The Best Setting to Make Your Diamond Look Bigger
What is the best setting
to make your diamond look bigger?
Our guide will help you select the best ring setting to make your diamond look bigger and enhance its exquisite beauty.
A diamond’s sparkle is just one facet of its timeless beauty. Did you know that diamonds are formed miles below the earth’s surface and that most of them are billions of years old? Miners toil in deep caves and tunnels to find the precious stones, bringing the rough diamonds into the daylight, where they will be cut and crafted to make them into the shimmering jewels we love so much. The diamond’s journey to your ring is costly, but with many sizes – or carats – available, a perfect stone is within your reach.
The following guide will describe ring settings, diamond sizes, styles, and cuts that will enhance your diamond, whatever its size.
What is the average size diamond
for an engagement ring?
Studies show that the average engagement-ring diamond is 1.5 carats. About half of the diamonds used for engagement rings are between one and two carats. A 1.5-carat diamond is a good value choice if you’re looking for a slightly larger stone. It appears almost as large as a two-carat diamond. Only 25% of diamonds cut for rings are greater than two carats. The movie icon Elizabeth Taylor owned many diamond rings, one of which displayed a whopping 33-carat stone!
Choose a stone-enhancing metal
Platinum and white gold – especially 18k white gold, can make your engagement ring look larger than other metals. Shiny white metal creates a mirror-like reflection of the engagement ring’s center diamond, making it appear larger. In addition, 18k white gold is plated with rhodium, making it even more reflective.
Better “cut grades” boost the size of your diamond
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) evaluates a diamond’s “cut grade” based on seven components – brightness, fire, scintillation, weight ratio, durability, polish, and symmetry – to arrive at a GIA diamond cut grade, which ranges from Excellent to Poor.
Carat is only one factor that determines a diamond’s size. If you want your diamond to appear more significant, consider an Excellent or Very Good cut because it will give your stone maximum brilliance and sparkle, making it look larger. Conversely, if poorly cut, even a higher-carat stone can look smaller.
Specific shapes of diamonds appear larger
The shape of your diamond can affect how large it appears. Diamonds are cut into various shapes, each distributing its table mass (the top surface of the stone) differently. A diamond with more mass on the table looks much larger per carat.
Diamond shapes include round, oval, princess, marquise, pear, and emerald. The shapes that appear the largest are marquise, pear, oval, and emerald.
Splurge on cut over color and clarity
Diamond color and clarity have less impact on how large a diamond stone looks than other attributes. So, if you are on a budget for that center stone, save money on color and clarity and opt for a higher carat weight with a Very Good or Excellent cut.
Prong Settings can make a diamond seem larger
Prong settings can make a stone appear larger by elevating the diamond, bringing it closer to the eye. Prongs that are the same metal as your band will help the diamond look bigger, and four prongs reveal the stone better than six prongs. A cathedral setting is an example of an elevated stone design.
Halo Settings and their dramatic illusion
If you want your engagement ring to look as dazzling and sizable as possible, halo settings are an excellent option. In a halo setting, a glittering circle of smaller accent diamonds surrounds the center stone giving the optical illusion of a much larger center diamond. The shimmer of the accent diamonds creates the “halo” effect. The impression created by the halo can make a 1.25-carat diamond look more prominent than a two-carat solitaire.
Does a higher setting make a diamond look bigger?
A high setting can make a diamond look more significant, especially if you pair an elevated setting with a thin ring shank or band.
Selecting the optimal band
A setting with a slim band and slender prongs will boost the size of your center diamond considerably. In addition, a band design feature called a pinch makes the center stone look bigger. With the pinch option, the band tapers to a point on each side of the center diamond.
Overall, what setting makes a diamond look the biggest?
A slim, delicate band in 18-carat gold with four prongs and a halo setting will make your diamond stand out. Choosing a stone with an Excellent or Very Good cut in a marquise, pear, oval, or emerald shape will emphasize your diamond’s size, sparkle, and impact.
If you‘ve picked up a few tips from our guide, it’s time to go shopping for your diamond!
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