Diamond studs are some of the most glamorous jewelry any woman can own. But choosing the best diamond earring setting may not be as easy as you might imagine. With an array of diamond earring settings and styles to choose from, you might find yourself stuck between the most popular settings: the martini vs. basket setting.
If you’re indeed struggling to choose between the martini vs. basket-setting diamond earrings, this post is for you. Keep reading to discover which of these two earrings settings is a good fit and why.
Understanding the Different Settings
To figure out which to choose between the martini vs. basket setting diamond earrings, you need to have a clear idea of what both styles entail.
Martini Style Settings
If you’re thinking of a glass of martini right now, you aren’t too far from the truth because a Martini glass (or a v shape) resembles this diamond earring setting when viewed from the side.
This diamond stud set has a conical shape, and its design gives your diamond more room to sparkle than any other setting. The martini-style studs are made up of a metal frame – check out surgical steel earrings – that typically features 3 prongs, but in some instances, you can find a martini stud that comes with 4.
And the stones in them are set very close to the ear. As such, these types of diamond stud earrings rest comfortably on the ears.
Basket Style Settings
As the name suggests, basket settings have a basket-like shape, and their studs often have the stones set far from the ear in contrast to martini-style settings. Moreover, diamond studs with the basket setting have a flat bottom and are an excellent alternative for people who prefer earrings that don’t rest too close to the ears.
Just like martini settings, such settings center diamonds in a prong basket, giving your diamond studs good visibility and reducing the chances of your earring dropping into your piercing hole. However, this style provides the diamond with a low profile, meaning it isn’t as visible or sparkly as the martini settings.
Which Diamond Earring Setting Is Better?
Martini settings are the best setting for earrings for several reasons. For one, the martini setting increases the visibility of your diamond, letting it sparkle brighter. However, the basket setting may limit the sparkle of your diamond because it has more metal covering the stone, which partially hides the diamond.
On the one hand, the martini setting is set close to the earlobes. This way, your studs sit comfortably without the risk of dropping in your piercing. On the other hand, the basket setting sets the stud far from your lobes, which can potentially cause you discomfort. Also, which type of earring back to choose is often overlooked, but they can make a significant impact on how comfortable and secure your earrings feel.
Nevertheless, basket setting offers more security than martini one. This is because the metal ring surrounding the diamond tightly holds it in place, preventing any slippage or loss. Still, the martini setting can compensate for this insecurity by increasing the number of rings around the diamond.
What Setting Makes Diamond Earrings Look Bigger?
Generally, the martini-style setting makes the diamond look bigger and more elegant. This is because the martini-style setting holds the stone high, making your diamond more visible and appear larger than its actual size.
However, the basket setting is set to low, which reduces the diamond’s exposure, making it appear smaller.
Are Martini Studs Comfortable?
Yes, martini studs are very comfortable. This comfort is because they are set close to the ear. Their position makes them rest comfortably on the earlobes, making them wearable for long periods.
In addition, this setting provides optimal visibility for your diamond.
What Is Most Important for Diamond Stud Earrings?
Apart from the setting, there are other factors to consider when picking stud earrings. Here are some:
Color
As a rule, the best diamonds are the most colorless, and the more yellowish or brownish they get, the less valuable they are. And there’s a D-to-Z color scale, which rates the diamonds (with Z having a clear yellow or brown tint and D being the most colorless). So, these types of diamonds are the purest colorless stones and reflect the color of your outfit better than most diamonds.
When it comes to metal, gold earrings, yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, or platinum are great choices to use for your diamond, as these metal types give your diamond an extra allure.
Cut
It doesn’t matter how expensive your pair of diamond stud earrings are; if the diamond isn’t cut properly, it just won’t sparkle. In other words, the better the cut, the more reflective the diamond becomes- it’s that simple.
Clarity
The chances that someone will be checking out the clarity of your studs are pretty slim, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t opt for diamond stud earrings that are blemish-free. Instead, you can choose one on the lower end of the clarity spectrum, such as the SI1 or SI2. These are less expensive but also quite clear and sparkly.
Types of Settings for Diamond Studs
Apart from the martini and basket types, there are other types of settings for diamond studs, including crown style settings, bezel settings, prong settings, and different settings for diamond stud earrings.
If you want a setting that’ll secure your diamond, the bezel setting is a good option. But if you want your stones to shine brilliantly, the prong setting is your best shot; you might want to consider getting a three-prong martini style setting for your earring. But let’s run you through each type:
Prong Style Settings
The prongs setting is, by far, the most popular diamond stud settings on this list. It encloses the diamond with several prongs. The most common are three-prong earrings, but you’ll easily find diamonds that have 4 prongs as well.
The prong setting centers your diamond stud, making it more visible and giving it ample room to sparkle. However, this setting may not be as secure as others, such as the bezel setting.
Bezel Style Settings
Bezel set diamond studs to have their diamonds held in place, either fully or partially, by a metal band. This keeps it fixed, no matter what you do while wearing your jewelry. While this setting conceals a considerable amount of your diamond’s surface and reduces the sparkle, it is safer than prong settings.
Crown Style Settings
Like the basket-style setting, the crown setting also has a flat bottom, but these studs are designed with a more solid build and feel. Jewelry with the crown setting has less metal than the martini or basket setting.
The diamond typically sits far from the ear, and the diamond may not be as visible or shiny as studs with other settings. Studs with the crown set also tend to drop in the piercing hole, and this might be a drawback for many people.
Halo Style Settings
Halo diamond studs are designed with a large diamond centered in the middle and surrounded by a ring of smaller diamonds that give it a halo-like effect, hence the name. This setting is super trendy and amplifies the shine of your diamond. Another perk of this setting is that it complements any small-sized stud, making it appear bigger than it is.
Claw Style Settings
Whether it’s a pair of diamond stud earrings or a ring, jewelry with claw settings is designed with the diamond held in place by 3 or 4 prongs. However, some vintage designs may have as many as 7 to 8. The claw setting is not a reasonably popular stud earrings settings, but it’s a good option if you want a simple setting that allows the stone (see emerald earrings) to sit in the center.
Final Thoughts
While you may be stuck between choosing a stud that resembles a martini glass or one with the basket style, there are other essential factors you should also consider when selecting your stud earrings, such as cut, clarity, and color.
That said, the martini-style setting is the best jewelry option to choose if you want a pair of studs that’ll shine brilliantly and capture everyone’s attention and admiration. While this classic setting may not be as secure as the basket setting, you can improve this by customizing your studs (see also hoop earrings) with more prongs to secure the diamond in place. This also lets the diamond sits more comfortably against your ear.
In terms of color, you should opt for classic metals with platinum, gold, yellow gold, or white gold earrings. Of course, pick colorless diamonds, as these maximize the stone’s sparkle (see also earrings made of steel).
In addition, in terms of earrings’ length, there are a few variations you should consider. More on the topic can be read in our dedicated posts:
5mm vs. 6mm Earrings here
6mm vs. 8mm Earrings here
8mm vs. 10mm Earrings here
Hopefully, this post has cleared your doubts about which of the two diamond earring settings to choose. We wish you all the luck finding the earrings of your dreams!
