There's a lot to think about when you're getting engaged, but the first thing that comes to mind for many people is the engagement ring. You want your ring to be truly reflective of your personality, and you'll need to consider the gemstone, the cut, the metal, and the band setting — all that for just one ring. Because everything works together — a band can complement a gemstone, and vice versa — it's helpful to explore all your options so you can create a beautiful, cohesive ring that's perfect for you. As exciting as they are, engagement rings can be a little overwhelming, which is why we've compiled all of the setting options ahead. If you haven't decided on a gemstone yet, choosing your favourite setting can be a great place to start.
Engagement Rings Styles and Settings
13 Popular Engagement-Ring Settings and What They All Mean
The prong setting is the most common and popular engagement-ring setting. It usually features three to six small metal prongs that secure the centre stone to the band.
Tiffany & Co. developed a specific six-prong setting to maximise the light on the diamond. While every Tiffany setting is a prong setting, not every prong setting is a Tiffany.
Just like it sounds, the three-stone setting features three centre stones. Typically the middle stone is a large diamond, flanked by two smaller diamonds or other gems.
Pavé comes from the French word "to pave," because in a pavé setting, the band of the ring appears paved with diamonds. For the pavé setting, smaller stones encircle the entire band.
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Similar to the pavé setting, the channel setting features smaller diamonds all the way, or some of the way, around the band. In the channel setting, the diamonds are enclosed by thin layers of metal, known as the channels. Because the stones are enclosed by metal, this setting isn't as likely to snag — however, it can be more difficult to clean.
The tension setting uses opposing directions of pressure to hold a stone so it appears suspended in place, almost like an optical illusion. This style gives the centre stone extra sparkle because of its minimal coverage.
A bezel setting features a metal rim that protects the perimeter of the gemstone and only exposes the crown, or the top. Its modern look, durability, and compatibility with an active lifestyle (no snags!) make it a popular choice of ring setting.
Named for its tall, graceful arches, the cathedral setting elevates the centre stone off the band. This setting offers lots of variety, as the centre stone can be set with prongs, bezel, or tension — as long as it's elevated from the band, it's still considered a cathedral setting.
In the burnish setting, smaller stones are nestled within hollows in the ring's band. It's similar to the bezel setting, but the stones are completely flush with the metal, which makes them well-protected. This style is also referred to as a flush or gypsy setting.
In the halo setting, the centre stone is surrounded by smaller stones. This adds sparkle and draws more attention to the centre stone, and some jewelers suggest it as a way to make a smaller centre stone seem larger.
The shank refers to the metal band of the ring that encircles your finger. So in the split-shank setting, the band splits into two bands at the top half of the ring. This style has some similarities to the cathedral setting, except the entire band is splitting, and it doesn't elevate the stone as much.
Designed to symbolize everlasting love, the infinity setting features two intertwined bands designed in an infinity-sign pattern. The bands can cross once or multiple times for a beautiful, symbolic ring.
The cluster setting places multiple smaller stones together in the centre of the ring to resemble one larger centre stone. This look adds dimension and texture, can be customised to form a certain shape, and offers a lower-cost option with the same big impact as a single large stone.