4 Types of Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings
(Updated April 25, 2020. Originally Published February 15, 2014)
The term “solitaire engagement ring” is used to describe practically any style of engagement ring which contains only a center stone, with no accent stones of any kind. The six prong solitaire style engagement ring from Brian Gavin which pictured to the left is in 14k white gold is commonly referred to as a classic solitaire, or a traditional solitaire, it is also available as a four prong solitaire, and in a variety of metal choices to accommodate round brilliant and fancy shape diamonds of practically any carat weight. Without a doubt, the traditional solitaire style engagement ring is the most popular style of diamond engagement ring and the design of the ring is timeless.
The classic style half round solitaire from Brian Gavin is a variation of the traditional six prong solitaire, it features a more elegant prong structure that gives the ring a little more flair and has a ring shank which is flat on the inside and rounded on the outside. The ring is also available with a knife edge style shank, which has an outer edge which extends out to a point; and with a tapered ring shank that measures around 2 mm at the base of the prongs and tapers down to about 1.8 mm at the bottom of the ring. Every variation of this classic style solitaire is available in a variety of metals including 18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, and platinum, to fit a variety of stone sizes.
Cathedral solitaire style engagement rings like the 14k Rose Gold Cathedral from Brian Gavin pictured to the left, present diamond buyers with another variation of the solitaire which incorporates an A-frame structure into the ring shank so that the outer edges of the ring rise up on two sides of the center stone. We offer this ring style in a variety of metals, including 14k Rose gold, which is enjoying resurgence in popularity. Rose gold looks amazing with diamonds of all colors, but looks especially good with diamonds of warmer hues because of the softer, warmer appearance of the pink gold color. It also looks amazing with a variety of colored gems, especially those with deep pink, red and purple undertones, such as rubies, garnets, topaz, etc.
There is a recent trend which I want to mention that softly bends the rules of what constitutes a “solitaire style engagement ring” and that is the practice of setting a “secret stone” which is tucked away under the prong structure of the ring as with our Ashleigh Cathedral Solitaire, which is pictured to the left in 18k yellow gold. In this instance, the accent diamonds are not readily visible and thus the ring style is still considered by most people within the industry to be a solitaire style setting with an elegant twist. We’ve noticed that a lot of our clients seem to really like the concept of a hidden surprise stone, which makes the Ashleigh Cathedral an excellent choice!
Bezel set solitaire style engagement rings are another popular option, especially for people who work in the medical field where the prongs which traditionally hold a diamond have a tendency to stick up and tear the gloves which they wear throughout the course of their day. There are several ways to bezel set a diamond, the ring pictured to the left shows a Full Bezel Set Diamond from Brian Gavin, the metal which holds the diamond in-place, goes all the way around the girdle edge of the diamond. It is also possible to set the stone in a half bezel solitaire which covers only half the outer edge of the stone, leaving half the girdle edge exposed and creating an interesting design line.
The term “solitaire engagement ring” is used to describe practically any style of engagement ring which contains only a center stone, with no accent stones of any kind. The six prong solitaire style engagement ring from Brian Gavin which pictured to the left is in 14k white gold is commonly referred to as a classic solitaire, or a traditional solitaire, it is also available as a four prong solitaire, and in a variety of metal choices to accommodate round brilliant and fancy shape diamonds of practically any carat weight. Without a doubt, the traditional solitaire style engagement ring is the most popular style of diamond engagement ring and the design of the ring is timeless.
The classic Style Half Round Solitaire:
The classic style half round solitaire from Brian Gavin is a variation of the traditional six prong solitaire, it features a more elegant prong structure that gives the ring a little more flair and has a ring shank which is flat on the inside and rounded on the outside. The ring is also available with a knife edge style shank, which has an outer edge which extends out to a point; and with a tapered ring shank that measures around 2 mm at the base of the prongs and tapers down to about 1.8 mm at the bottom of the ring. Every variation of this classic style solitaire is available in a variety of metals including 18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, and platinum, to fit a variety of stone sizes.
Cathedral Solitaire Style Engagement Rings:
Cathedral solitaire style engagement rings like the 14k Rose Gold Cathedral from Brian Gavin pictured to the left, present diamond buyers with another variation of the solitaire which incorporates an A-frame structure into the ring shank so that the outer edges of the ring rise up on two sides of the center stone. We offer this ring style in a variety of metals, including 14k Rose gold, which is enjoying resurgence in popularity. Rose gold looks amazing with diamonds of all colors, but looks especially good with diamonds of warmer hues because of the softer, warmer appearance of the pink gold color. It also looks amazing with a variety of colored gems, especially those with deep pink, red and purple undertones, such as rubies, garnets, topaz, etc.
There is a recent trend which I want to mention that softly bends the rules of what constitutes a “solitaire style engagement ring” and that is the practice of setting a “secret stone” which is tucked away under the prong structure of the ring as with our Ashleigh Cathedral Solitaire, which is pictured to the left in 18k yellow gold. In this instance, the accent diamonds are not readily visible and thus the ring style is still considered by most people within the industry to be a solitaire style setting with an elegant twist. We’ve noticed that a lot of our clients seem to really like the concept of a hidden surprise stone, which makes the Ashleigh Cathedral an excellent choice!
Bezel Set Solitaire Style Engagement Ring:
Bezel set solitaire style engagement rings are another popular option, especially for people who work in the medical field where the prongs which traditionally hold a diamond have a tendency to stick up and tear the gloves which they wear throughout the course of their day. There are several ways to bezel set a diamond, the ring pictured to the left shows a Full Bezel Set Diamond from Brian Gavin, the metal which holds the diamond in-place, goes all the way around the girdle edge of the diamond. It is also possible to set the stone in a half bezel solitaire which covers only half the outer edge of the stone, leaving half the girdle edge exposed and creating an interesting design line.
