Design Vocabulary

If you’ve had a design consult with me you know that I use a lot of technical terms to talk about jewelry and the process of designing it. So I’m here to demystify the vocabulary of designing a ring.

Design Terms I’m definitely going to ask you to consider |

As it pertains to stones….

Most consults begin discussing what, if any, gemstones you want incorporated into the design. When talking about the world of faceted stones there is a lot to consider in terms of both cut and shape (and yes those are different things).

The first factor in selecting a stone is the cut. There are two main categories of faceted stones. Rose Cuts gets their name because the wide facets resemble the unfurling petals of a rose bud. They are characterized by a wide flat base and anywhere from 3-24 facets- often triangular in shape- across the top of the stone. Full cuts, or more commonly known as brilliant cuts, are what most folks think of when picturing a faceted stone. They have that peaked bottom set of facets, giving the stone its sparkle and height.

Rose Cuts:

• Super unique, lends themselves to a more antique feel
• They have the tendency to show off any interesting inclusions (see salt & pepper diamonds) or coloring (specifically the water color effect Montana sapphires can have) because they are more flat and have wider facets
• Rose cuts tend to look bigger to the eye for the same carat weight, because the full weight is spread out for the whole eye to take in
• Great if you are looking for a low profile piece- the flat bottom creates a low to the finger composition
• Popularized in the Georgian Era (1700’s) they were cut to sparkle in candlelight

Full Cuts

• Cut for maximum brilliance - the peaked bottom is faceted to refract light back up at you, creating the sparkly effect

• The bottom facets create a taller stone- there are ways to mitigate height with the setting but this is an important wearability factor

So we’ve landed on a preference of cut, the next big question is shape- and yes they are very different. Shape refers to the actual outline of the stone- round, pear, marquise, emerald, etc. You can have a full cut round OR a rose cut round, so the distinction is important.

Something else to consider when selection any stone is size, or carat weight. Most stones are measured in carats, but that can be a foreign concept as it relates to what it actually looks like to most folks. While carat weight is a consideration, and some clients find that a particular weight is important to them, I typically frame the question in terms of proportion- to your finger and also the rest of the design. In this case we usually talk in terms of millimeters. Across the board, a larger carat size means a higher price- no matter the stone.

Color and clarity- as they relate to diamonds, are the final C’s of the Four C’s of selecting a diamond (Cut, Carat, Color, Clarity). Color is measured on a spectrum of white to warm/yellow for conventionally white diamonds, using a letter scale. Clarity is outlined across another spectrum, from IF (internally flawless) to I3 (noticeable inclusions to the naked eye). All of these factors when played off one another affect pricing. Colored stones also use factors like cut, color, clarity, and carat weight too.

As it pertains to design….

We’ve selected a stone- or perhaps we’re starting with design, and letting that dictate the stone choice, either way- there’s a lot to dig into here.

Full Halo: Exactly as it sounds- the accent stones fully surround the center stone. The options for shape and setting style are somewhat endless.

Partial Halo: The halo only encompasses a portion of the center stone. The partial halo can fall above the stone, or to the side, depending on preference.

East/West (E/W): The longer side of the stone is parallel with the axis of the band. This can feel modern and unexpected.

North/South (N/S): The long side of the stone is perpendicular to the axis of the stone. A classic orientation, this can help elongate the design.

Setting Style | There are two main categories of setting style for center stones, and most accent stones. Obviously therein you can have endless variation, but let’s start here.

Bezel: I like to refer to these as frames. They fully encompass a stone, creating a seamless border. These are inherently lower profile, with no prongs to potentially catch on loose knit clothing. I love these when used with geo-shaped stones or anything with corners, as it really accentuates the shape. These do allow less light in, a larger factor with colored stones than diamonds.

Prong: The quintessential engagement ring setting. You can have anywhere from three to eight prongs, depending on the design and size and shape of the stone. Prongs are a great option for colored stones, allowing more light into the stone to really show off the color. These do carry a bit more maintenance, it is a best practice to have prongs inspected as often as yearly to ensure everything is tight and secure.

Three Stone Ring: A super classic style typically tied to the Georgian through Victorian Era’s, and re-popularized in the 1930’s. The three stones tell the story of a couple’s past present and future, with the largest center stone symbolizing their present.