Diamonds have held a pride of place in jewellery design for a long time. The stone has fascinated women and been patronized by royalty due to its beauty, sparkle, and emotional symbolism. While the pristine, ethereal beauty of diamonds is unmatched, there has always been an age-old competition on who’s diamond is bigger. Because of that, solitaires have always held a high platform due to its size, setting and ability to highlight the wearer.
The definition of a solitaire, however, has undergone a sea change.
What is a Solitaire?
When parameters for diamond grading were standardized in the 1950s, diamonds were classified into stars, melle, and pointers. 100 pointers in a diamond meant that it was a solitaire and was 1 carat, a word that was derived from the weight of 1 carob seed. “This definition has evolved. Today, brands have taken the liberty to call diamonds beginning from 15 pointers onward ‘affordable solitaires’. So, in today’s context, any diamond which is set singularly is termed as a solitaire,” says Amanpreet Ahluwalia, Business Head, Zoya from the House of Tata.
A solitary, independent diamond set in a piece of jewellery, usually a ring, is referred to as a solitaire diamond. It simply means that the diamond should be the center of attention in the design, not that it has to be one carat. Over time, the definition of a solitaire has expanded to encompass a range of carat weights and forms. Dr. C. Vinod Hayagriv, Managing Director, C. Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers, says, “A solitaire means one diamond. A solitary one diamond or stone. The size is not strictly defined by any standard and rightly so. However, at C. Krishniah Chetty, a diamond studded jewel must have a diamond of a minimum size of 1/4 of a carat (0.23ct) or above. We have maintained that as the minimum.”
Size cues
Consumer preferences are changing, and this is reflected in the desire for distinctive, individualized items that express the individuality of the wearer. For a diamond to be significant enough to pass for a solitaire today; it cannot be a very small diamond, i.e., 0.01 cent or even 0.05 cent, but on the other hand it does not even have to be a 50 cent or 1 carat either to be called a solitaire.
At Divine Solitaires, they consider a 10-cent diamond to be a solitaire, as long as it passes all their stringent requirements and solid quality tests. Jignesh Mehta, Founder & Managing Director, Divine Solitaires, avers, “Traditionally the solitaire diamond is associated with a substantial carat weight; which we at Divine Solitaires believe is a complete myth; as we have solitaire diamonds as small as 10 cents that are distinct in charm, possess an intimate beauty with intricate details such as precision of cut, the brilliance of their facets and the purity of their color and clarity which are second to none. At Divine, the size of the solitaire does not matter but on the other hand it is a very important factor to consider while selecting a perfect solitaire, because as the size increases, so does its rarity and availability which makes it more precious than the other solitaires.”
Choose the right solitaire
The question then is how does one choose the right solitaire? The 4Cs in diamonds are crucial – Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. Every buyer must keep these in mind while buying diamonds! Lately, with synthetic and man-made diamonds gaining popularity, the 5th C is also gaining importance, which is Certificate. It is advisable for consumers to buy only from trusted and certified brands.
“A smaller diamond with superior clarity, color, and cut can outperform a larger one with less desirable qualities.”
With time, along with sparkle, buyers have also started giving importance to the cut and shape of diamonds. While round diamonds were the most popular shape, newer and innovative shapes such as Square, Asscher, Marquise, etc, have also grown in popularity. In fact, Zoya’s new high jewellery collection, Her Becoming, employs unusual cuts of diamonds to give the collection a very fresh look for white diamond jewellery. Hence, the charm and USP of a solitaire lies in its craftsmanship, its image of rarity and strength, which is also what makes it a status symbol.
“Whether they are modern princess-cut designs or traditional round-cut solitaires, selecting the ideal solitaire requires taking into account a number of variables, including price, carat weight, cut, clarity, color, and cut. Prioritising quality over size is crucial when purchasing a solitaire. A smaller diamond with superior clarity, color, and cut can outperform a larger one with less desirable qualities. To further accentuate the solitaire’s elegance, take into account the metal choice and setting,” says Paarth Khanna, a Delhi-based jewellery designer at DRK Jewels.
As far as preferred settings are concerned, by and large a design that shows of the diamond in all its glory are being preferred. “Any accompanied diamonds or gemstones can be tiny or significantly smaller than the principal (solitaire) diamond. Less is more is to be the rule. Yet, for an evolved diamond client, solitaire of any size plus side or multiple stones are also preferred as in a row of diamonds or important pieces of serious diamond jewellery,” says Hayagriv.
If you have always wanted a solitaire but wondered if you could afford it, think again, new age solitaires are calling, and luckily, they won’t pinch your pocket either.
