The Engagement Ring Settings Guide for the Perfect Fit

You and your loved one are talking engagement. It’s time to get shopping for the ring – the ring that will symbolize your love, and the decision to share your lives together, forever. Allow us to introduce the engagement ring settings guide for the perfect fit.

Engagement ring settings – there are so many to choose from, and you likely feel a lot of pressure to choose the one that’s right for you (or your loved one). You want it to be perfect and you want this engagement ring to tell a story.

Lucky for you, we’re sharing everything you need to know to pick the one that suits you and your loved one best.

Popular Types of Ring Settings

Below are some of the setting designs you can use to set a beautiful stage for the stone you have chosen to represent your love.

Solitaire

This single-diamond setting on a simple band is the most classic engagement ring. The single center stone draws all the focus, quite elegantly, and sends a powerful message of commitment.

Little metal claws (called prongs) hold the diamond in place. Prongs are desirable and popular because they secure the stone while keeping the brilliance of the diamond free to bounce off the light. Some opt for four prongs, and some opt for six prongs. Four prongs allow for a bit more bling, and six prongs hold the diamond to the band a bit more securely.

The thinner the band, the larger the diamond looks. So if you’re hoping for bling, but still want something classic and delicate, try four prongs and a thinner band.

These prong settings maximize the diamond’s brilliance and lighten up richly colored stones. They also make it easy to clean the stone, so you can keep it shining.

Pave

The pave engagement ring setting is a band paved with small diamonds, and that’s precisely where it earns its name.

These small diamonds are placed directly beside one another, and held in place by small prongs, to give the impression that the band is made purely of diamonds.

Whether fully or only halfway paved with small diamonds, this setting is for someone interested in a lot of sparkle. It’s for someone who wants a chorus of diamonds behind the lead stone.

Channel (aka Modern)

The channel setting is similar to the pave setting.

The difference is that in a channel setting the small diamonds are placed into the channel of the band itself so that they sit flush with the band. They’re held in place by a thin metal strip (and not prongs), so nothing protrudes from the band. Except, of course, the main centerpiece diamond.

If you’ve got an active lifestyle, the channel setting is probably better suited to you than the pave setting. Because the small diamonds are flush with the band, the ring is more durable and less likely to snag on something while you’re on the go.

And, at the same time, the channel setting still offers a whole lot of shimmer. You can fill the channel with round-cut or princess-cut diamonds part of the way – or all of the way! The princess-cut diamonds sit flush against one another, and that makes for even more shine.

Side-stone

The side-stone setting is about placing a couple (or even a few) smaller diamonds on either side of the main central diamond.

Unlike the side diamonds in the pave and channel ring settings, these side stones are bigger and more distinctive. The side stones themselves might be the size of the stone another might set all on its own for a classic solitaire engagement ring setting.

So the side-stone setting is for someone who really loves diamonds and doesn’t mind that the central diamond gets swept up a bit in the multiple diamond setting. It’s all about the elegant grouping of diamonds (or other gemstones around a diamond).

Three-stone

The three-stone setting is a particular, and popular version, of the side-stone setting. Like its name says, there are three stones: a central diamond flanked by two other stones. The smaller the side stones are the larger the central diamond will appear.

Sometimes the central diamond is surrounded by another stone, like sapphires. In this case, the change in color for the flanking gemstones helps the central diamond stand out. Look at some of our gemstone accented engagement rings to better appreciate this colorful ring setting choice.

Split-shank

The split-shank setting is a band that splits apart as it reaches the central diamond. There’s visible space between the band and the featured diamond, which can make that diamond appear fuller and more ornate.

Often this setting is paired with a full – or partial – pave setting. The split band provides even more surface area for the paving of small diamonds, and even more sparkle.

Many vintage style rings feature the split-shank setting.

Halo

The halo setting is a single diamond surrounded by more stones in a concentric circle – like a halo.

The smaller halo of diamonds around the central diamond allow the central diamond to appear much bigger than it actually is. The glow quality is high with this one. Pair with a pave setting for even more sparkle.

If you’re looking for something really catchy – something an eye just can’t look past – you’ll want to go for the halo engagement ring setting.

Tension

The tension setting is for the more modern among us. Do you like to stand apart from the crowd? And do you like to appear current? Are you known for making bold statements?

No prongs are used to keep the single central diamond in place. Instead, the tension of the ring metal itself holds the diamond there. The result is a diamond that appears to be floating in air!

You get to see nearly all of the diamond, so the shape and cut of the diamond are more important in this setting than any other.

Bezel

In a bezel setting, a metal rim surrounds the single central diamond. So it’s not held in place by prongs. The stone is secured quite snugly, and the ring surface is smoother, too. Only the crown of the diamond pops above the ring band.

A white metal encircling the stone can make a smaller diamond appear bigger.

So it’s a matter of taste…

You choose the setting that will be the best possible extension of you (or your loved one). Then, pick your diamond’s clarity, color, cut, and shape, and a band metal.

And as you fall in love with an engagement ring setting, don’t forget to consider the wedding band as well. Will you (or your loved one) want to wear them together? Make sure you choose the engagement ring setting and matching wedding band that will keep you feeling bedazzled for a lifetime.

Want to design the ring from scratch, with help from an expert? We can help.

We’ve helped many people, who are now happily married, and we want to help you next. Our diamonds are certified by the best also, so shop for your diamond ring with peace of mind that you’re getting exactly what you’ve paid for.

Then, once you’ve got the ring, it’s on to deciding how to propose – and we’d like to be the first to congratulate you!