Buying Blue Diamond Earrings: Quality Assessment & Pricing

Blue diamond earrings are perhaps not always thought of as the first option when buying a pair of earrings. However, the unique qualities of the blue diamond can certainly add a twist of character to your wardrobe.🤩

When we see a pair of radiant blue earrings from afar we might be quick to assume that we’re gazing at a sapphire, aquamarine, or topaz.

Yet, not many of us stop to consider the value and attractiveness of the blue diamond and how they might be used in our ornamental earpieces.

If you are considering blue diamond earrings as your next jewelry purchase then this is the guide for you!

There are many things to consider before handing over your hard-earned cash and today we hope to enlighten you.

Let’s begin!

Blue Earrings in a Jewelry Box

Diamonds and the color blue: Another perfect match in jewelry

There are rich meaning and symbolism behind the diamond and the color blue. When coupled together in our diamond earrings, this powerful combination offers jewelry that evokes strong emotions and feelings.💙

The meaning of the color blue

The psychological effects that color has on our emotions and moods are important in understanding why we might be moves to choose a specific colored stone for our earrings.

Blue is often described as a calming color. Associated with aspects of nature such as the sky and the sea, blue connects us with the world around us.⛵ Peace, tranquility, calmness, and serenity are among the many feelings that can be evoked by the color blue.

This color is among the people’s top favorite colors, particularly among men, as a color of inspiration and intensity. Think of the dazzling radiance of the blue sapphire or the deep, almost black, intensity of a midnight ocean…There is strength in the color blue.

Whilst there are many positive effects to be found we must not forget the other feelings that this color may conjure.

Blue can be viewed as cold, distant, icy, and melancholic. There can be a sadness to blue however, some believe this to relate to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our emotions.🧘🏻‍♂️ An interpersonal depth that is actually considered a strength rather than a weakness.

The symbolism of the Diamond

There is rich symbolism associated with the diamond that only adds value and desirability to this most desired stone. And, when coupled with the psychology of the color blue, they pack quite a punch!

  • The Ancient Greeks - Plato, the Godfather of Western philosophical thought and spirituality, deemed diamonds as heavenly spirits with ethereal powers. During this time, it was believed that diamonds had the power and ability to reproduce. They later believed that they were the teardrops of heavenly spirits or Gods. For the Ancient Greeks diamond were either, revered, treasured, or something to be feared.
  • The Ancient Romans - The Romans believed that diamonds were invincible. This belief led them to wear diamonds as part of their armor. Their diamond-studded breastplate led them to believe that they were undefeatable.
  • The Ancient Far East - In the ancient Far East, diamonds were considered to have the ability to ward off any unwanted things or circumstances including; ill-health, poverty, evil spirits, vicious animals, poison, etc. This was due to the diamond’s radiance, mirror-like effects, and extreme durability.
  • Modern Times - In modern times, the diamond is associated with wealth, luxury, superiority, and respect. And of course, most widely is this stone known now as a symbol of love.❤️ Now, diamonds are the number one purchased stone for engagement rings worldwide. Only the best of the best for your love, right?!

Rarity and value of blue diamonds

With the exception of red diamonds, blue diamonds are the rarest and most expensive of all fancy colored diamonds.

These stunning beauties can only be discovered in three parts of the world; Australia, South Africa, and India.💡

These stones are naturally formed and are not treated to enhance their color (although treated blue diamonds can be found in the marketplace). The presence of boron in the diamond’s carbon structure is what gives the diamond its blue hue. The carat weight and intensity of the color are what determines the final price of these stones.

Their rarity means that they are often considered more valuable than colorless diamonds or other fancy diamonds. You can certainly pay a hefty price for top-quality blue diamond earrings!

How to choose quality blue diamonds for your earrings

So, you find yourself standing in the shop window or perusing the website of your favorite jeweler, trying to find the perfect pair of blue diamond earrings…

What do you need to know? What exactly are you looking for? How do you assess the quality of colored gemstones? How do you choose the best blue diamonds for your earrings?

Let’s look at a few different criteria to consider when buying a pair of beautiful blue earrings.

