Stud earrings, tennis bracelets and pendants: the lines that re-order

Why stock a ladder, not a single price point

A ladder is one design offered in steps of carat total weight, and often in more than one metal. The customer finds their budget without you changing the design, and a reorder is the code of the rung that sold, not a new range to learn.

For studs, an illustrative ladder is four rungs of ct TW from small to substantial. For pendants, the same design in a smaller and larger stone. For tennis bracelets, the same line at two or three total weights. Keep the design, setting and finish identical across the ladder so staff sell on size alone.

Carat total weight: how to read and write ct TW

ct TW means carat total weight: the sum of every diamond in the piece. A pair of studs at 1.00 ct TW is two stones of roughly 0.50 ct each. A tennis bracelet of 50 stones at 0.04 ct each is 2.00 ct TW. The same total can look very different on the ear or wrist, because face-up size depends on cut and diameter, not weight alone.

So write both. The tag should carry ct TW and the per-stone size in millimetres where it can. On a purchase order, say whether the figure is a minimum or an approximate weight. IGI's jewellery reports give total weight as an estimate, graded as mounting permits, so do not promise a precision the report itself does not claim.

• State ct TW, stone count and per-stone diameter in mm.
• Agree in writing whether ct TW is a minimum or approximate.
• For lab-grown stones, put the qualifier 'laboratory-grown' next to the weight.

Settings: claw, bezel and martini

Each setting is a trade-off between light, protection and profile. Choose by job, not by habit.

• Claw (prong): metal claws, usually four or six, hold the stone and expose most of it. Best light return and the classic look. Claws wear and should be checked at service.
• Bezel: a metal collar wraps the stone's girdle. The most protective, with no claws to snag, and a good choice for active wearers. It shows less of the stone, so it can look slightly smaller face-up than the same stone in claws.
• Martini: a tapered cup, usually with three or four claws, common on studs. It holds the stone low and close to the lobe and keeps the profile simple.

Studs: backs, posts and pairs

Backs matter more than customers realise, because a lost earring is the most common complaint on a stud. A push (friction) back is quick to fit. A screw-back threads onto the post and holds more securely, which makes it the better choice for larger or higher-value stones. Ask for screw-backs on anything above your entry rung and sell a spare pair of backs.

Check the post is straight and the stone sits level, and that a pair matches in face-up size and colour. Specify diameter in mm and ask for pairs to be matched, not just similar. Agree what tolerance you will accept before the order, not after.

Tennis bracelets: catches, length and what the report covers

A tennis bracelet is a continuous line of stones in individual settings, joined so the chain flexes. The point of failure is the clasp. A box clasp should lock firmly, and a safety catch, a second latch that stops the clasp opening under a knock, is worth insisting on. Test it: the catch should close fully and not foul the stones beside it.

State length in centimetres and ask whether links can be added or removed for sizing. Tell customers a full tennis bracelet is not always easy to re-size, so measure before the order.

A tennis bracelet will not have a report for each stone. Expect a jewellery report that gives the piece's total estimated weight and colour and clarity as ranges. If your customer expects a single grade for all fifty stones, explain that now. Recommend a yearly check of the clasp, catch and settings.

Pendants: chains, sliders and bails

State chain length in centimetres, and whether the chain is included. An adjustable chain with a slider or extension links lets one chain suit two lengths, which reduces the number of variants you hold. Make sure the bail opening is large enough to pass the chain and any bead on it, and say the opening size in mm so customers can move the pendant to another chain.

Stamp the chain and the pendant to the same fineness. A 9ct pendant on a chain of a different grade is two products sold as one.

Plan suites. If studs, a pendant and a bracelet share a stone size, setting and metal, a customer can add pieces to the first purchase, and you reorder one specification across three lines.

What to put on the reorder

A reorder that names everything reproduces the piece. One that says 'same as last time' reproduces the supplier's memory.

SVN Diamonds stock pieces have no minimum order and dispatch in 1–2 days. Custom orders are 5 per design with a 2–3 week lead time.

• Design code, metal and grade, finish.
• ct TW (minimum or approximate), stone count and diameter in mm.
• Setting type, back type or clasp and catch type.
• Chain length and bail opening for pendants; length in cm for bracelets.
• Report requirement: loose-stone report, jewellery report or none.
• Packaging, delivery date and quote validity.