Diamond Pendants

A pendant is the one place a diamond is seen against skin rather than against metal and other stones, which changes what to look for.

Because there is nothing beside it for comparison, colour is more forgiving here than in a ring — a stone a grade or two warmer reads simply as warm, not as compromised. Cut, on the other hand, matters as much as ever: a pendant hangs and turns constantly, so it spends its life catching light from changing angles, and a well-cut stone is doing something in every one of them.

The bail — the loop the chain runs through — is the part that fails. It should be closed and soldered, not a split ring, and wide enough that the chain moves freely rather than wearing a groove into it.

Setting style is a real choice. A four-prong solitaire pendant shows the most diamond. A bezel protects the stone completely and will not snag on clothing or hair, which matters far more on a pendant worn daily than on a ring.

Most pendants here are supplied with an 18 inch chain, the length they are proportioned for.