellow gold.
Take a Closer Look at a Necklace Setting
A setting provides the support for each diamond and also determines how much of a stone you can see.
Prong settings expose the most surface area of the stone and offer good light performance, while bezel settings create a defined border around a stone.
For multiple stone designs, check the connection points for the settings as the entire necklace should flex comfortably without individual sections twisting when worn.
For a pendant style, examine the bail area and check that it provides enough space for your chosen chain without causing excessive friction.
Use the Correct Understanding of Your Necklace’s Total Carat Weight
Total carat weight can be misleading when examining man made diamonds necklaces.
A five total carat necklace does not include one five carat diamond. This total carat weight refers to the weight of dozens of smaller stones which have been incorporated into the design.
Always examine the carat weight breakdown when examining a multi-stone design.
In a tennis necklace, the number of diamonds and total carat weight can indicate a good idea of the approximate size of each individual stone.
Within a pendant style, the description should clarify whether this weight refers to the central stone or to the total weight of all of the stones included in the design.
This total carat weight information becomes even more crucial when examining the price differences between two pieces which appear to be very similar on a website.
Look for Independent Diamond Documentation for Larger Diamonds
Independent documentation can provide good reassurance that a large center stone has been produced to a high standard.
A diamond grading report can provide information on the weight, size details and the level of color and clarity for a particular stone. Documentation can also identify cut specifications and note whether or not this is a man made diamond which follows a laboratory growth pattern.
Not all of the stones within a multi-stone necklace will include individual documentation and this would be impractical for a large number of smaller diamonds.
For a solitaire design however, individual documentation can become much more valuable as a good portion of the necklace’s cost may be invested in the center diamond.
Think About How Often You Would Like to Wear Your Necklace
A beautiful piece in a product listing is not always an ideal option for your everyday jewelry needs.
For regular wear, prioritize comfort, chain strength, reliable clasps and general functionality in terms of a design which complements your different clothing styles.
For occasional wear, you may prefer a longer pendant or higher overall carat weight as this piece does not need to complement every outfit you own.
Examine Other Jewelry in Your Possession
A statement piece necklace can look best alongside simple earrings, while a minimalist diamond pendant provides more room for elaborate earrings. You may also consider layering options with other chains and a small solitaire pendant can allow you to incorporate strong statement pieces in your ear and on your wrist.
Examine the Security and Construction for a Necklace Clasp
Small details within the construction of your clasp can create dramatic differences in terms of the overall usability for a piece.
Many pendant necklaces use a simple lobster style clasp mechanism, while a tennis style necklace may feature a box clasp with added security features.
Try these clasps for yourself and ensure that the mechanism is not too fiddly to use if you want to put on or remove this necklace without assistance.
You should also ensure that the thickness of the chain matches the weight of the pendant. A thin fine chain with a heavy pendant may appear delicate on your bare neck, but it can put extra pressure on the chain with regular wear.
Think About Cleaning and Storage
Diamonds can accumulate skin oils, lotions, cosmetics and other items and these can dull the appearance of a necklace, even if the stones themselves have not been damaged.
Regular cleaning will maintain the appearance of quality for man made diamonds necklaces.
Always examine the options for cleaning based on the construction and materials which have been used within a particular design. Pay extra attention to areas where the chain or setting meet the back of the diamond for proper cleaning.
You should always store a necklace within its own individual space if this is possible. Fine chains can tangle very easily while diamonds can scratch other items within a shared jewelry box. A special jewelry box or individual compartments can avoid tangles and the unnecessary scratching of delicate chains and stones.
Make the Final Decision Based on Everything You See
Never judge a necklace by the size of its stones alone.
Look at a focus on the entire combination of a diamond’s quality, an appropriate total carat weight for the piece, a suitable metal and an eye-friendly setting.
A small pendant which is a good match for your everyday wear can be far more valuable than a larger option which ends up staying in its box most of the time.
The same principle applies in a comparison of prices. Examine pieces which have a good combination of similar diamond quality, similar weight of metal and similar total carat weight rather than a comparison based on a single feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are man made diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. Man made diamonds are created within a laboratory rather than being mined from natural deposits. They possess the same crystalline structure as mined diamonds, but they begin as a controlled laboratory growth.
What diamond quality should I choose for a necklace?
The visible qualities of a design should be a focus. A strong cut and an eye clean clarity grade can bring significantly better value than a very high clarity grade with no visible differences during normal wear.
What necklace length is suitable for a diamond pendant?
Many pendant styles use chains which are approximately 16 to 20 inches in length in total. This varies based on your neck size, the clothes you typically wear and the size and shape of the pendant itself.
