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Rings & Bands

Things to Know About Diamond Engagement Ring Settings Only

Once you have selected a diamond, it is now time to choose diamond engagement ring settings only.

It makes sense to consider the setting of the ring carefully as the design of a ring depends on the engagement ring mount only (mounting is the industry term for a setting before a stone is set) of your engagement ring. In spite of the stone accounting for up to 90% of the ring cost, it is the setting that gives the look of it and presents the stone to its best advantage.

Set Your Sights

Whether it is making an engagement ring or buying a set, the different aspect of a ring – the stone, mounting and metal – should be selected that is in sync with your lifestyle and budget. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of some popular basic settings.

Infographic: engagement rings settings

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The Settings

Prong

What is it: It is the most common and classic engagement-ring setting and involves a little metal claw that holds the diamond firmly in a metal “basket” or “head”. Prongs can be rounded, flat, pointed, or V-shaped and involves three to six claws. The diamond is shown more with a 4 prong ring setting while the 6 prong engagement ring setting gives a more secured setting, but could overwhelm a small stone. Get a V-shaped prong for protecting a heart, pear, or marquise shaped stone. Flat prongs are right for emerald –cut stones.

Advantages:

  • Holds even fragile gems securely.
  • Makes cleaning of the stone easy.
  • Permits maximum light exposure from every angle and it maximizes the brilliance of the diamond.
  • Use of less metal means the time and money required is less  compared to other setting styles.

Disadvantages:

  • Can snag clothing or get caught in hair.
  • Other people might get scratches if high-set prong settings brush against them.
  • The stone is less protected compared to other styles since the greater part of the girdle is exposed.

Bezel

What is it:

A metal rim surrounding fully or partially the stone’s perimeter.

Advantages:

  • Holds the stone well.
  • The surface of the ring is completely smooth.
  • Metal can be molded to fit stone of any shape.
  • Hides the existing chips or nicks on the stone’s girdle.
  • The girdle of the stone is protected from being nicked.
  • A white stone on being encircled by a white metal appears larger.
  • The color of red or green gemstones is enhanced with a yellow gold bezel setting.

Disadvantages:

  • A “white” stone like diamond appears less white with a yellow gold bezel setting because there is reflection of the yellow tint of the setting in the stone.

Tension

What is it:

In this design, the stone is held in place by a compression-spring pressure of the shank. Due to minimal interference of the metal, the stone seems to be “floating”. It should be noted that extremely hard stones like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires can endure the required pressure.

Advantages:

  • Permits a lot of light to pass through the stone.
  • Best for rubies, sapphires, or diamond engagement ring settings only.

Disadvantages:

  • Once built to fit, the ring is difficult to resize later.
  • The options of repairing are limited; the ring could be fixed only by the manufacturer.
  • Less protection to the stone’s girdle due to less metal; recommended for special occasions only.

 

 

Pave

 

Pave
Halo

 

Halo
Bezel

 

Bezel
Vintage

 

Vintage