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Centre Stone Setting Styles

 

Your Forever Piece, Set In Style

 

What Is A Prong/ Claw Setting?

The term ‘Prong’ is utilised by American jewellery retailers and ‘Claw’ within the U.K jewellery sector. Prong or claw settings are the most common and popular way to show off your gemstone. The claw grips the stone around its girdle and hold it securely into place whilst showing off as much of the gemstone as practically possible, raising it above the shank becoming the focal point of your engagement ring. This setting is perfect for a delicate design piece.

 

4 Prongs/ Claw

Many engagement rings favour the classic 4 claw setting style. Adaptable to any gemstone shape or size, the 4 claws offer the most visibility of the gemstone without compromising the security. Some would argue a round stone with 4 claws can give off the illusion of the gemstone looking squarer. Maximising visibility of your gemstone allows your gemstone to be the centre of attention and for a high-performance diamond to truly show off its beauty.

 

6 Prongs/ Claw

Having your gemstone, especially round cut and set in in 6 claws, creates a more rounded shape around the stone with commonly smaller prongs evenly spread around the girdle of the gemstone. If security of the gemstone, especially in a larger size, is a main concern then having 6 claws around the stone will provide more support but as a result the visibility of the stone will be somewhat compromised in comparison.

 

 

 

Double Prong/ Claw

Having a double claw setting (based upon the 4 claw frame) creates a more ‘antique’ looking setting for your gemstone. Adaptable for all shapes, double claws are a great compromise if you are torn between aesthetics and security. The genuinely smaller claws are nestled closely next to each other allowing a lot of the stone to be visible meaning your high-performance diamonds can excel, whilst securing the gemstone firmly. This is a common choice for a larger gemstone.

Bezel/ Rub Set

For someone with a practical lifestyle, the bezel set gemstone could be the perfect choice. Adaptable for any gemstone shape, the bezel setting perfectly encases the stone within a wall of metal protecting the vulnerable girdle. The security of your gemstone is maximised along with visibly enlarging the stone. For a softer gemstone such as, Emerald or Opal, setting in a bezel style setting protects a majority of the stone which allows to wearer to be confident in wearing the piece on a daily basis. Without claws to catch onto some fabrics the bezel setting is the most secure way to hold your gemstone. Surrounding your gemstone in a wall of metal will increase the weight of the piece; a larger stone will need more metal to create a bezel setting therefore, increasing the overall price of the piece.

 

Partial Bezel/Rub Set

The advantage of the half bezel/rub setting is that it does not cover the entire stone like the full bezel, only partially. This allows part of the gemstone to be visible to the eye while still ensuring the majority of the stone is secure. For a style of ring where claws are not the ideal requirement and security is, a partial bezel setting is a great choice if you would still like to have the gemstone on show as much as possible. Having a partial bezel setting will bring down the weight of the setting in comparison to a full bezel setting, therefore lowering the price of the metal and overall piece.

Rex/ Crown

The style of the Rex setting is based upon the design of a crown. The name Rex comes from the Latin for ‘King’, raising your gemstone above the shank of your ring as the centre of attention. The setting style is instantly recognisable with 6-8 claws usually tapering from the top downwards toward the finger, even spaced around your gemstone firmly encasing the stone. Its unique design is very popular with designs of a more vintage look, often matched with a tapering shank.

Decorative

Adaptations of the rex/crown collet have becoming increasingly popular within the more contemporary designed pieces. Collets that represent a floral inspired design have also been used to set gemstones in engagement rings. The strength that the common 6 claw design enables, allows decorated designs to be created without compromising the security of the stone.

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