Penchant for Pendants... DIAMOND Pendants

From classic solitaires to diamond encrusted military “dog” tags. diamond pendants are accessories in demand.

New and ever-so timeless diamond pendant designs are making a dramatic style statement. From military “dog” tags bejeweled with emeralds and pink gemstones to medallions cast in a combination of precious metals and Hearts & Arrows diamonds, pendants are the must-have accessory this season.

While the popularity of diamond pendants has come and gone, designers predict they will remain front and center for years to come based on the depth and variety of current designs. “Pendants are very much a personal choice, and a purchase that often revolves around an occasion, whether it’s a special life event or for everyday wear,” says Leon Rocha, custom jewelry designer for Whiteflash.com, an online jewelry boutique.

Hi-fashion pendants are literally straight from the runways…and somewhat of a departure from the more traditional, classic designs of years ago.

New twists include medallions and tags – even “dog” tags following military styled versions. However, unlike the drab steel of their counterparts, “dog” tag pendants are fashion forward, dangling from longer-styled chains and cast in precious platinum or white gold, and set with everything from diamonds to hot pink colored gemstones.

“Our military tag is amazing with anywhere from one to one-and-a-half carat diamonds, so you can really sparkle, or remain more subdued,” says Bob Hoskins, senior gemologist at Whiteflash.com. Unlike other diamonds, Whiteflash.com’s are the e-boutique’s Whiteflash A Cut Above Hearts & Arrows brand. The Hearts & Arrows diamond is a specialty of the online jeweler. In fact, Whiteflash A Cut Above diamonds are exclusive to only Whiteflash.com – a cut pioneered by the company’s expert diamond cutter and recognized for Visual Balance™.

“Some people want a customized design that you simply cannot find anywhere else,” says Rocha. Custom designs at Whiteflash.com become reality at the hands of some of the most skilled craftsmen in the art of jewelry-making. The company offers handcrafted diamond pendants, as well as diamond earrings, bracelets and rings, even diamond engagement rings and wedding bands, for customers around the world.

For fashion maven and professed jewelry lover, Donna Switzer of Massachusetts, Whiteflash.com jewelry designers fashioned a larger-sized diamond halo pendant. “I wanted something flashy strictly for special occasions,” says Switzer. Switzer’s ¾ carat center diamond – selected from Whiteflash.com’s exclusive collection of Whiteflash A Cut Above Hearts & Arrows diamonds – is surrounded by smaller diamonds in a bezel setting, not prong of more traditional designs.

Switzer was introduced to Whiteflash.com when she approached the company to design her engagement ring. Years later, she remains committed to the company’s craftsmanship. “You’re able to work one-on-one with a designer to really make your item unique,” she says, “and one-of-a-kind exclusively for you.”

Offering daily wear is the classic, and always simplistic, solitaire pendant. “People will always be drawn to timeless designs because they ensure a lifetime of use,” says Hoskins. Hoskins points to the diamond solitaire pendant and bezel (full or half) as a classic that has remained a mainstay. “We receive a lot of requests for single diamond pendants,” he says. Reason being according to Hoskins: Classic and diamond go hand-in-hand.

Mara Tyler, from San Jose, California, agrees. “Whenever I purchase a trendy diamond pendant, I wear it a few times and then it ends up sitting in my jewelry box,” she says. “I always gravitate back to my solitaire pendant. For me, simple is better.” Like Switzer, Tyler is passionate about jewelry and has her finger on the pulse of what is hot in accessories. Tyler points to the solitaire pendant moving from a “floating” design to a station position on chains. “The look really plays up to the choker that really puts the diamond pendant center stage,” she says.

Drawing increased attention to the “center stage” position of the solitaire is the enlarged size of the stone. “Definitely a statement and one everyone wants to make, the solitaire is getting large in size,” says Hoskins. Whiteflash.com offers a trade-up policy to customers on all diamond purchases. “Other jewelers offer a similar policy which is likely affecting the move toward larger center stones in pendants as well,” he adds.

Where diamonds will forever be a top pick among gemstones…colored variations are close second. “Pink has proven its staying power across specialty jewelry categories,” says Hoskins.