Natural vs. Lab-Grown

Not all blue diamond earrings are made equal.

Just as we are able to purchase lab-grown colorless diamonds, we are also able to purchase lab-grown blue diamonds. Their chemical structure is exactly the same as that of the natural blue diamond and so we can expect the appearance of such stones to be much the same.

Such stones are graded in the same way as earth-grown blue diamonds however they are much less expensive and can be a great affordable option for those who are buying on a budget.

Treated or Enhanced Blue Diamonds

These treated blue diamonds are created by taking undesirable white/colorless diamonds (one that is often dull and has a brownish hue) and enhancing them with high pressure and heat treatment to give the appearance of a naturally blue diamond.

These are of course far less valuable and far less expensive than their natural counterparts.

However, to a gemstone professional, it is very easy to distinguish between a treated blue diamond and a natural blue diamond—the blue hue of a natural blue diamond is unmatched in tone and intensity compared to its false neighbor.

Three-Tiered System of A
There are many treated or enhanced blue diamonds sold in the market and some jewelers use a general three-tiered system of A to designate the quality of such gems. In this system, AAA is considered the best quality grade.

Assessing blue diamonds for your earrings

The 4Cs of diamond grading do apply to our blue diamond earrings however, the grading system for fancy colored diamonds follows slightly different criteria and priorities.

For fancy colored stones, we must pay particular attention to color.✅

Blue Diamond Earrings (Halo Style)

Whilst cut, carat weight, and clarity are still very important; our blue diamonds are inspected using a slightly different process than what we are used to for colorless diamonds.

The appearance of boron in the diamond’s chemical structure is what gives the diamond its blue hue. This is often accompanied by what is called a secondary hue such as violet, gray, or green. The most expensive of blue diamonds do not have this secondary hue (as with most gemstones, these stones are far rarer and therefore more expensive).

GIA Intensity Grading Scale

The color intensity of blue diamonds can fall at different grades on the GIA intensity grading scale.

The scale has the following nine different intensity grades:

  1. Faint
  2. Very Light
  3. Light
  4. Fancy Light
  5. Fancy
  6. Fancy Intense
  7. Fancy Vivid
  8. Fancy Deep
  9. Fancy Dark

The blue diamonds in our earrings will fall somewhere on this scale as will all other fancy colored diamonds. The only exception to this rule is black diamonds which only have one intensity grade, Fancy Black.

Lady Wearing Blue Diamond Earrings

Color

When assessing the color of our blue diamonds (the most important factor to consider when buying fancy colored diamonds) we must remember these important considerations:

  • Hue
  • Saturation (depth and richness of color)
  • Tone (lightness and darkness)
  • Color distribution (evenness in tone throughout the entire stone)

Cut

The cut of a blue diamond is focused on enhancing the overall color of the stone. Whilst the cut of a colorless diamond is driven by the desire to optimize its brilliance and sparkle, the cut of a blue diamond is primarily to maximize the hue and tone.

Depth of color, evenness, and polish is achieved with excellent cutting technique.

Clarity

With colorless diamonds, we want them as eye-clean as could possibly be. A lack of markings within and on the surface of a colorless diamond is what screams "QUALITY!" to the wearer and their admirers.

However, your blue diamond earrings need not suffer from the odd flaw.

Colored diamonds have the luxury of utilizing their hue to disguise flaws within the stone. Indeed, if a stone's color is considered intense, even, and luxurious—flaws are easily forgiven.

And let’s not forget! The blue diamond earrings of yours will be admired and swooned over from afar. Unlike a diamond ring that is inspected up-close and personal, your earrings have the relief of being seen from a respectable distance.

Because of this, we can afford a few inclusions without any real impact on the appearance of these blue hints of luxury.

Carat

When it comes down to it, carat weight will always have a direct impact on the price. Let’s not forget how rare and revered the blue diamond is considered to be—with a stone such as this, an increase in carat weight is going to make a difference to the final cost of your blue diamond earrings.

Bear this in mind if you are buying on a budget!

