As Jewelry Shopping Guide editors, we write about things that we love and we think you’ll like too. We often have affiliate partnerships, and may generate some revenue from these links at no cost to you.
There’s nothing quite like a beautiful pair of stones in a gorgeous gold setting to add a touch of sophistication, elegance and color to your look. Whether you opt for studs or dangle earrings, there are a range of gemstones and settings to choose from. Although silver-hued metals such as platinum, white gold and silver are highly in demand, especially for contemporary designs, yellow gold has a vintage touch about it. Because of the huge demand for vintage-inspired designs and traditional styles, yellow gold is seeing a renewed surge of popularity. When gold is paired with stones, the beauty of the piece is undeniable. Gemstones offer you a way to showcase your style and sense of fashion as well as allows you to add a dash of color to your look.
Let’s take a look at how to choose your perfect gemstone earrings set in gold.
Types of Stones
When deciding on your gemstone of choice, there are 4 main types available to you.
-
Precious Stones for Earrings
Precious stones refer to the most highly sought-after gemstones – diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. They aren’t necessarily rarer or more valuable than some other non-precious gemstones, but they are the most popular.
Diamonds, rubies and sapphires are very hard and scratch-resistant. Although rubies and sapphires are tougher than diamonds, which are more brittle, all three gemstones offer excellent durability. Emeralds are not as durable due to the heavy inclusions they often come with. But it is durable enough for all types of jewelry.
Although diamonds and sapphires come in a variety of colors, they are best known for their colorless and blue varieties respectively. Emeralds are always green, and rubies are red. These four gemstones are considered the most prestigious, but they are also among the most expensive.
-
Semi-Precious Stones for Earrings
Any gemstone that isn’t a precious gemstone (diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire) is a semi-precious gemstone. The term semi-precious can be misleading because it does not mean that the gemstones are less valuable. In fact, some stones such as alexandrite, serendibite and taaffeite can be even more expensive than diamonds.
The value of a semi-precious stone comes from the quality, abundance and color of the stone. While not all semi-precious gemstones are suited for rings because of their exposure to rough wear, almost all can be made into fine earrings as they will not be exposed to knocks or bumps or even excessive body oils and other pollutants. Because of this, durability is not a major deciding factor when selecting which stone to choose for your earrings.
-
Organic Gemstones for Earrings
Organic gemstones refer to a small special group of gemstones that are formed through organic, living matter. These gemstones include pearls, amber, shell, coral and jet among others. Organic gemstones are known for being rather soft and have low durability but make for gorgeous and stunning earrings. Each is unique from the other and offers something different. Pearls are possibly the most well-known and sought-after organic gemstone and also among the most valuable.
-
Synthetic / Lab-created Gemstones for Earrings
Synthetic or lab-created gemstones refer to natural stones that have been replicated in a lab by humans, using science and technology. While most gemstones come from the earth after thousands of years of formation, synthetic gemstones can be created in a matter of weeks. Many people believe that synthetic gemstones are fake, but this is not exactly true. Apart from the fact that these stones weren’t mined, they resemble their natural counterparts in every way – chemically, physically and optically. So, a lab-created diamond is a real diamond made of carbon exactly like mined diamonds. The only difference? It came from a lab. The benefit of synthetic gemstones is that it makes more expensive and hard to find gemstones accessible to consumers. You can have the look at a much more affordable cost. When worn in a pair of earrings, no one will be able to identify that these aren’t mined stones.
Check out these gorgeous examples of precious and semi-precious stone earrings in yellow gold settings.
Classy floral-inspired drop earrings featuring stunning brown diamonds.
Simple blue sapphire studs set in 4-pronged 18K gold.
