Solitaire Diamond Necklaces

What is a solitaire diamond necklace?

It is a single diamond on a chain, usually held in a small metal head and hung from a bail, with no halo or side stones. Because nothing competes with the center, it goes with everything from gym clothes to evening wear, and it layers well with finer chains.

That simplicity is also the challenge. Every quality of the diamond is on show, so the choices below carry more weight than they would on a busier design.

How big should the diamond be?

Pick the size by the effect you want rather than by a number. A round of about 0.25 ct measures roughly 4.1 mm across and gives a quiet point of light. Around 0.5 ct, about 5.2 mm, is the size most people notice from across a table; see 0.5ct diamond solitaire necklaces. At about 1.5 ct, roughly 7.4 mm, the stone becomes the statement.

Prices jump at round weights, so a diamond just under the mark, such as 0.90 to 0.99 ct, costs noticeably less and looks the same hanging at your neck. Elongated shapes such as oval and pear also look bigger per carat than a round.

Grades you can relax on a pendant

A pendant is seen from farther away than a ring and is always moving, so small color and clarity differences are harder to spot. An eye clean stone is all you need; VS2 and many SI1 diamonds are eye clean in brilliant cuts like round and oval. Near colorless G to J looks bright, especially in yellow or rose gold.

Cut is the grade not to compromise. For a round, aim for Excellent (GIA) or Ideal (IGI), because cut drives the sparkle that makes a single diamond worth wearing alone.

Four prongs, six prongs or a bezel

Four prongs show the most diamond and let in the most light. Six prongs hold the stone more securely and round out its outline. A bezel wraps the edge in metal, the most protective choice, with slightly less light in return.

If you want to pick the exact diamond yourself, start from a mounting with our solitaire pendant settings and pair it with a loose stone. Rare Carat gemologists can help you compare options, and they are paid no commission, so the advice is about the stone rather than the sale.