Metal, Ring Settings, and Prong Settings!
When choosing your engagement ring or having it custom designed, it is good to know what decisions you will be making when deciding on your engagement ring. First there are different types of metal to choose from. The 4 basic metal choices are Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold and Platinum. Remmeber that your metal choice is your own personal preference. See the options below.
Types of Ring Settings
The next step is to decide what type of ring setting you like. There are many options but here are the four most popular styles that we specialize in. The first style is a Prong Solitaire. This style is a very classic style that can be made using 4 prongs or 6 prongs for a round diamond. The amount of prongs can change the look of a diamond.
There are pros and cons for a 4 prong and 6 prong solitare setting. Some benefits for a 4 prong setting is that there is a higher level of brilliance since there is less metal and can allow more light to shine through the diamond. 4 prongs also makes a stone look larger and is easier to clean. For a 6 prong setting, the diamond is more secure since there are more prongs holding it in place. With 6 prongs it also gives the center stone a more rounded look. This is the style that Tiffany's uses for their signature setting.
Another popular style is the cathedral setting. This is a very popular style because cathedral settings are set higher which makes it easier for a wedding band to fit right underneath and sit side by side with the engagement ring. The cathedral setting is designed to have two arches of metal come up from the shank or the band of the ring. The arches are created to mimic the grace and elegance of a cathedral.
The next popular style is Trellis. This style also has an elegant look with a little twist-literally! Trellis engagement rings have interweaving prongs that cross over to securely hold the center diamond. This setting can be done with a single center stone but also with side stones on an engagement ring. It elevates the charm of a ring in a subtle yet elegant way.
Our next popular setting is the halo. There are two types of halo settings. One is a visible halo and the other is a hidden halo. The visible halo is a ring of small diamonds that circles around the center stone. This is a great setting for enlarging the appearance of the center stone. Some customers even do a double halo to enhance the diamond's size. Keep in mind that a halo ring can be done with a cathedral setting having the sides meet the side of the halo.
There is also a hidden halo. This is a halo that circles underneath the diamond. It is not visible from the top view of a ring but can be seen from the side. Our customers love that you can see the beauty of their ring from every angle in addition to the bird's eye view. A hidden halo can be set in different places of the ring. It can be directly underneath the center stone or at the base of the ring where the prongs and shank meet. A hidden halo can also be set to circle around the prongs or circle between the prongs. See the image below for a closer look.
Types of Prongs
Now that you have learned about the different types of ring styles, it is time to cover different types of prong styles. The four types of prongs are round prongs, pointed/claw prongs, flat prongs and V-shaped prongs.
Round prongs are the most common style prong used for engagment rings. They secure the diamond firmly and are very discreet. They are small and rounded and will least likely snag on any clothing.
The next prong is a pointed prong, also known as claw prong. They are becoming very popular now since they provide an elegant look and takes up the least amount of space on the surface of the center stone. These prongs work best with round and oval stones.
The third prong style is a flat prong. This style has a more square look to it and are great for protecting angled edges for emerald cut diamonds and cushion cut diamonds. Modern settings also look great with these types of prongs because they give a clean angular appearance.
The last prong style is a V-Shaped prong. These prongs are designed to protect the corners of stones such as a princess cut, marquise and the tip of a pear shape diamond. These diamond shapes have sharp corners that can be easily damaged and chipped if not protected so the V-Shaped prong helps protect these corners from any damage.
Now you have learned about the different types of metals, ring settings and prong styles. This should help when deciding what style of engagement ring you would like to choose. As custom design experts, we can create any design that you want. If you can dream it, we can build it. We look forward to bringing your vision to life here at Robert Palma Designs.