Posts Tagged ‘solitaire rings’

Deciding which setting is perfect for your diamond is one of the first and hardest decisions you have to make when buying an engagement ring.  This is important because this is the ring that you or your girlfriend will wear for a lifetime.  Get it wrong, and it will quickly look dated.  So choose carefully!

There are four main options?

The Solitaire
The diamond solitaire because the most popular setting for an engagement ring around the middle of the 1960s.  It comprises a single diamond set high in a prong or bezel setting on a band of precious metal.  This setting suits all types of metal and all shapes of diamond.  However, because the diamond commands solo attention, this setting suits larger diamonds of a quarter carat and above and also good grade white diamonds with high clarity and good cut.  The solitaire setting is a “safe bet” if you are planning to surprise her with a diamond engagement ring as you pop the question.

The Trilogy Setting
This is another classic setting which has become popular for occasions other than an engagement although it can make a stunning engagement ring.  In the trilogy engagement ring, three gemstones representing the past, the present and the future, are typically prong.  These are either all diamonds or a central colored gemstone flanked by two diamonds, or a central diamond flanked by two colored gemstones.  The three are generally set in the same plane as the band of the ring, although they can also be set on a twist for variation.

The Cluster
The diamond cluster is a collection of smaller gemstones surrounding a central diamond or colored gemstone.  Although the cluster ring offers one of the best opportunities for experimenting with more fashionable colored gemstones, it also looks fabulous all in diamond.  The cluster ring is arguably the setting which is the most likely to date because it can be fashioned in so many different ways.

The Band Ring
The diamond band ring is generally pave or channel set with an array of diamonds to create an illusion of brilliance across the surface of the ring.  The setting is smooth and low set into the metal band making this ring one of the easiest to wear on a daily basis.  It is especially suited to active types or people with jobs close to others, such as school teachers and medical professionals.  Band rings also make excellent right hand rings.

There are other settings to choose from too, especially if you decide to design your own engagement ring, but these are the most popular choices.  Choose carefully and your diamond ring will become an heirloom piece for generations to come.

The cut of a diamond refers to the how many facets there are in the finished gemstone and how they are proportioned.  The skill and precision of the faceting affects the gemstone’s fire and sparkle, making it look dull or flash with fire.  The most common types of diamond cut are:

Round Brilliant -
This is also known as the Round cut, American Ideal cut and the American Standard cut.  The standard number of facets used in this cut is 57.  The top of the finished gemstone is a regular octagon, which is normally 56% of the diameter.  The recommended cut height for the diamond is 58% of the diameter, which breaks down into around 14% for the top part of the diamond, above the girdle, also called the crown, and around 43 for the pavilion, or lower part of the diamond.  These dimensions are mathematically calculated to give the maximum brilliance and scintillation, making the diamond flash with fire.

Round brilliants are the most popular cut of diamond and the number one choice for solitaires.

Princess -
Also known as the Square Modified Brilliant, this is a square variation of the Round Brilliant.  The table of the gemstone is again faceted into an octagon, but in such a way as to be nearly square. In contrast to the Round Brilliant, the depth of a Princess cut diamond is often 70-78% of the diameter.  It has 76 facets, which produce a large amount of sparkle, making it the second most popular choice for a solitaire ring.

Oval -
The Oval cut is elliptical, or egg shaped, when viewed from the top.  The length is ideally double the width of the gemstone, although this can vary depending on the proportions of the rough gem.  Oval cuts have 69 facets.  If done skilfully, Oval cut gemstones can have nearly as much scintillation and fire as Round Brilliants. 

Baguette -
This cut produces a rectangular gemstone and really only roughs which are this shape.  The faceting is done in steps, parallel to the edges and the base and table are square with triangular facets.  Baguettes have 20 facets.

Trillion -
Also known as Trilliants, this cut is based on a triangular shape and has 43 facets.  The corners are usually truncated but the tips and culet (bottom point) are typically pointed and thin making many jewelers reluctant to prong set trilliants. The culet is typically centered in the middle of the table when viewed from the top of the gemstone.  The overall geometry of this cut enables lots of fire and color to be seen making it especially suitable for light colored gemstones.

Marquise -
This is also called the Navette cut.  The 57 facets produce an elongated, pointed oval, in which the length is around twice the width.  This is a tricky cut because if it is made too shallow, the light will pass through the back of the gemstone and not be reflected back, reducing color and brilliance.  Well cut Marquises are flash with good color.

There are a number of other cuts, but in general they are based on the ones above.  For example, the Square, Octagon and Emerald cuts are all step cuts based on the Baguette cut.  The Heart cut is based the Brilliant Round and the Pear is a hybrid cut combining the best of the Oval and the Marquise.