Reliable Grading Reports

If you are seeking a naturally formed pair of blue diamond earrings then we would advise purchasing from a reputable store that will offer a reliable grading report to secure your investment.

Some less than genuine sellers will happily try to sell you a treated blue diamond under the illusion of a naturally blue diamond.

Always request a GIA report as evidence that your blue diamond earrings are studded with natural beauties!

GIA Report for a Pear-Shaped Fancy Gray-Blue Diamond
GIA report of a Fancy Gray-Blue diamond on Blue Nile (SKU: LD13133024)

Blue diamond earrings are subjective

It is important to understand that blue diamond earrings, just like any other fancy colored diamonds, are subjective.💃🏻

📝Although, generally speaking, the more intense the color of the blue diamond, the more valuable it is considered to be, ultimately the choice of blue diamond earrings that you love comes down to personal preference.

Some people love the soft, pastel tones of a Light or Very Light blue diamond. This subtle translucency is highly desirable in some cases. Others, however, may prefer the deep intensity of a Fancy Deep or Fancy Dark blue stone that is almost black in appearance.

The choice is yours and with a variety to choose from, allow your gut instinct will guide you in this buying process.

Buying blue diamond earrings: Understanding the price

Understanding how our blue diamond earrings are priced generally comes down to three components:

  1. Diamond price
  2. Earring setting price
  3. Price of customization or additional service package

Admittedly, the price of the blue diamonds has a significant impact on the overall price of the earrings. When taking the blue diamonds into consideration, we must remember what we have discussed above.

Natural blue diamonds are particularly rare and of high value and desirability, this will be reflected in the price of your blue diamond earrings. In addition to this, if you are so lucky to have found a natural blue diamond without the presence of a secondary hue, well then congratulations! These are extremely hard to come by and because of this, they will demand a higher price to match their beauty and rarity.

Remember, whilst the aesthetic appeal of blue diamonds is very much subjective, blue diamonds of greater intensity tend to be more sought after. In this regard, as the intensity increases, so does the price and value.📈

However, do not let this concern you!

Alternative Options

If you are shopping on a strict budget and natural blue diamond earrings are just beyond your reach, there are opportunities to purchase lab-grown or treated/enhanced blue diamonds. These are a comparatively more affordable option.

As discussed in our diamond earring guide, the “man-made nature” of such diamonds is something we might be more open to when used on earrings as opposed to engagement or wedding rings.

A professional is likely to be able to tell the difference between these treated blue diamond earrings but rest assured, your friends and family members will likely not! Shhh… don’t tell them anything, they’ll never know!

So, if you’re limited by your budget, lab-grown blue diamond earrings shouldn’t be ruled out. They could be a great option for you!

Lab-Created Blue Diamond Earrings (1 CTW)
Lab-created blue diamond earrings (1 CTW) - Brilliant Earth

Pricing Examples and Comparisons

Let’s take a look at a few price comparisons in order to get a firm grasp on what we might expect to pay for natural blue diamond earrings versus lab-grown blue diamond earrings…

We can’t deny that natural blue diamond earrings (without treatment or enhancement) are very expensive. For example, a pair of Light Blue diamond earrings of approximately 0.6CTW can be more than $30,000.

This certainly puts things into perspective, right?

However, you could buy a pair of quality enhanced blue diamond earrings of the same carat weight with as little as $1,500. Take these princes cut blue diamond studs from Angara for example…

Currently, only $1350 and with a 1CTW, these princess-cut blue diamond studs are even rated as the Best in the three-tier system of A.

Or, what about these lab-created round-cut blue diamond studs from Brilliant Earth…

These are both beautiful and affordable options, with an average price below $1,000 for 0.6CTW.

Other things to consider when buying blue diamond earrings

There’s more?!

Yes, there a lot of things to consider when buying your blue diamond earrings to make sure you get the best possible value for your money.📝

So, don’t rush into this buying process. Take your time, understand what is what and make sure you think about all of the different aspects to consider when buying your blue diamond earrings.

