Jewelry Education
Anatomy of a Ring
Ring Styles
Solitaire settings are great if you have a stunning singular stone that has been passed down through the generations as an heirloom; many choose to display it in a classic Solitaire setting. This setting generally allows for the maximum amount of sparkle by allowing light to pass in through the bottom sections of the ring.
Solitaire
Channel settings are perfect for those people who are a little bit rougher with their jewelry because there are no prongs holding in the diamonds. The gold walls that make up the channel hold the diamonds in place, so this is one of the more secure styles of setting diamonds.
Channel
Bezel
Three Stone settings have grown in popularity recently and contain a gem on either side of the main stone. A differentiating factor from side-stone is that the three stone tends to be made up of three similarly cut and sized stones
Three-Stone
Pave
Vintage Inspired
Prong
Halo
Split Shank
Ring Settings
In a prong setting, metal prongs are used to hold up the diamond, securing it while allowing light to freely pass through. Most commonly, settings usually have either 4 prongs or 6 prongs, which can be rounded, pointed, v-shaped or flat. Prong settings are a great way to amplify the qualities of a beautiful diamond. The prongs allow a lot of light to pass through, elevating the fire and brilliance given off by the diamond.
Choosing the right number of prongs will call for some self-reflection. Four prongs mean that there is less metal on the diamond, creating better visibility for the center stone. However, they don’t hold the diamond as securely as six prongs, whereas six prongs offer better security for the diamond, giving it greater protection if it’s bumped into. However, the greater number of prongs can easily overshadow small diamonds of half a carat or less. If there is any drawback of the prong setting, it is durability. Prong settings hold the diamond quite high, which makes it easier to bump into things, or get caught on material. If the ring’s wearer has an active lifestyle, or has a career that involves putting on and taking off gloves regularly, and you feel this may be a concern, consider lower-set prongs or an alternative setting.
Prong settings can also loosen over time, causing the diamond to be less secure, so it’s important to have prong set rings inspected and maintained regularly.
A bezel setting is popular for engagement rings as it offers a modern, simple look. One of the most significant advantages of the bezel setting is how secure the stone will remain within it. The metal wraps around the gemstone or diamond-like an embrace, making removing it almost impossible without damaging the setting or the stone itself. This setting makes it ideal for those who are active and may expose their ring to more wear and tear than usual. This simple and modern style works with any style of diamond or gemstone, making them highly versatile. They offer a modern look that is perfect for those who want their engagement ring to stand out from the crowd.
However, there are also some disadvantages to consider before purchasing an engagement ring with a bezel setting. The downside of having such a secure and low-profile setting is that it can reduce the visibility of your diamond/gemstone. It can also make cleaning more difficult as dirt and debris may accumulate between the metal and stone.
Channel/Bar your center stone secures the diamond on two sides with vertical metal bars, leaving ample space for light to pass through the diamonds. While bar settings are similar to channel settings, they leave the diamond exposed on two sides, offering more visibility to the diamond, while providing additional sparkle because the stone is more exposed. One con to keep in mind is that resizing can be costly and even challenging.
Understanding Gold
Pure Gold:
Let’s start by understanding what we mean when we speak about “Pure Gold”. Pure Gold is 100% gold, unmixed with any other element. Pure Gold is also commonly referred to as 24 karat gold (or 24K gold). Pure Gold is beautiful and rare. It is also relatively soft. In order to make jewelry that is hard and durable it must be mixed with other metals such as silver and copper. Higher karat means greater percentage of gold. The “Karat” is the unit that is used to measure how much gold is in a piece of jewelry relative to the other metals that are present. A higher karat means more gold in your jewelry. You can see from the image below that 18K Gold contains 75% gold, while 9K gold contains half that amount. The karat of gold primarily used in the North America is 14K and 18K, but in other places around the world you’ll find different. Typically in Asian countries you will find primarily 22K, whereas European countries tend to us 18K, although England and Germany have been known to utilize 9K gold.
White Gold:
- To make “white gold” jewelry, pure gold is mixed with white metals such as silver and palladium. The karat of white gold follows the same pattern as yellow gold, with 18K white gold containing 75% gold, 14K white gold containing 58%, and 10K contains 42%.
- The key to White Gold is Rhodium-plating. Remember, pure gold is a deep yellow color, and even when it is mixed with white metals it’s natural color has a yellow hue and needs an extra kick to make it a bright white color. To give white gold a real shine, the jewelry is coated with a very white precious metal called Rhodium.
- Caring for your White Gold jewelry. It is important to note that Rhodium-plating will wear off over time, allowing the true color of the white gold to be seen. How long will this process take? That depends on how often you wear the jewelry, and how hard you wear it! The good news is that Rhodium-plating can be done easily, and it is relatively inexpensive. To keep your white gold jewelry shining bright, we recommend that you have your piece Rodium-plated periodically.
What is Rose Gold?
Rose gold is very similar to yellow gold, with the exception that a greater proportion of copper is used in the alloy to bring out a red or “rosy” color. Again, 18K rose gold contains 75% gold, 14K contains 58%, and 10K contains 42%.
Platinum – How to determine quality.
The purity of platinum is not expressed in Karats, but in parts of thousands. Pure platinum is 1000 of 1000 parts pure, whereas the most common alloy used in India is 950/1000 parts pure. Expressed in percentage, this equals a purity of 95%..
