What type of setting for a ring

Four-prong styles are very common, and are particularly popular on smaller stones that might tend to get overwhelmed with more prongs. Three-prong styles are not commonly seen on engagement rings, but are very popular for stud earrings.

Styles with even more prongs are sometimes seen. The split prong is an increasingly popular choice. It appears to double the number of prongs from 4 to 8 or even from 6 to With prongs there is a tendency to think more is better from a security standpoint.

But a four prong mounting is capable of securing the stone even if one prong is pulled away or broken off entirely. Depending on your sense of style and aesthetics, and your concerns about security of the center stone, there will be a prong style that is right for you. For those looking to minimize the hardware and maximize the view of accent diamonds, the shared prong style is a popular choice. Basically each prong in the setting secures two diamonds set back to back. The two reasons people might not opt for the prong setting are wear ability and durability.

For those with an active lifestyle, the prong setting, especially one with a high profile, can sometimes snag on clothing or make accidental contact with other objects during activity with your hands. And from the standpoint of protecting the diamond, a prong setting is not as damage resistant as the bezel setting. Someone with a extremely active lifestyle might be better off with a bezel or partial bezel setting. However, as long as the ring is worn under normal conditions and the prongs are inspected regularly, prong-set diamonds can be worn for years without any problems.

If you choose a prong setting, make sure to check frequently to make sure all the prongs are undamaged and are making secure contact with the stone. Individual Prong Style Settings. There are also different styles of the prongs themselves. Typically they are rounded, but they can be squared off or even claw-like with a very pointed look. Often you will have the option to have prongs on the center diamond tailored to your preference. Long appreciated in Europe, the bezel setting has played an important role throughout jewelry history.

Although not as popular as the prong setting, the bezel setting is gaining fans and is being used in new and more creative ways today. The bezel setting encircles the center stone in a metal rim, or bezel, with a lip that extends slightly above the girdle. It can be full, in which the metal completely encircles the stone, or partial, in which the bezel cuts away and reveals part of the stone's side profile.

It is one of the most secure settings for a diamond, and offers the most protection, which make it perfect for someone very active with their hands. The partial bezel setting combines the security of the bezel setting and the side profile view of a more open style. The main practical advantage of the bezel setting is security. A bezel setting is custom-made for the stone that it will hold, so it is always exactly the right size.

The outer girdle the widest portion of the stone is placed in a small notch inside the bezel setting, and then the top lip of metal is burnished down over the stone. The stone is held in place by the pressure exerted by this lip, and the result is a low profile sleek look that is very wearable.

The bezel enables the stone to sit low on the finger with nothing to snag or catch on, making it an excellent choice for someone very active. Because the girdle is the most vulnerable part of a diamond in daily wear, a full bezel provides maximum protection.

For a similar reason it is also a good choice for heirloom diamonds that may already have some chips at the girdle. A bezel can hide these signs of wear and tear and prevent further damage. A variation of the bezel setting is the flush setting, in which a seat is cut directly into the metal.

The stone is placed directly into the opening and a small amount of metal is engraved over the girdle. The table of the diamond sits at or just slightly above the surface of the metal.

This technique is generally used on smaller diamonds accenting the band. The main disadvantage of the bezel setting is that it blocks a small amount of light from entering the diamond, especially from the side.

However, most of the light returning to the eye of a well-cut diamond enters through the crown. Ideal cut diamonds look fine in well crafted bezel settings. Cleaning is another possible issue to be aware of. Dirt and film can become trapped under the bezel, and the pavilion can often be difficult to access in bezel settings.

It will be important to practice good home cleaning techniques and to have your bezel set diamond professionally cleaned once in a while in order to keep it looking its best. The channel setting is a technique that involves setting diamonds into a channel or groove in the metal. The stones are set side by side in a straight line and the tables of the diamonds are essentially flush with the metal at the top of the channel.

Channel setting creates a clean modern look with no prongs to break or catch on things. Round brilliant diamonds are used commonly, but princess cuts are perhaps even better suited to channel setting creating a continuous line of diamond as their straight edges meet one another without any space showing.