Here are some other aspects to think about before making a purchase:

  • Acquire and validate the diamond report - If you’re on the lookout for a pair of natural or treated blue diamond earrings, then be sure to request a grading report with your purchase. This diamond report can be acquired to confirm whether your blue diamonds are natural or treated. If treated, this report will explain what type of treatment the stones have undergone and for both natural and treated stones, the report will provide their quality gradings and specifications. ⚠️There are some unethical jewelers who would happily take advantage of a buyer’s lack of knowledge, don’t let this be you! Some of these will try to sell treated blue diamond earrings as natural ones, and some may sell other non-diamond blue gemstone earrings as the natural blue diamond earrings that we actually wish to buy.
  • Value is subjective - Remember, that although sometimes we might wish to chase what has been considered the "most valuable" type of blue diamond, ultimately the value is dependent on our personal preferences. Consider the look and feel that you like, not what you think you should like.
  • Other aspects - Consider your skin tone, facial features, outfit style, and other personal elements when choosing the intensity of the stone.👸🏻
  • Mix with colorless diamonds - Colorless diamonds can be used to great effect as accent stones on earrings to contrast with the depth and brilliance of the blue diamond. Don’t be afraid to mix things up!
  • Consider the metal type - The metal color you choose will impact the earrings’ perceived characteristics and feelings. It will also have an impact on the overall price of the blue diamond earrings, so bear this in mind!

8 blue diamond earring styles for your inspiration

It’s time to take a quick look at the classic styles that come to mind when we think of blue diamond earrings. We would primarily focus on the classic solitaire stud, drop, and dangle styles. These three styles are undoubtedly the most popular and generally feature large center stones in which case, we need to pay closer attention to the diamond quality.

Here we go!

Classic Blue Diamond Earring Styles

Round cut blue diamond earrings are a classic solitaire stud with any stone! Sleek, simplistic, easy to wear with any outfit, and suitable for almost any face shape!

Classic Round-Cut Diamond Studs
DiamondStuds.com SKU: BLRB050-11

Princess cut blue diamond earrings offer a slightly modern twist on the originals above. The square-cut stone adds an edginess without detracting from the minimalistic quality of the simple solitaire.

Princess-Cut Blue Diamond Studs
Angara SKU: SE0927BLDMetal

Halo blue diamond earrings have a blue diamond center stone that is enhanced by the surrounding colorless diamonds.🌟 The light bounces between the stones and deepens the intensity of the center blue diamond.

Halo Style Blue Diamond Stud Earrings
DiamondStuds.com: BLRB100-71

Blue diamond drop earrings are a perfect option for someone wanting just that little bit more. Something that offers movement, design, and greater opportunity for the stones to dance as they move in the light.

Leverback Blue Diamond Drop Earrings
Angara: SE0924BLD

Other Splendid Earring Styles

Blue diamond hoop earrings are certainly a fabulous alternative to your standard hoop earrings. The hoops can be set with only blue diamonds or, we can alternate between blue and colorless stones to give a truly magical effect.

Blue Diamond Hoops

Blue diamond chandelier earrings are perfect for an evening of glamour and decadence. In need of a statement piece? The blue diamond chandelier earrings will not fail to deliver the goods!

Blue Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Overstock: 34764099

Blue diamond cluster earrings are a great alternative to the classic solitaire studs. If you’re wanting something that sits close to your ear but has a unique look, then the blue diamond cluster might be the one for you.

Blue Diamond Cluster Earrings (Ross-Simons)
Ross-Simons: 919048

Blue diamond climbers are ready and waiting for those of you who are feeling a little more daring. These blue diamond climbers are certainly going to attract attention and make for the perfect statement piece if ever there was one.

Blue Diamond Climbers in Yellow Gold
Image: Hi June Parker

Buying your blue diamond earrings

There’s a lot to take into consideration here but don’t let this make you feel overwhelmed! As you can see, if natural blue diamond earrings are what you seek then you can expect to pay top prices. So it’s certainly worth knowing what you’re paying for!

Blue diamond earrings can infuse your wardrobe with a feeling of calm, tranquility, strength, and a deeper understanding of self.

To be sure, these little blue show-stoppers will give your friends something to talk about. If you don’t believe us, go and check them out for yourself!📷

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