FINE JEWELRY: CLASSIC + TIMELESS
When it comes to those forever pieces of jewelry, the heirlooms you'll pass down, two things are important: quality + timeless design. When Diamonds Direct reached out about working together to design a custom piece, I knew exactly what I wanted. As most of you know, I've been intentional about building my sentimental jewelry collection for a few years now. Rings with special dates engraved inside, Linen's birthstone, a push present that's reminiscent of my mother's diamond bracelet she always wore, and so many others. So when the partnership aligned with Linen's first birthday, it felt like the perfect way to commemerate such a huge milestone - for both of us.
A pair of diamond stud earrings has been on my wishlist for years now, but I didn't exactly know where to start with diamond quality, size, setting, etc. I went to the new Diamonds Direct in Greenville (off of Woodruff Road) and met with their team to immerse myself in the education of the process. Even more than carat size, what immediately became most important to me was that the diamonds were GIA Certified. Their team explained to me that a GIA Certified Diamond means that the stone has undergone the GIA's rigorous standards to determine it's quality. The certification takes four main factors into consideration: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. It doesn't matter where the stone is from - Diamonds Direct, a local family jeweler, or Cartier - if the diamond is GIA Certified, it's the best of the best. It increases the price point of the stone by about 30-40%, but in my opinion, the knowing the quality of the diamond is worth it.
After trying on stud after stud, we found a GIA Certified carat size that was perfect for my ear. The diamonds are brilliant cut, so a 4-prong, 14 karat gold setting felt so classic. Knowing that I'll pass these down to Linen someday, I wanted to ensure the timelessness of the design. Once the diamond weight was chosen and the setting was picked out, it was time for the Diamonds Direct team to make magic happen. About 2 weeks later, my stunning diamond earrings were ready to be picked up - coincidentally, just a few days before celebrating Linen's first birthday.
Upon pickup, the Diamonds Direct team let me know they would be following up with an appraisal of the jewelry a few days later. When investing in something like this, having that information is always so important. They included a full description of the earrings, the GIA Certification of both stones, the carat weight, grade, and clarity, affirming my choice to invest in the highest quality available. Throughout the entire process, the Diamonds Direct team was so helpful + knowledgable making such a special process seamless. From earrings and every day pieces, to engagement rings and wedding bands, Diamonds Direct has it all. They're celebrating their grand opening of the Greenville location tomorrow night, September 23rd and it's open to the public! Catering from Table 301 (our favorite, as you locals know, plus Diamonds Direct is donating a portion of their proceeds to Safe Harbor throughout the week and weekend. If you're out and about, be sure to stop by!
If you have any questions about Diamonds Direct or the GIA Certification process, feel free to leave them below and I'll have someone from their team reach out. Another sentimental piece for my collection - building it slowly, moment by moment and celebration by celebration.
XX,
Meg
Thanks so much to the Diamonds Direct team for partnering on this post!