For The Love Of Cluster

It’s time to get up close and personal with one of our favorite luxury jewelry styles: the cluster. For those looking to maximize shine, the cluster is a girl’s best friend. When the right gem cluster is created, the light bounces between the faces of the gemstones and multiplies sparkles across the entire cluster. Clusters are well-known in the modern interpretation of luxury jewelry, but diamond clusters have been a facet of luxury jewelry for centuries. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Georgian cluster was all the rage - a large central round diamond with smaller satellite diamonds creating a halo around the central diamond. They give the impression of a budding rose. The Victorian cluster came into favor in the late 1800s and early 1900s with the same large, central diamond as a centerpiece, but the halo was often more cohesive, creating a ring of light that encircled the center diamond. The early 1900s gave way to the Edwardian style, which typically consisted of a smaller central diamond with diamonds of similar sizes surrounding it. They are strongly reminiscent of a petaled flower blooming, like a shining daisy in spring. Everything changed in the 20th Century when the skirts started getting shorter and the jewelry started getting a little less uniform. Art Deco and Modern styles of gem clusters are all over the place and throw the whole idea of a “central” diamond or gem out the window. They create intricate shapes and seemingly haphazard gemstone arrangements that make incredible patterns of light and luminescence.

Cascade of Sparkle

Make a splash with the Cluster Diamond Drop Stud Earrings by the Deutsch Signature collection. This white gold and diamond earring set is full of clustered diamonds to make a cascading effect, reminiscent of a trickle of fresh water down a wooded rockface. The stud portion of the earrings hosts a large cluster of different-sized diamonds, while the dangling bottom half is a zigzagging string of diamonds, set in nearly invisible icy white gold prongs. The Cluster Diamond Drop Earrings allow for the steadfastness of a stud earring with the movement and shine of a dangling earring pair.

Clusters on Hoops

We’re looking at a Georgian-style cluster in action with these Cluster Inside Out Hoop Earrings by the designers at Jye’s International. These static hoops are comprised of ten Georgian clusters, connected by white gold metalwork. Each cluster holds a large brilliant round diamond, encircled by nine smaller brilliant rounds, creating tiny suns of dramatic shine. The hoops are connected with a white gold and diamond pave clasp that adds an extra accent to this opulent set of diamond cluster hoops. Wear these with an eye-catching statement necklace, or let the clusters speak for themselves.

Clusters of Diamond and Pearl

Clusters don’t just have to belong to the faceted gemstone world. A cluster of pearls can make a girl feel like the mermaid princess she was always meant to be. For a cluster that feels like a gift straight from the Sea herself, look no further than the White Gold Akoya Cultured Pearl and Diamond Cluster Drop Pendant by Mikimoto. Each pearl is a slightly different size, adding to the shape and texture of the pear drop pendant. Diamonds are deliberately placed in the spaces between the pearl clusters, creating a cohesive and stunning pendant design.

Rounding Up Pearls

For an elegant pearl cluster earring, some yellow gold rings are in order. The Yellow Gold Japan Collections Cluster Pearl Stud Earrings are the answer to the modern and chic pearl cluster. Each earring is a perfect gold ring dotted with three pearls of different sizes around the perimeter. The juxtaposition of the warm gold next to the lustrous Ashoka pearls gives this modern take on a cluster something unique and elegant to behold.