Engagement Ring Setting Guide
Introduction to Engagement Ring Settings
Choosing your partner’s forever ring is one of the most intense, personal, and deeply symbolic decisions you will ever make. There are many choices to be made in style, stone, metal, and so much more. But one of the first choices you’ll make will be which engagement ring setting style you want. Whether you choose a singular center stone or multiple smaller ones, it’s important to choose the option that best suits your personal love story.
Solitaire Rings
One of the most popular options is the solitaire setting, which features a single, usually larger stone set center stage in the band. These rings are classic and timeless, elegant in their simplicity, and emphasize any diamond you choose for them. Although traditionally these have unadorned shanks, many designers are experimenting with new styles and compositions all the time. No matter the size of the stone, these are perfect for an understated, traditionalist, or minimalist look.
Side Stone Rings
Another popular alternative is the side stone ring. These are engagement rings that feature multiple smaller stones set across the shank, taking a relatively simple setting and enhancing it to something truly dazzling. Side stones can be set in a classic, simple pattern that emphasizes the center stone, or they can be set into intricate metalwork to create complex, beautiful designs for a truly vintage, luxe, or diamond-heavy creation.
Halo Rings
An increasingly distinct possibility is the halo setting, which features a singular stone set in the middle of orbiting smaller stones. This brilliance sparkles and emphasizes the center stone. Halo settings have the benefit of making the center stone appear to be larger, whether it’s to aggrandize a more modest stone, or to make a heavy carat stone appear even more massive. This setting can also be used to make more rigid cuts appear softer when wrapped delicately in a halo.
Three Stone Rings
The three stone setting, also known as a trilogy ring, is very popular for the symbolism attached. Bringing together the past, the present, and the future, these rings can tell a love story with a single glance at their sparkling facets. These rings offer many opportunities to exercise creativity in both stones and cut. Different cut rings tell a different story, with a more round cut stone offering a softer appearance, while a more rigid cut stone offers a more dynamic portrayal.
