Engagement Ring Settings: Understanding Your Choices

Once the diamond has been decided, the setting becomes very important. After all, the setting is what shows the diamond to its best effect. Even though the stone accounts for about 90% of the cost of a ring, it’s the setting that makes the difference in its appearance on the hand.

There are many choices in settings, so here is a quick explanation of the most popular pieces and some tips to consider.

Wedding ring sets

Keep in mind that eventually this engagement ring will also have another wedding band with it. This means you need to decide whether you want to stack the two or pick a setting that allows the engagement ring to rest as part of the wedding band. One way to solve this problem is to buy your rings as part of a set, rather than searching for the wedding bands after the engagement ring has been purchased.

Metal, metal, metal

Consider which metal you want for the bands. While gold is always popular, platinum is certainly luxurious, though it will sit heavier on the hand. You will also need to decide whether you want the stone to be mounted with prongs, tension or bezel settings. A bezel setting will rim the stone with a protective circle, usually metal or perhaps smaller diamonds. Prongs are very popular, though they do expose the base of the stone, causing the ring to get caught in the hair or on clothing, possibly damaging the setting. Tension embeds the stone into the setting and is very popular in men’s rings.

Each of these settings offers a different look, so it is worth it to explore online and see which of these settings is also more visually appealing.