Introduction
Rings are of many types. In solitaire rings, you find only a single center stone on a plain band. However, there are other rings as well, for instance, engagement rings that have accent stones along with a center stone. Why are accent gemstones used? Well, they increase the sparkle and brilliance of the ring. Jewelers even add accent stones of different shapes and colors to change the overall look and style of the ring. In this blog, we will discuss the 4 main settings that are widely used to hold accent stones. But first, let us begin with what accent stones actually are.
What Is An Accent Stone?
Accent stones are the smaller stones that are placed beside the larger center stone in a jewelry piece in order to enhance the overall aesthetics, volume, and beauty of the jewelry. It is not necessary for the accent stones to be diamonds – they can be a variety of other precious or semi-precious stones. Generally, their size ranges between 1 mm to 5 mm (in diameter) which is why you can say that they can range from tiny to moderate, usually set together closely. If you talk about diamond engagement rings, diamond accents are found in trillion cut, baguette cut, or small round diamond shapes.
When it comes to the way accent stones are used, there are mainly three cases. They can either be set in the shank of the ring, which adds to the texture and sparkle of the ring. Or they can be used for creating a halo effect that encircles the larger center stone. Or they can be used if the buyer wants to add contrast and color to his jewelry piece, by using stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, amethyst, citrine, London blue topaz, Swiss blue topaz, aquamarine, garnet, etc. as accent stones.
The Different Settings Used for Accent Gemstones
The Scallop or Castle Setting
The castle setting is named so because when a ring that uses a castle setting is viewed from the side, it looks like the battlements present on the top of a castle wall. Occasionally, this setting is also known as a scallop setting. Castle settings are created on the shank of the ring directly. When you closely look at the castle setting, you will find that it includes small notches or indentions that are present for holding the base of the gemstone. Each notch has four small prongs present in it that fold over the top of the gemstone.
The prongs present in a castle setting are found to be straight up and down along with simple rounded tips. Or else, the prongs can be cut at an angle that resembles the tail of a fish. These prongs made in the shape of a fishtail are also known as French cut prongs.
If you are planning to opt for a castle setting for your engagement ring, rest assured, it is very versatile. Also, the castle setting can be set in many ways – for instance, it can be placed just across the ring’s shoulders, it can be set completely around the shank, or it can be used to create a halo around the center stone.
In all these given cases, the setting either holds colored gemstones or round brilliant cut diamonds close to each other so that it results in fire and a row of eye-catching sparkles. In castle settings, the metal sides are always cut low, generally in a scallop pattern, which allows more light to enter the accent gems and increases their overall brilliance.
When well made, the low scalloped edges present in the castle setting tend to create an optical illusion. Since you can easily see the side of the gemstones because of low scalloped edges, it often creates an impression that the gem is held by an invisible setting.
The Bead Setting
Another amazing setting for accent stones is the bead setting. Just as the name suggests, this setting can be identified by tiny beads or bearings that hold the gemstone in its proper place.
In order to make the bead setting, firstly, you need to cut a narrow channel within the shank of the engagement ring. Then, at even intervals of the shank, not-so-deep holes are drilled all along the channel, and two very small prongs that are topped with a bead (of precious metal such as silver, gold, etc.) are placed after each of the holes.
The jeweler sets accent stones once the setting is finished, and then he fine-tunes the beads in order to hold the accent stones firmly above the girdles. When it comes to safety, you can count on a bead setting since it is one of the most secure accent stone settings. Since the gemstones are surrounded by walls of metal from both sides of the channel, it protects the stones from bumps and scratches. And rarely do the beaded prongs become loose.
One of the possible downsides you can have with bead setting is that the stones receive less light since they are set down within the channel. This reduces the overall sparkle and brilliance of the gemstone.
However, when it comes to sparkle in the bead setting, the small metal beads on each prong come to the rescue. In the bead setting, every gem is surrounded by 4 shiny beads made of precious metal that are level with the top of the shank. These beads tend to sparkle a lot.
You will be astounded to know that the Pave setting is a variation of the bead setting. In the case of the basic bead setting, the accent stones are set in a single straight line. On certain occasions, the jewelers increase the overall sparkle of the engagement ring by adding two or more lines of beads that run parallel to one another and which are set with gems. In this particular case, the bead setting changes its name and is known as the pave setting.
The Channel Setting
The third setting for holding the accent stones is the channel setting. For crafting a channel setting, the jeweler cuts a channel in the shank of the ring. This channel needs to be tailor-made in order for it to fit the depth and width of the accent stones or the gemstones that will be set in the channel.
One thing that the jeweler is always cautious about is the depth of the channel. In case the channel is cut too deep, it will result in little brilliance because the gems will be dark. If the channel is cut too shallow, the gemstones will protrude above the shank and it will be a risky situation because the gemstones can come loose or get damaged.
The ideal channel is the one that holds the crown of the accent stones even with the shank’s surface.
The main benefit of channel setting is that it allows the accent stones to be set up right after one another. This forms an unbroken line of fire and brilliance in the case when diamonds are used and a continuous line of sparkle and colors in the case when sapphires, rubies, emeralds, amethysts, citrines, and other gemstones are used.
This setting is not similar to other accent stone settings that use a channel, because the channel setting does not limit the amount and volume of light that enters through the bottom and side of the gemstones.
The jeweler can use the channel setting in multiple ways. It can either act as a primary decoration on the ring, or it can be used as a complementary decoration. In the channel setting, you can also set round, square, and even baguette-shaped gemstones.
The Bar Setting
Bar setting is one of the newest settings for accent stones, and it completely leaves behind the concept of using prongs and channels in order to hold the accent stones. In the case of a bar setting, rather than prongs and channels, bars hold the gemstones in place.
The bar setting possesses a basket at its base. These baskets can either be square, round, or baguette-shaped, and the shape of the basket depends on the stone that is going to be set in it.
There is a bar made of precious metal on either side of the basket. Generally, these bars are perpendicular to the shank of the ring, however, they can be parallel also, which is found on rare occasions.
At the level of the gemstone’s girdle, each of the bars possesses a groove etched into it. Whenever a stone is set in the basket of this setting, its girdle fits firmly in the grooves on either side of it so it can be held securely.
One of the main benefits of a bar setting is, that it covers the gemstone only from two sides, leaving the other two sides open, and allowing more light to travel through the stone. This is why the bar setting produces more sparkle and brilliance.
The bar setting can be used in multiple ways for crafting engagement rings and wedding rings. It can act as a setting used for setting the accent stones, or it can be paired with other settings so as to create a unique design. It does not matter how the bar setting is used, it tends to add a touch of boldness to any ring, giving it modern beauty.
Conclusion
The accent stone setting on a ring or any piece of jewelry in general may seem like minor details at first glance, but when you consider it carefully, and apply this knowledge in crafting your, say engagement ring, then it will help you in creating the most beautiful designs which are customized to your preferences. Not only does accent stone setting add beauty to a ring, but it is also found to influence the security of the stone in the ring. The aspect of adding an accent stone to a piece of jewelry is often overlooked, and people pay more attention to other aspects, such as which gemstones (like sapphires, rubies, emeralds, or diamonds) should you add. This is fundamentally wrong, and we hope that through this blog, you will have gained important insights into different accent stone styles.
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