Thanks to Archduke Maximillian of Austria, diamond rings became synonymous with getting engaged around 1477. The European aristocrats took pride in wearing diamonds as a sign of nobility and designed ornate rings that were commonly set with other gemstones, precious metals, and on occasion, enamels. Through the years, the trends and styles have varied from Victorian, art deco, traditional, contemporary, and unique. But one style is relentless in popularity: The Solitaire.
Solitaires have proven to be one of the most timeless settings of them all for several reasons.
Solitaire settings will flatter every center stone. The straight sides of a solitaire ring encircle the ring finger and lead the eyes straight toward their meeting point at the center. No matter if it’s a round, princess, emerald, marquise, or oval, the center stone will always remain the focus.
Personalization of a solitaire isn’t uncommon. Although they’ve lasted through the ages, the traditional solitaire has the potential to remain classic, yet unique in design with subtle style variations:
BANDS
Traditional – A four or six-prong head will sit atop a 2-3mm rounded band.
Knife-Edge – Similar to a traditional solitaire, a knife-edge will feature a band that is raised, almost to a point, in the center.
Tapered – The band gradually decreases in size and tapers to a point as it nears the resting place of the center stone.
Flat – A four or six-prong head will sit atop a band that has been flattened and may range anywhere between 2-7mm.
Cathedral – This solitaire looks most like a traditional style but the band raises up and meets the sides of the mounting where the center stone rests.
HEADS
4-Prong – One of the most common choices for solitaires with one prong covering each side of a diamond.
6-Prong – Due to the two extra prongs, some couples prefer a six-prong head to keep their center stone extra secure.
Basket – A basket mounting allows the diamond to sit slightly higher and for more light to brighten the appearance of the diamond. This style head may also be recommended for security, when setting certain fancy shape center stones.
Die-Struck/Peg – This style head is great for those who may want to change their size or shape of center stone down the road but prefer to keep their original setting, as it can be easily removed and replaced by a skilled jeweler!
Claw – Typically found as a 4-prong style, this head features prongs whose ends taper to a point, thus giving them the “claw” look that the head is named after.
V-Tip – This is the best setting for any center stone that has a pointed edge because it protects the tip of the diamond’s edge (i.e. Princess, Pear, and Marquise).
PRECIOUS METALS
While platinum and 14K are the top two choices of precious metals, solitaires are also available in 10K and 18K. The choice, along with your desired color (white, rose, or yellow), is completely yours! You could also combine precious metals for a truly unique look.
Nonetheless, there’s always the option to add that little “extra” to a timeless classic!
Diamond shoulders, engraving along the sides of the band, a platinum head (see our previous post about platinum), and peek-a-boo stones are also great ways to make sure your solitaire stands out from the crowd!
