5 Top Engagement Ring Styles

When it comes to choosing a diamond engagement ring for your special someone, you can’t be too careful. It is, after all, an enduring symbol of your love and devotion – and it has to be done right. But before you buy the first engagement ring you come across (and, God forbid, end up making a big mistake), you first have to know what your choices are. Here, then, is a closer look at the five top engagement ring styles.

The Tiffany style

The Tiffany style engagement ring is perhaps the most popular style in the world. You can easily distinguish a Tiffany style diamond engagement ring simply because one single brilliant diamond is raised on the ring and held by several delicate prongs, often a total of six prongs (sometimes four). The Tiffany style is arguably the most popular because it is designed to show off the diamond for all the world to see. The focus is on the stone – and the stone alone.

 The Pave Style

Another popular style of diamond engagement ring is one with a central diamond with smaller diamonds or stones on the band either side of the central diamond – called a pave (pronounced ‘pa-vay’) setting. These are also referred to as rings with ‘diamond shoulders’, which help accentuate the beauty of the stone in the centre. If you want a more dramatic and stunning effect for your engagement ring, a diamond ring in a pave setting is definitely for you. One other aspect about pave styles is that they are great if the central stone is not that big – the smaller diamonds on the sides make the central stone look bigger.

The channel setting

The channel style or setting is similar to the pave style because the central stone is surrounded on both sides or ‘shoulders’ with smaller stones – the only difference is that the smaller stones are set in a ‘channel’ on the sides, which allows the stones to be more imbedded and flush with the ring’s shank rather than jutting out.

The halo setting

The halo setting is also quite popular, and it gives engagement rings a unique look. What differentiates the halo setting from other engagement ring styles is the design: there is a central diamond surrounded by a circle (or square, depending on the central stone’s shape) of smaller stones – thus, the ‘halo’ effect. The halo setting is also ideal for smaller central stones, as the stones surrounding the middle stone will also make the centre stone look bigger. If you want, you can even go for different-coloured stones circling the central stone.

The cathedral setting

Yet another popular style or setting is the cathedral setting, which can be distinguished by the cathedral-like look of its prongs. The prongs are styled as arches, holding the diamond in place whilst giving the ring an elegant look (and extra height) as well.