Engagement rings gallery

The purchase and selection of engagement rings is always a very emotional time. Most men purchasing rings or most couples looking at engagement rings look only at the overall appearance of the ring, not necessarily as to the exact way that the stone is attached to the ring itself. Keep in mind that diamond engagement rings are going to be exposed to a lot of wear and tear, so finding one that is beautiful but also well constructed is going to be important over the long run.

Mountings or settings are the parts of the ring that hold the diamonds into the bands on engagement rings. Some mountings or settings are very visible and are part of the ring design while others are almost impossible to detect. Either option is great, it is just important to understand the differences when selecting a ring.

Prong settings are typically more closely aligned with the barely noticeable types of engagement ring settings. The simple gold, white gold or platinum hooks are most typically used with solitaire stones, stones in groups or large sized diamonds. These prongs are located at the edges of the diamond and actually hook over the surface, pulling the diamond into the setting and holding it secure. Engagement rings with prong settings are by far the most common.

Engagement rings will have different number of prongs depending on several factors. Generally there will be a prong at each corner on shaped diamonds but there may also be others down the length of the diamond.

Shaped diamonds such as hearts, pear shapes or marquis diamonds will have evenly distributed prongs on the ends and sides. Typically most engagement rings will have four to six prongs for each diamond.

Prongs serve to both provide security to the diamond but also to lift or elevate it off the band itself. This focuses attention on the diamond plus it also allows more light to enter into the gem. Engagement rings with raised diamonds will really sparkle and shine with movement of the hand.

To minimize the number of prongs and increase the area where light can enter into the setting and the diamond, jewelers use a variety of prong styles. V-shaped prongs are used on corners of diamonds in engagement rings to minimize the number of prongs and maximum light area.

Prongs can wear or become loose over time so routine, yearly inspection of engagement rings is highly recommended. A jeweler can easily repair the prongs that are damaged, preventing the risk of loosing the diamonds from damaged engagement rings.

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