Congratulations! You’ve found the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. Now it’s time to find the perfect engagement ring to symbolize your love and commitment to each other. Of course, as exciting as shopping for engagement rings is, for most people it’s also a bit stressful because there are so many decisions to make. What stone will you choose? Will you go with a traditional diamond ring? Or perhaps something a little less conventional like moissanite rings or sapphire rings? What size will the stone be? Do you want it to match the wedding band? What metal will you use? What style do you like?
The Setting
And then of course, there’s the setting, which is actually one of the first decisions you should make about your ring, as it will partly determine what stone you will buy. This is especially true if you plan to design your own ring. The setting is also what holds the stone in place and what elevates it from the base of the ring, as well as a beautiful design feature itself.
Given its importance to how the ring will look, then, it’s easy to see why getting the setting just right is crucial to achieving beautiful results. So, to help you understand the different types of settings, today’s post offers a brief overview and description of each one.
Setting Types
Prong – The most classic and most common engagement ring setting, the prong setting features slim metal arms that grip the stone tightly in place. There are flat, pointed, round and V-shaped prongs and they typically have three to six claws or grips. The prong setting is also known as a claw setting.
Engagement ring with 4 claw prong setting
Tiffany – One of the most iconic settings, a Tiffany setting features a round brilliant-cut diamond that sits above the band in a six prong setting. The setting is designed to maximize the diamond’s brilliance.
Engagement ring with Tiffany six claw setting
Bezel – Bezel settings are another popular option for engagement rings. You can choose from a full or partial bezel setting, but essentially the stone is held in place by a metal ring that surrounds the stone’s entire surface. The bezel setting is very secure and protective and can hide some of a stone’s defects.
Engagement ring with bezel setting
Tension – Tension settings secure your engagement ring stone in place with pressure. The stone is placed in an opening in the band so the band’s open ends exert pressure on the stone to hold it in place. This look is sleek and modern and gives the appearance that the stone is ‘floating’ in midair.
Engagement ring with tension setting
Channel – As the name suggests, with the channel setting, a channel is cut into the band so that the small diamonds or gemstones can be set into the channel. The stones are usually held in place by a small groove or lip within the band and they are bordered by two metal rows of the channel. Channel settings are one of the most classic, as well as most beautiful, settings for engagement rings.
Engagement ring with a channel set band
Pavé – Similar to the channel setting, the shank in a ring with a pavé setting is lined with small stones. However, whereas a channel setting holds the stones in place with grooves cut into the band, the pavé setting holds the stones in place with small beads or prongs. The stones in a pavé setting also have no spaces between them which enhances their sparkly effect on the center stone.
Engagement ring with pave set diamond band
Halo – Halo engagement ring settings feature a ring of small stones that surround a center stone. The center stone looks larger and more sparkly because of the surrounding stones, so many couples opt for this setting because they can save money by buying a less expensive center stone.
Engagement ring with halo setting
Cathedral – Cathedral settings get their name from the way they mimic a cathedral building. In this setting, the center stone is flanked by elegant metal arches that arise from the shank. Prongs as well as bezel and tension settings and halos and solitaires can be used with cathedral settings.
Engagement ring with cathedral setting
Bar – Bar settings are similar to channel settings, but with bar settings, the diamonds are exposed on both sides. It is called a bar setting because the stones are held in place by two long, thick vertical bars placed on both sides of the stone.
Engagement ring with bar set diamonds
Flush – With a flush setting, also sometimes referred to as a Gypsy or hammer setting, the diamond or gemstone appears flush with the surface of the band. Any shaped stone is suitable for a flush setting, which will be held securely in place by the surrounding metal. The flush setting provides a modern, sleek look and is ideal for people who use their hands a lot, as it is actually one of the most secure settings too.
Engagement ring with flush set diamonds
Three-Stone – The three-stone setting features a center stone, usually a diamond, that is accentuated by two smaller side stones. There is a wide array of cuts and designs to choose from with a three-stone setting, but usually the center stone is set a little above the two side stones to give it more depth.
Three stone engagement ring
Cluster – The cluster engagement ring setting is composed of many small diamonds that are set closely together so that they resemble a larger diamond. The setting can be made from either a cluster of stones of equal size that are set together or the cluster can surround a larger center stone. Either way, the effect is to make the ring look like it has a larger stone than it does.
Round center stone surrounded by gorgeous cluster of 24 smaller stones.
Illusion – Like many of the settings, an illusion setting is designed to make the diamond look bigger than it actually is. They typically surround a small diamond with patterned precious metals to give the illusion of a larger stone when seen from a distance.
Engagement ring with round stones in an illusion setting.
Five Stone – No surprise here – this setting contains five stones set all in a row on a metal shank. The stones can be of equal or graduated size. Five-stone settings are versatile and can be simple and elegant or more elaborate and detailed. Your choice!