Stylish and sophisticated lever-back emerald earrings. Find them here
These ruby earrings are unique and eye-catching in their yellow-gold plated silver settings. Find them here
These earrings feature the characteristic banded pattern of malachite. Find them here
Simply sophisticated, these faint blue aquamarine earrings take your look to the next level. Find them here
These unique earrings feature jasper, tourmalines, hessonite and garnet. A perfect blend of 4 semi-precious gemstones. Find them here
These gorgeous labradorite earrings are a minimalist’s dream. Find them here
Keep the focus on the stones with these faceted amethyst earrings. Find them here
These earrings feature a gold brass bar, studded with genuine turquoise set against a silver hoop. Truly unique in design and a statement piece for sure! Find them here
If an elaborate, vintage pair is what you are after, then look no further than these teardrop earrings featuring opals. Find them here
Keep it simple with these gold-tone jade earrings. These versatile earrings pair well with any outfit. Wear them with casual or formal wear. Find them here
Dress up your ears with this gorgeous earring jackets! Showcasing sparkling smokey quartz, this is a stylish and different design for those moments when you really want to look your best. Find them here
Tourmalines are called the rainbow gemstone because they come in every color imaginable. Check out these three beautiful tourmaline colors in this pair of earrings. Find them here
Featuring delicate and gorgeous moonstones, these bezel set minimalist earrings are stylish with a touch of rustic simplicity. Find them here
Add some color to your traditional gold hoops with these gemstone encrusted beauties. Find them here
These vivid orange diamond earrings hook onto your ear and rest beautifully against them. Quite a unique style. Find them here
Types of Gold for Earrings
When choosing the type of gold for your earrings, you’ll have lots of options to choose from. If you’re opting for real gold, and are willing to pay more, you can choose 14K or 18K gold. There are also 12K, 10K and 9K varieties but these contain much less gold. As a result, the color of the metal will not be as yellow as the purer versions.
There are also gold-filled, gold vermeil and rolled gold types of gold. These are all different types of metals that use plating and fusion processes to either coat or fuse a thin layer of gold onto a base metal. These metals will tend to flake off or wear thin over time but if looked after and maintained they can last for a long time. They are also much more affordable than real gold.
Another very affordable option is to choose brass jewelry. This gives you a vivid yellow look, rather similar to gold, but is not as valuable.
Best Styles for Stone Earrings in Gold
There are many styles of earrings to choose from. Here is a list of popular earring types:
Teardrop Earrings – These earrings drop down in the shape of a teardrop, and dangle just below the earlobe. They highlight the gemstone beautifully.
Dangle Earrings – This stylish and popular type of earrings hand down the earlobe and moves around easily. Narrow dangles are considered the best for a wider face while wide dangle earrings can add width to a narrow face. Because dangles interact with light due to movement, they’re perfect when set with brilliant gemstones that reflect light well – such as diamonds, citrine, alexandrite or tourmaline.
Studs – The most popular and versatile type of earrings, studs are a unisex type that can be worn for any occasion. They complete an outfit without taking too much attention.
Chandelier Earrings – Chandeliers are big and bold earrings that are ideal for a very dressy occasion. They drop down gorgeously and move freely around. Most chandelier earrings are very sparkly and showcase gemstones perfectly.
Hoops – Hoops often consist of simple metal rings but for a more sparkly look, find a pair that is studded with gemstones and you take it to the next level.
Huggies – This type of earrings is similar to hoop earrings but are smaller and ‘hug’ onto your ears. Again, find a gemstone encrusted pair for a unique look.
Cluster – Cluster earrings are perfect for showcasing gemstones. This sits on your earlobe in a gorgeous cluster of gemstones, often in floral-inspired designs.
Ear Jackets – Ear jackets are an interesting way to dress up your earlobe! It consists of a stud connected to a part that hangs below the lobe, often from the back.
Where to Buy From
When looking for gemstone earrings, always make sure that you have a look at the actual pair before you buy. Gemstones can sometimes have flaws and inclusions that may detract from the overall beauty of the jewelry. Also, some gemstones have natural patterns and matrixes that may not look very desirable. So, it is always best to have a good look at the real item.
Check out James Allen for a smaller range of gemstone and diamond earrings
Also check Leibish.com for colored diamonds and other gemstone earrings. These are more exclusive and come with a higher price tag but the quality is outstanding.
