If you’re just starting to explore the world of diamond engagement rings, the number of choices can be overwhelming. Combine that with the fact that you’re likely to encounter phrases and jargon not found anywhere else, and the task of choosing can become even more daunting. Here are just a few of the most common types of ring settings to help you navigate the jewelry universe a little more confidently.
Solitaire Engagement Ring Settings. This is the simplest form of an engagement ring, and likely the most common image you see if you do a quick Google search. It’s characterized by a simple, unadorned ring featuring a single diamond, usually held in place by prongs (or small extensions of the metal that grip the diamond around the edges).
Pave Engagement Ring Settings. Pave engagement ring settings are very nearly the polar opposite of a solitaire — where a solitaire is all clean lines and understated elegance, pave engagement ring settings are far more extravagant, employing the pave technique (pronounced “pah-vay”): many small diamonds are set very closely to one another, such that they appear to be one continuous carpet of shimmer. This setting can also be used to surround a main stone and make it appear larger (the “halo” technique).
Channel Engagement Ring Settings. Channel settings place accent stones within the metal of the ring itself, usually in the shoulders (the parts of the ring immediately on either side of the main diamond). They can provide a similar effect to the pave setting, but in a more linear and contained fashion, so that the lines of the ring are maintained while the edges of the channel stones are connected.
While this can be a helpful guide, it’s also important to note that often times, styles can be combined and blended. A channel setting can flow into a pave setting. A pave setting can be lightly applied to a solitaire setting. Whatever the result, seeing is believing. Stop into your local jewelry store and ask about each of these settings. you’ll be delighted by what you can find.
