Prong Setting

Multiple metal prongs hold the stone in place is a prong setting. The prongs sit above the main portion of the ring and are bent over the top of the stone to secure it. The shape and height of the stone determine the number of prongs used.

Bezel Setting

A stone is held in place by a bezel setting that uses a thin band of metal and surrounds the stone at its girdle, or middle. Depending on the style and desired look of the stone, the bezel setting may completely or partially surround the stone.

The middle and bottom (pavilion) portions of the stone are then protected by the setting.

Cluster Setting

Several stones are bunched together when mounted to create a cluster effect. It is common for this setting to have one large stone in the middle surrounded by several smaller ones.

Channel Setting

Two bands of metal that may be made of gold, platinum, or another metal secure the stone in a channel setting, with no metal separating the stones. The girdle area of the stone is securely protected, and small stones are cautiously secured through use of the channel setting. Stones held in place by the channel setting are flush with the top of the mounting to prevent them from getting snagged on objects such as clothing or hair.

Bar Setting

The bar setting is much like the channel setting. It is usually used in circular bands and uses a thin piece of metal to secure the stones on either side so that each piece of metal has a stone on both sides of it.

Pavé Setting

Diamonds fit into small divots and are set almost flush with the top of the ring in a pavé setting. The diamonds are typically aligned in rows, with no metal between them. This gives the diamonds a paved look similar to a cobblestone road.

Tiffany Setting

Originally created by the founder of Tiffany & Co. in 1886, the four to six prong Tiffany setting is extremely popular in wedding rings. The brilliance of the stone is maximized with the prong setting. It allows for the most light to come into the diamond from all directions. Additional security is provided through the use of six prongs.

Shape

Stones can be any one of seven shapes. These shapes include marquise, princess, heart, emerald, pear, oval, and round (also named full-cut or brilliant). The shape one would choose would be of his/her own personal preference. The shape of a stone and the cut are not the same thing, so be careful not to use the terms interchangeably. The cut, as previously mentioned, is one of the 4C's of a diamond's evaluation of proportions.

Many other shapes of stones are also available to project extreme brilliance and fire. The cutter's choice of the shape or diamond cuts he selects is the only variation of the various stone shapes.

The originally mined diamond has a different shape from the final diamond cuts we see in the market. In a process called marking, the roughs are looked-over by a planner who decides how to cut the stone. The planner makes the decision based on how the greatest size, fewest inclusions, and highest brilliance can result.

Most importantly, the planner chooses a technique to cut the diamond without wasting a large amount of it because of the incredible value of the stone.