Laura with Romance Diamond Co. of Fayetteville has your jewelry cheat sheet right here! Many brides know what rings they like but can’t articulate the design elements to their boyfriends or jewelers. That’s where Laura’s expertise comes in. She’s going to teach us the lingo … the jewelry industry terms we need to know from start to finish. Beginning with the engagement ring, of course! This is part one of her three part series that’ll help you communicate and find the jewels your really want, start to finish. Make sure to take notes… ๐
After you’ve found the man you want to spend your life with, the shopping begins for the ring you really want to spend the rest of your life with. We all hurdle obstacles in our search for the perfect man, and the same goes for our search for the perfect engagement ring.
First, you need to find a jeweler who understands what it is that you want. But before you can do that, you need to learn the jewelry terms you’ll be introduced to, because when discussing what you like, you want to make sure you are getting across the design features of a ring you like – or one you dislike. For that, you’ll need to master some of the jewelry terms from the industry. Halo, split shank, micro pave, and shared prong, are just a few of the words you will hear that describe different mountings for engagement rings.
Peruse the photos above as we accessorize your everyday vocabulary with a few simple jewelry terms, so that when you begin to shop for the style of engagement ring you like, you’ll be sure to get what you really want!
(Example Photo #1) Ring by Armadani. This ring has what is referred to as a “halo” around the round center stone. This design enhances the center stone by dressing it up and gives the center stone a larger appearance.
Now let’s build onto your knowledge by introducing the term “split shank” (see Example Photo #2). Although it is somewhat self explanatory, it’s a little difficult to visualize. This J.B. Star ring (shown from three different angles) has both a halo and a split shank. It also has a feature known as “micro pave” set diamonds. Notice how there are many small stones that begin around the halo and flow down the mounting. The design feature is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process of setting each diamond by hand using a microscope. This greatly increases the value of a mounting.
Another option to think about when looking for exactly what you want is to explore the look of a “shared prong” mounting (see Example Photo #3). Below you see our mounting by Gonshor. Each diamond is held in place by a prong on either side allowing you to see each diamond individually.
There are many terms in the industry to describe different design features, but now that you’ve learned about halos, split shanks, micro pave and shared prongs, you will have a head start in understanding what you like and communicating it to your fiancé and jeweler. And you know what that means?! You’re on the way to getting what you really want, from start to finish!
If you have any questions feel free to call us at Romance Diamond Co. at (479) 443-9289.
