Engagement Ring Settings
Settings are important to an engagement ring. It should be durable and attractive at the same time. An engagement ring has to fit not only the finger, but also fit the woman. It should be a reflection of the wearer.
Because the engagement ring is the symbol of everlasting love, it is a hard decision to make. But then there’s also the matter of the setting. And while some settings may be more appropriate than others for specific engagement ring, ultimately the decision comes down to your own personal taste.
Prong or Claw setting
This is the most popular setting among a variety of them. Because it consists of four or six claws that hug the diamond it allows the maximum amount of light to enter a stone from all point of view. This helps to make the diamond appear larger and look more brilliant. And it can hold large diamonds more securely. This is probably why it is so popular for women's solitaire diamond rings. Choices of variations with the prong setting traditionally range from: pointed, rounded, flat and V-shaped.
Channel Setting
A channel setting will set the stones right next to each other with no metal parts separating them. The outer ridges of metal then worked over the edges of the stones and gave the stone a very good protection. This protects the girdle area of the diamonds better than a bead or prong setting and provides a smooth exterior surface.
Bar Setting
Very similar to the channel setting, it is a circular band of diamonds that holds each stone in by a long thin bar, shared between two stones. The bar setting combines a contemporary and classic look.
Bezel setting
A bezel setting would use the metal bands to wrap the circular diamond to secure it in place. A bezel setting would provide the best protection to the diamond and prevent it from damage. Sometimes you will also see a diamond is partially surrounded by bezels. A bezel setting would also provide a very smooth surface. It is best known for its durability and it accentuates the brilliance of the stone.
Gypsy Setting
The gypsy setting is actually one continuous band that gets thicker at the top. The top is shaped like a dome and the stone is inserted into a taper hole in the middle. There are no prongs, therefore the look is smooth and clean.
Tension Setting
In a tension setting the diamond is squeezed in place by the pressure of the band’s metal. It is the designer’s genius to make it a highly contemporary, fashionable look.
Illusion Setting
This setting is more delicate than others in that it surrounds the stone to make it appear larger. The metal that surrounds the stone usually has an interesting design. The diamond in an illusion setting is mounted to a mirror-like plate before being set into the band, making it look larger, with more brilliance.
Flat-top setting
Like the gypsy setting, this setting has a band that grows broader at the top so that a faceted stone can be inserted into the ring. The stone is held in place by metal chips attached at the stone's girdle. The flat-top setting tends to have a more modern/contemporary look.
Cluster setting
This setting surrounds a larger center stone with several smaller stones. It is designed to use the smaller stones to accentuate the middle beautiful larger stones.
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