While not a channel setting technically, the diamonds are set down in a line between rails and are secured by tiny prongs made with beads of metal. The diamonds appear to be set within a channel and like true channel set diamonds, their tables are essentially flush with the top of the channel.

Among diamond settings, the tension setting one of the most unusual and bold styles to hit the market in years. For someone looking for something unique and modern, the tension setting, and similar tension-style setting, is an interesting option.

In this style the diamond appears to be suspended in air, not held by any prongs or bezel. In a true tension design the inward pressure of two opposing sides of the setting is what holds the diamond in place. In a true tension setting the sides of the ring are usually bold and heavy in order to give the setting the strength to maintain pressure on the stone and resist pulling apart which would reduce the tension and loosen the diamond.

Small shallow arching grooves are cut in both sides of the metal for the girdle of the diamond to sit in securely, and creating the appearance that it is floating in air. The practical disadvantage of the tension setting is in a real sense its stylistic advantage.

That is, there are no prongs or bezel securing the diamond. Therefore, if tension is reduced through accident or wear over time, the diamond can come loose and even fall out.

True tension settings should be closely inspected on a regular basis and any looseness should prompt an immediate trip to the jeweler. Personal jewelry insurance is also highly recommended for this style. In this technique there are supports tying the two sides of the ring together to prevent accidental separation. Normally the supports are underneath and not very noticeable allowing the style to evoke the same sense of the diamond suspended in air.

This is generally a more practical way to achieve the unique and modern look of tension while maintaining adequate security. The stones are set very close to each another with minimal gaps in between, creating a surface of solid sparkle.

If the diamonds are extremely small, the setters work under a microscope to create the tiny prongs and set the diamonds. Armed with these terms and images, you will be surprised at your newfound ability to identify and understand different engagement ring designs and design elements. The diamond settings described above account for nearly all engagement ring settings - although they can be combined endlessly into new and innovative styles. Simply by understanding your favorite setting types, you are well on your way to finding that perfect engagement ring.

By Bryan Boyne g. Find the perfect Designer Ring for your special diamond by clicking the links below, and let us build the ultimate ring for the love of your life!

Privacy Policy. What would you like to do? Education » 17 Engagement Ring Styles for Last Updated On: October 14, Your choice of engagement ring setting is extremely important. To make matters more complicated, as you can see below, there are such a large number of different styles of engagement ring settings that it can simply get overwhelming. Blue Nile and James Allen both have galleries for this purpose.

The ring setting plays a role not just in determining how the ring looks, but also in determining which type of diamond is the best option for you. Engagement ring styles can vary hugely in appearance and personality.

For example, look at this solitaire ring from Blue Nile , then compare it to this tripple row halo engagement ring from Blue Nile. This is because each engagement ring style has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Finally, others are designed with durability in mind, making them great for busy, active people or those who work with their hands. Have the different diamond ring styles got you all confused?

Well, we decided to write this article for you because we know that the world of diamond jewelry can be extremely daunting and confusing. Also, you can look through recently purchased engagement ring styles with different shapes of diamond from our highest rated retailers to find your favorite.

Rather than focusing on metals such as white, yellow or rose gold, or other options such as platinum , our list focuses on specific engagement ring designs. Most of the rings featured below can be customized with your choice of metal after you click through to James Allen or Blue Nile , giving you a huge degree of control over their appearance.

Have a look at what an expert had to say about Engagement Ring Trends. Though this video is from , all the trends mentioned in it still hold true today.

Click Here for Samples on Blue Nile. The most common and classic ring setting is called a prong setting. A prong is a little metal claw that grips the diamond tightly, holding it in place. Prongs can be rounded, pointed, flat, or V-shaped the latter being the most common for princess-cut diamonds. Most prong settings feature either four or six prongs; with the former you can see more of the diamond, but the latter is more secure. Of the prong settings, the most common is the solitaire setting featuring one diamond or other precious stone.

The solitaire setting draws all of our attention to the stone with little to distract us like other stones or fancy metalwork. Check out the best solitaire engagement rings here. See Similar Sample on Blue Nile. While it is possible to obtain a similar setting at virtually any jewelry shop or website today, it will never be an exact Tiffany setting because Tiffany has trademarked their prong design.

