VVS+ Lab-Grown Diamond Studs · SEEPZ Direct
Every carat weight has a real mm diameter. See it at true scale next to a reference object, pick your setting, compare two sizes side by side. No guessing.
Diameter values from GIA round brilliant standard reference. Source: gia.edu ↗
Interactive Visualizer
The SVG below renders at 96 CSS dpi — 1mm = 3.7795px. A US dime is 17.91mm; if the reference dime in the visualizer matches a real dime held against your screen, the diamond circles are calibrated.
Note: Retina and HiDPI displays render CSS pixels at the same physical size as standard screens (the browser compensates). Results accurate on laptop/desktop; phone screens held close may look slightly larger in person.
Reference: US dime = 17.91 mm diameter. Hold a real dime against the screen to verify calibration.
GIA Reference Table
Each value is the average girdle diameter for an ideal-cut round brilliant. Earring carat weights are listed as pair totals — each earring is half the listed weight.
"Face-up size" is what you see looking straight at the diamond. An ideal cut maximises the face-up diameter for a given weight. Deep or shallow cuts can measure the same mm but look visually different.
| Pair weight | Per ear | Diameter (mm) | Scale | Martini from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ct pair | 0.5 ct/ear | 5.2 mm | $1,107 | |
| 1.5 ct pair | 0.75 ct/ear | 5.9 mm | $1,589 | |
| 2 ct pair | 1 ct/ear | 6.5 mm | $2,167 | |
| 3 ct pair | 1.5 ct/ear | 7.4 mm | — | |
| 4 ct pair | 2 ct/ear | 8.1 mm | — |
Understanding Diamonds
Carat is pure mass — 0.2 grams per carat. A deep-cut diamond and a shallow-cut diamond at the same carat weight have very different face-up appearances because the stone's proportions determine how much of that mass lives below the girdle (invisible in a setting) versus above it (what you see).
Three factors govern how large a diamond looks face-up for a given carat weight:
Ideal-cut rounds land at 61–62% depth. Deeper cuts hide mass below the girdle — smaller face-up diameter for the same carat. Shallow cuts spread wide but lose brilliance. GIA Excellent cut grade targets the proportions that optimise both.
The 3-Prong Martini covers less of the girdle edge — marginally more face-up diamond visible. The 4-Prong TS4P raises the diamond higher off the lobe, increasing perceived presence and scintillation, though the face-up mm is identical to the Martini for the same stone.
This doesn't change mm, but it changes perceived size at a table. E-F colorless diamonds appear to "bloom" more in light — the face-up area looks slightly larger than a J or K color stone of identical diameter because the contrast between facets is crisper. StudsDirect sources E-F minimum.
VVS+ clarity means no inclusions visible at 10x magnification. Face-up, a VVS stone is optically clean — light enters and exits without scatter from inclusions. VS2 or SI stones let inclusions interrupt light paths, creating the perception of a slightly smaller, cloudier face. VVS is the floor, not the ceiling.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Select any two carat weights to see them side by side at true mm scale.
Brand Position
Why we removed sub-1.5ct from the lineup
A 1ct pair (0.5ct/ear) measures 5.2mm per diamond. Elegant, classic, understated. In natural diamond, 1ct total is the entry-point where pricing exponentiates — you pay a scarcity premium that has nothing to do with the stone's optical properties.
In lab-grown, that scarcity premium is gone. A 1.5ct pair (0.75ct/ear, 5.9mm) costs $1,589 in the Martini — less than many 0.5ct natural-diamond options at comparable clarity and color. The 0.7mm of extra diameter is immediately visible. The difference in presence is real and significant at conversational distance.
We stock 1ct because customers ask. But 1.5ct is the recommendation. It's where the VVS+ E-F combination stops looking "fine" and starts looking statement.
VVS Collection
All sizes. VVS+ E-F IGI-certified. 14K solid gold. SEEPZ-sourced, direct from manufacturer. Prices verified May 2026.
FAQ
Industry standard. A "2ct pair" means each earring is 1ct — 2ct total. StudsDirect displays the pair weight everywhere but we also list the per-ear weight on every product page and in this guide. Some retailers bury the per-ear number — we don't.
No — 1ct/ear (2ct pair) is 6.5mm per diamond, which is substantial and visible from across a room. The 0.75ct/ear (1.5ct pair) at 5.9mm is our most popular size. It's the sweet spot between visible presence and price efficiency. Sub-1ct/ear is below what we stock because we believe it's the wrong trade-off.
Two ways. First, prong height — the 4-Prong TS4P raises the diamond slightly higher off the lobe, so you see more of the side facets when someone looks head-on. Second, prong coverage — three prongs cover less of the girdle, so the face-up diameter appears marginally larger in the Martini. The difference is small (~0.1–0.2mm), but noticeable in person at table distances.
The visualizer renders at the CSS standard of 96dpi (1mm = 3.78px). Most laptop screens (1080p, 2K) are close to this. Retina/HiDPI displays double the pixel density but browsers scale CSS pixels proportionally, so 96dpi reference remains accurate. The one exception: phone screens held very close — perceived size looks larger. The dime reference is 17.91mm; if the dime in the visualizer matches a real dime held against your screen, the diamond sizes are calibrated.
Diameter is the girdle measurement we use here — the widest part of the stone. Face-up size is what you perceive when looking directly down at the table (flat top). A deeply cut stone and a shallow cut stone can have the same diameter but look different face-up because depth affects how light returns. Ideal-cut rounds (what StudsDirect sources) maximize face-up brilliance for a given diameter.
The mm values here are for round brilliant, which is the standard. Fancy shapes (oval, pear, cushion) have different mm profiles for the same carat weight because they spread more face-up. If you're looking at a specific fancy shape from our collection, the product page lists the exact mm dimensions of that stone.
More from StudsDirect