Types of Rings

There are any number of ring styles to choose from. These choices include Solitaire, Pave, Channel Set, Side stone, Halo, Three Stone, Gemstone, Vintage, Contemporary and so on. However, the two most popular designs are the Solitaire and the Pave. The Solitaire and the Pave have won the title of “Most Likely to Win Her Heart” year after year.

The Solitaire

The tradition of this ring style has been around for over a century. For the woman who loves a classic look and elegant simplicity, the Solitaire style is an excellent choice. One perfect diamond set atop a ribbon of gold or platinum, the solitaire is the picture of loveliness and a time-honored tradition. So classic is this setting, it is almost impossible to imagine it ever going out of style.

PaveThe Pave

The Pave is a flashier and more stylized ring that features many smaller diamonds inlaid in the ring’s band and may surround the center diamond as well. Popular versions of the Pave setting include: The French Pave, Micropave, Petite Pave, Heirloom and Halo Pave styles. The woman who likes a lot of sparkle will love the Pave. Due to the Pave’s extra “bling”, the center stone can be made a bit smaller than the center diamond in a Solitaire. Therefore, even though the Pave ring may feature many more diamonds, there is often very little price difference between the Pave and the Solitaire.

Choosing the Diamond

Just as there are many different ring styles, you’ll find that diamonds come in many distinct shapes as well. Common shapes include the Round, Princess, Emerald, Marquise, Cushion, Asscher, Radiant, Pear, Oval and Heart. While there are many to choose from, by far the most popular are the Round and Princess Cut.

The Round diamond shape and the Princess cut diamond shape are what are known as “brilliant” cuts and are designed for maximum brilliance and sparkle. Both have a quality that defines beauty.

Halo

The Round shape looks just as it sounds. A diamond cutter is most challenged by this shape because of the precision that is necessary to achieve a perfect circular shape. For this reason, the Round shape is a bit more expensive. Most women agree that the price is worth it because of the stunning appearance of the Round diamond.

The Princess shape is every bit the piece of storybook legend after which it was named. The Princess is a square-shaped diamond designed to follow the natural shape of the raw stone. Its facets are cut to rival the Round brilliant in sparkle and brilliance.

 

The Four C’s

The price of a diamond is determined by what is known as the “Four C’s” (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carats). Carat size is of course the ‘C’ that most people are familiar with. The key to selecting a great diamond is knowing where to compromise on the other C’s in order to get as large a carat size as you can for your budget. Remember you should never spend beyond what is safely manageable on an engagement ring.

As an example, consider that between .5 to 1.5 is the most popular carat size for the average ring. A round shaped .5 carat diamond with an excellent cut, H color and SI1 clarity will run around $1400, while a 1.5 carat of the same quality can cost over $12,000. Taking a little time to understand the Four C’s can help you to get the beautiful diamond that you are looking for and stay within your budget!

 

Author’s Bio

Doug Neubauer blogs at “Everything Princess Cut”. For more on Solitaire and Pave settings, visit their Engagement Ring Gallery and Diamond Engagement Rings pages.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post