Click Here for Samples on James Allen. The bezel setting is the second most popular ring setting due to its modern look and suitability for an active lifestyle. Instead of holding the diamond with prongs, the bezel setting encircles the diamond, or center stone, with a thin metal rim custom-made to hold the stone tightly in place.

Because of this bezel, the diamond is held more securely in place than it would be in a ring that uses prongs. This makes the bezel setting one of the most durable of the engagement ring styles. A bezel setting can be a full or partial setting: a full bezel completely surrounds the diamond whereas a partial bezel leaves the sides open. The tension setting is named for the tension of the metal band that secures the diamond in place; the result is that the diamond appears suspended between the two sides of the shank.

With the help of lasers used to calibrate the exact dimensions of the diamond, the jeweler expertly cuts tiny grooves into the sides of the band, or shank, so that the diamond, or other precious stone, is literally held by the pressure of the custom-designed metal band pushing into the sides of the stone.

Tension-style settings feature a comparable look of diamond suspension but are less expensive and complicated to make. The tension-style settings add an extra dose of security since they employ a prong or bezel setting on the side or underneath the diamond to anchor the diamond firmly in place. A popular engagement ring style is to mimic a tension style setting like you see above , but in fact the diamond or gemstone is set in the band, typically as a bezel setting.

The ring in the photo above — two-tone metal with pear shape diamond from James Allen learn more about mixed metal engagement rings here is a classic tension setting while the one underneath is a tension-style setting. But this also means that the diamond shape and diamond cut are more important in a tension setting than in any other setting. And usually, round cuts, princess cuts, and emerald cuts are the best choices. The con is that they are difficult to resize.

You can imagine why! Now, tension ring settings should not be confused with tension-style ring settings as the latter are settings that have an additional metal band surrounding the diamond.

All in all, tension settings are the right choice for anyone looking for a modern twist. You can bet that people will talk about it and consider it to be a pretty bold choice! Surrounded by smaller diamonds in a concentric circle, the center diamond appears much larger! Furthermore, the overall sparkle is heavily enhanced by the embracing diamonds. Halo diamonds on plain bands look great, too!

Lately, there are also a lot of Halo ring settings with sapphires encompassing the center stone. No ring setting is superior to the other. So, go wild or go back to basics! Your final choice will not just showcase the diamond that you oh-so-carefully picked, it will also resemble a hint of her character, and a peek at who she is!

If you still need help, please read my post on engagement ring metals and how to design an engagement ring. Just some meaty content that will let you in on her tastes on a deeper level! This will surely spark inspiration! Should you have any question, please leave me a comment down below or write to me. Sebastian Naturski loves to write about diamonds and share his knowledge with his readers. When he is not working on his website he is studying law at Humboldt University of Berlin.

He has taken part in several international law competitions and likes to broaden his horizons. His other big passion are languages.

I am trying to replace a lost engagement ring which my wedding ring was notched to fit. My concern is that the white gold may discolour over time. What are your thoughts on halo illusion set diamonds please and do you have any knowledge as to whether the setting is likely to discolour.

White gold rings are usually rhodium plated. Rhodium itself is used as a plating because it has a dazzlingly flashy crome-like appearance. Among all metals it has the most pronounced reflective properties. As rhodium on top of a white gold ring setting sparkles quite heavily it is difficult to tell where the diamond ends and the metal begins from a couple of feet away. As rhodium is a plating, it will wear of with the usual wear and tear and will require reapplication every 6 months or so depending on usage.

This can be done at every local jewelry store for a little amount of money. We bought a 1. The best kind of setting to make a diamond appear larger is a 4-prong as it can allow the diamond to get exposed to more light and thus sparkles brighter.

This should go with a 1. Another option would be the three-stone ring setting as a diamond flanked by two smaller side stones will appear larger than it is. Problem — the diamonds keep falling out! Two in the same hole. She is very discouraged and asked me to look at the ring.

I am a gemologist GIA cert but had nothing to do with the ring prior. I know this happens. I see most of the prongs seem fit and over the diamonds except for one or two there are four per.

Is this just a defective ring? Generally, pave settings are safer when it comes to wear and tear.