Introduction to Engagement Ring Settings
The entire idea of the engagement ring goes back to the Ancient Egypt, where everyone believed that the ring stood for the never-ending love between two persons, materialized later in marriage. The thirteenth century Western cultures came up with a new interpretation of the engagement rings, while the brides only took them serious in 6 centuries later. Nowadays, more than eighty percent of the women all around the world have diamond rings.
Tradition
This type of ring is put on the ring finger from the left hand. This is because the ancient Egyptians believed that this finger had a vein connected to the heart. On the other hand, the Romans saw the engagement ring as a symbol of ownership. However, the ring has remained a sign of equal partnership and a commitment of long-lasting love.
When it comes to jewelry, there are various terms, such as band or gemstone that are very popular to the regular people. However, terms like settings are still new to the inexperienced shoppers.
Further on you will discover what a setting is and what type suits your needs better:
Seven Categories of Ring Settings
There are 7 kinds of ring settings: bezel, tension, prong, bar, channel, gypsy and pave. Every single one offers a unique look and it has both benefits and disadvantages.
Bezel
The bezel settings are made of metal edges which surround the gemstone. This means that the setting will keep the stone fixed, create a smoother surface on the ring and cover any flaws that might appear on the stone. A bezel setting can also create the impression of bigger stone, but at the same time can modify the color of the stone in a particular manner.
Tension
This setting gives the impression that the gem floats in the band while it is compressed by the 2 ends of the metal ring. This offers a great view, but only the hard stones (rubies or diamonds) can remain intact while dealing with the pressure exercised. The benefit of this setting is the great amount of light sent towards the stone. The bad news is that the ring is harder to resize in case you change your mind and repairs can only be done at the manufacturer. In addition to this, the stone also has less protection than in similar cases.
Prong
This is the most popular kind of setting. It has approximately 3-6 prongs (those appendages looking like a real claw) which hold the stone in one place. There are other smaller categories to this setting: flat, pointed, rounded or V-shaped. Every one of the mini-settings mentioned above corresponds to a certain stone shape. For example, the pear-shaped, heart and marquise stones are perfect for the V-shaped prong. The emerald stones go great with flat prongs. Using a large number of prongs can assure that the stones remain in one place, but make sure you don't use too many to overshadow the tinier stone. Among the advantages offered by the prong setting we can include low costs, light exposure, easy cleaning and perfect protection for fragile stones. Some downsides to this setting are the clingy features (they always get caught in the hair or on clothes) and the possibility to scratch the person wearing them.
Channel
This setting is represented by the wedging of 2 rows of metal. There is no metal separation between the stones, but a channel of stones is created in the band of the engagement ring. The gems can be square (more expensive) or round. The channel setting secures the stones and at the same time it creates a very smooth surface of stones on the band. Remember that this setting is not suitable for fragile stones (opals or emeralds) and it makes resizing a ring very complicated.
Bar
This setting is very similar to the channel setting. The only difference is that it does not use very thin vertical bars of metal to get the stones in one place. This setting makes any ring look classic and modern at the same time, while leaving the surface of the ring untouched. The only bad thing about it is that some might consider it to be a tad uncomfortable.
Gypsy
This setting is more popular among men. In this case, the stone is located into the metal of the band. This will prevent the stone from protruding into the setting. Some of the benefits that recommend this setting are represented by the fact that the stones are placed in a very secure manner, while any flaws that the stones might have are being hidden. The only bad thing is that this type of setting is quite difficult to create and costs a bit more than the normal settings. It is also a viable suggestion for the fragile stones.
Pave
It pronunciation is "pah-vay" and it includes 2 or 3 rows of tiny stones that are placed into the ring. The rows mentioned above are leveled with the surface and the metal of this ring is raised a bit in order to prevent the gems from falling. When using this setting, your ring will look bigger and the diamonds will seem to come in a larger number. Just try to remember that the surface of this setting is not quite smooth, which means that gems (except diamonds) are not recommended. They also lack in terms of security.
Do not miss the opportunity to create yourself a unique image. Choose a piece of jewelry and adapt it to your everyday wear. This way you can get yourself a fantastic and special style.
One thing you should never forget is that you have all the time in the world to create your unique image. So experiment and take your time! You will love the final result!
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Introduction to Engagement Ring Settings
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