Mounting Diamond Wedding Bands Part I

Ring bands are a design in themselves, but they usually complemented with gemstones for more elaborate designs. Gemstones include garnets, rubies, sapphires’, but most of the time, the eternal stone – diamonds are used.

Diamonds look exquisite, powerful and strong. Especially when used for a men’s ring band, diamonds, as compared to other gemstones, are most suitable.

Prong Setting

The diamond is set in a basket and secured with three or more prongs or claws. It is the most popular setting used with solitaire diamonds as the prong setting exposes the most area of the diamond for light to enter, making the stone sparkle.

The design of the prong is such that large diamonds will sit securely in the setting, but for smaller diamonds, the prong may appear much larger than the diamond itself, thus overshadowing the stone. If very small or thin prongs are used for setting small diamonds, the prongs may be easily bent or twisted, causing the diamond to fall off. Prong settings are also prone to catching hair or clothing due to its claw design.

Bar Setting

The bar setting is similar to the prong setting. Like the prong setting, the diamond is set within a basket and secured. But instead of using claws, the prongs appear as long straight bars to hold the stone in place.

Like prong settings, bar settings can be prone to damage if designed too thinly and can catch hair and clothing.

Bezel Setting

A bezel setting is a circular band that wraps the diamond onto the ring band. Because the diamond sits nearly fully in the ring band or the setting, the bezel is very secure. It provides good protection to the stone and is very durable.

Bezel settings may make a diamond look bigger because of its accentuated circumference; it may also be used to cover up minor flaws on the sides of the diamond. Bezel settings are smooth and will not catch hair or clothing like prong or bar setting. However, bezel settings are more expensive than prong or bar settings.

Continue to read more on Mounting Diamond Bands - Part II