White Gold Lab-Grown Diamond Earrings

• Studs: rest close against the earlobe; solitaire, cluster and floral faces.
• Drops: hang free and catch movement, often a linked pear or a three-stone line.
• Hoops and climbers: trace the ear's curve, with stones along the front.

The listed carat counts the pair together, every stone in both earrings. A 1 ct tw pair of studs puts about half a carat on each ear; a cluster at the same weight spreads it over many small stones, which looks larger face-up. Most designs run from 0.5 ct tw up to 4 or 5 ct tw, and some go to 10 ct tw.

Fourteen karat is the everyday standard for earrings 14k white gold buyers look for: firm posts, steady color. Ten karat wears hardest at the lowest price, while eighteen karat holds the most gold and feels slightly heavier in hand. All three get a rhodium finish, so on the ear they look alike.

Earrings collect hairspray, makeup and skin oil faster than other jewelry. Put them on last, take them off first, and store each pair apart so the posts don't scratch other pieces. Check that backs grip firmly every few weeks.