Engagement Ring Setting

What Is an Engagement Ring Setting?

Setting refers to how gemstones are set, or mounted, into a metal band. The ring setting is meant to highlight the beauty of an engagement diamond. Style refers to the overall design aesthetic that the ring setting helps create—whether it be solitaire, halo or three stone.

What Is the Tiffany® Setting?

Introduced in 1886, the Tiffany® Setting set the standard for the engagement ring as we know it today. This iconic design features a round brilliant-cut diamond in a six-prong setting that lifts the diamond above the band and into the light, maximising the stone’s brilliance. All Tiffany® Setting diamonds feature a triple excellent cut, the highest grade in the industry.

Tiffany & Co. Solitaire Engagement Rings

What Is a Solitaire Engagement Ring?

Honouring its namesake, the solitaire setting showcases a single, stunning diamond. Popularised around the world after the debut of the Tiffany® Setting, solitaire engagement rings highlight the beauty of an engagement diamond. While the round brilliant diamond is the most popular stone for solitaire engagement rings, any diamond shape is a beautiful centrepiece in this classic setting.

 

What Is a Halo Engagement Ring?

The halo setting features a dazzling centre stone surrounded by a luminous circle of smaller diamonds. This is a popular style because the diamond halo maximises the visual impact of the centre stone. Tiffany halo engagement ring settings feature a range of diamond shapes encircled by a single or double halo of white or pink diamonds.

 

Tiffany & Co. Halo Engagement Rings

Prong Setting

The most common type of engagement ring setting, the prong setting features slim metal arms that securely cradle the diamond at the girdle. Each prong is carefully tapered and angled against the diamond’s bezel facets. Popularised by the iconic Tiffany® Setting engagement ring, the prong setting lifts the stone high above the band, allowing light to enter and exit the diamond from all angles for maximum brilliance, fire and sparkle.

Tiffany & Co. Prong Setting
Tiffany & Co. Bead Setting

Bead Setting

In a bead setting, small round pieces of metal are raised from the surface and used as prongs to secure each gemstone. This setting often features accent stones on the band. Because the metal beads reflect light, Tiffany engagement rings with bead-set diamond bands emit an extraordinary sparkle when worn.

 

Pavé Setting

Derived from the French word for “pavement,” pavé is a type of bead setting in which adjacent gemstones share a bead. In the pavé setting, the surface appears to be paved with diamonds set closely together. Tiffany engagement rings with a pavé diamond band feature three to six beads to secure each gemstone. This popular setting is a perfect choice for the wearer who desires a little extra sparkle.

 

Tiffany & Co. Pavé Setting
Tiffany & Co. Channel Setting

Channel Setting

The channel setting features diamonds set within two parallel walls of metal inside the band. At Tiffany, the spacing between channel-set stones can be no wider than a sheet of paper. Durable and stylish, channel-set engagement rings and wedding bands are prized for their seamless flow of light.

 

Cathedral Setting

The cathedral setting adds height and elegance to an engagement ring. The shank of the ring curves upwards to resemble the tall, graceful arches of a cathedral, elevating the centre stone above the band. The cathedral engagement setting is perfect for those who prefer a traditional style with a high setting.

 

Tiffany & Co. Cathedral Setting
Tiffany & Co. Burnish Setting

Burnish Setting

In a burnish setting, stones are nestled in hollows within the band and secured in place by burnishing, or pressing, the metal to cover each gem’s girdle. This setting protects each gemstone by positioning it at or below the metal’s surface.