Lab-Grown Diamond Bezel Necklaces

Most of these pieces hang one framed stone, or a small bezel motif such as a cross or snowflake, from a bail. Station necklaces space several bezels along a fine cable, so light lands at the collarbone in short, even beats. A pendant gives one focal point; stations draw a line.

• Slim bezel: leaves most of the crown visible and reads close to a prong solitaire at arm's length.
• Wide or stepped rim: a band of bright metal that widens the outline so the stone reads larger.
• Milgrain border: tiny raised beads along the frame on some designs, for an heirloom finish.

Choose white, yellow or rose gold, or Silvadium, our name for a sterling silver alloy that resists tarnish. Gold comes as 10K or 14K on nearly all designs. Most pieces offer 1 to 5 carats total weight, a few starting lower. Warm gold rims tint the edge of a colorless stone slightly; white gold and silver keep the outline cool.

Because metal guards the girdle, a bezel pendant handles daily layering better than an open prong head. Skin oil builds up on the pavilion over weeks, so swish the piece through a bowl of warm, sudsy water and work a soft brush around the back. Between wears, hang the chain from a hook or stretch it out in a tray.