Ring Settings

A rings design can be split into different sections all of which are important in the creation of a beautiful ring set to last a lifetime.

The types of styles of rings available are as follow; each type has its own unique design to meet each person's individual taste.

The design of the head varies from ring to ring, its main job is to frame the stone while holding it in place.

Some of the settings available are:

  • Claws - normally in an even number, four, six or eight; also available are four double claws
  • V Claw - normally used on princess and marquise cut diamonds to frame the corners
  • Bezel set - a rim of metal surrounding the stone to hold it in securely.
  • Grain - tiny prongs are used to set diamonds on the band of a ring or on the head of a cluster ring. The tiny prongs are normally very small and hard to see.

Leading on from the head of the ring are the shoulders which can be as important to the design of the ring as the head itself. The different styles are

  • Straight
  • Tapered
  • Channel set with diamonds
  • Twisted
  • Split shoulder

The section underneath the stones can be referred to by a few different terms, a basket, gallery, collet or undersetting. They can be decorative or simple in design.

The ‘shank’ is the term for the band of the ring. The shank connects with the head via the shoulders in many different styles adding to the design of the ring,

  • Straight
  • Tapered
  • Reverse Tapered
  • Knife edge
  • Split
  • Overlap

Shanks vary in width depending on the style of the ring and are usually found to be 'D' shape or square edged. Shanks can be plain, partly or fully set with diamonds depending on the style of the ring.