Engagement Ring Styles and Settings That You Need to Know About

Are you confused about all the different engagement ring styles? Do you need simple explanations of what they all mean? If so then you’ve come to the right place. Our guide will take you through all of the must-have engagement ring styles for 2018.

The most common setting is a prong setting. This is a tiny metal claw that grips the diamond and holds it in place. The prong can be round or pointed or even flat.

Most prong settings will feature four or six prongs. You can see more of the diamond with four but the diamond is more secure with six. The best thing about it is that there is a minimum of metal so there is more diamond to see. More light can also pass through the diamond, making it more brilliant.

Back in 1886, Tiffany & Co. created a six-prong solitaire setting that maximized the light on the diamond. This has come to be known as a Tiffany setting. You can get very close to a Tiffany setting at any jewellery store, but it will never be the proper version as this has been trademarked by Tiffany.

This is the second most popular setting because it provides a modern look and is suitable for those with an active lifestyle. Rather than use prongs, the bezel setting holds the diamonds in place with a thin metal rim.

Bezel settings can be full or partial. Full settings completely surround the diamond, whilst partial settings leave the sides of the diamond open. With a bezel you don’t have to worry about the ring snagging.

This setting is so names for the tension of the metal band that secures the diamond. With this setting, it looks like the diamond is suspended between two sides.

Lasers are used to calibrate the exact dimensions of the diamond so that the jeweler can cut tiny groves into the band. This means that the diamond is held by the pressure of the brand pushing into the sides of the stone.

They look similar to a diamond suspension setting but are cheaper and easier to create. They also add additional security since they use a prong or bezel setting to anchor the diamond.

You can mimic the tension style mentioned above but have a band using a bezel setting to hold it in place.

With a channel setting, smaller diamonds are set into the band of the ring, in effect making a channel of diamonds.

The diamonds are set close together and used to decorate the sides of the band or the entire band. This is also a popular setting for wedding rings and for other rings where there is no center stone.

Because of the lack of prongs, this design ensures a snag-free offering.

This setting, pronounced “pa-vay” comes from the French for paved. It is also what the French refer to cobbles streets as. Jewellers can achieve a continuous sparkle by setting small diamonds next to each other with minimal visibility.

This is achieved by drilling holes into the ring and carefully placing the diamond into the holes. Mini-prongs are used to hold the diamonds in place.

This setting can also be called a bead setting or a micro-pave setting if the stones are particularly small. When diamonds are .01 to .02 carats in size, the setting is pave. Any smaller and it becomes micro-pave.

If you choose a pave setting the size of the ring should always be confirmed early on to avoid future problems.

This setting refers to the location of diamonds in a concentric circle (or square) around the center stone. In effect, they created a halo ring around the main diamond. This can have the effect of making the main diamond appear larger. As such, it is a fantastic way to increase the look of a small diamond.

If you’re looking to save money without losing appeal, the halo setting could be the solution for you. You can also contrast the diamond by having a halo of colored gemstones or by setting the halo with a different colored metal.

Halos are commonly paired with Pave bands, but that’s not to say they can’t stand on their own. You can even have a double halo whereby you have two circles of gemstones around the main diamond.

This is one of the most classic and elegant settings. The setting is so called because it takes inspiration from the arches of a cathedral, and uses arches of metal to hold the diamond in place.

The Cathedral can be set with a range of settings described above, such as prongs, a bezel or tension. That’s because the main feature of this ring is not how the diamond is held by how it is mounted.

Again, this is a good setting for smaller diamonds as the arches make the stone appear larger.

Diamonds can be set between vertical bars of metal. This is similar to a channel setting, but while a channel encloses the diamonds on the side, a bar setting leaves diamonds exposed on two sides. A flexible setting, it can be used on its own or to compliment a center stone.

This setting, which is also known as a Gypsy Setting, places the diamond in a drilled hole allowing it to sit flush with the band.

Metal is then hammered around the diamond to hold it in place. As such, this isn’t suitable for softer stones and should only really be used for diamonds to avoid cracking the gem.

This is a popular choice for wedding bands, particularly for men who want a diamond but don’t want it protruding from the ring.

This versatile setting can be used for any occasion. This is an incredibly meaningful stone since the three stones signify the couples past, present and future.

Typically, the center stone is larger than the other two. But they can also be the same size. Most diamond shapes are suitable, but the most popular are round brilliant cuts and princess cuts.

Many engagement rings are designed to suit the style of the times. That’s why you can have Art Deco style rings, Edwardian Style rings or Victorian style rings. These will typically feature intricate detailing.

This includes filigree, which is a type of metalwork that solder tiny metal beads through threads of metal. It can also include milgrain, an engraving method that adds tiny balls of metal to the sides of the band.

This style “clusters” stones together so that they look like a single large diamond. The design can include a center stone or all stones can be the same size.

This isn’t a setting, it is a style of band. They are often used as wedding rings, but can be given on anniversaries or birthdays, or any other occasion.

The name comes from the “eternal presence” of diamonds around the ring. These rings come in channel, bezel, flush or prong settings.

The shank is the band of the ring that encloses the finger. A split-shank is one where the ring splits into two seperate bands that surround the finger.