Bezel Engagement Rings
How to Select a Diamond for Your Bezel Engagement Ring
Are you wondering how to select a diamond for your bezel engagement ring? We are here to help! Choosing a diamond can be intimidating, especially for an engagement ring that will be worn and cherished for the rest of your life. We’re here to alleviate any anxiety you may be feeling by highlighting some of our favorite pieces from our bezel collection and by sharing Melanie’s expert tips for sourcing the perfect diamond for any bezel setting.
Choose Your Cut
The cut of your diamond will always impact the overall composition of your engagement ring, but selecting a diamond cut for a bezel setting comes with a little more weight. Because the setting is timeless and easily able to look either modern or antique, the diamond cut will heavily influence the composition and tone of your ring.
The Bezel and the 4 C’s: Melanie’s Pro Tips
When selecting a diamond for any engagement ring, always consider the 4 c’s: clarity, carat, color, and cut.
While still important, clarity and carat are perhaps the c’s you need to consider the least. Carat refers to the weight of a diamond while clarity refers to the number of inclusions, or flaws, within or on the surface of the diamond. When considering carat size, know that a bezel setting may create the illusion of a larger carat size because the metal framework extends the edges of a stone, causing it to appear larger. The metal framework can also assist in terms of clarity, enhancing the perceived clarity by covering imperfections along the edge of a stone.
The color of a diamond can range from colorless to light yellow, and is significantly more important to consider when selecting a diamond for a bezel setting. Because a bezel setting literally surrounds the stone in metal, the color of the stone can become more pronounced depending on the metal you choose. For instance, according to Melanie, if setting a white gold or platinum bezel, “a diamond rated G or better will usually look best because the white metal frame of the bezel will make a warm stone more noticeable”.
By far, the factor that is most important when choosing a stone for your bezel ring is cut. The cut of a diamond is how it’s been shaped and faceted, factors that directly determine how much light your diamond will absorb and reflect and therefore how much it will sparkle.
You may have heard that a bezel setting can make your diamond look darker than an open basket or cathedral setting because the metal framework prevents light from penetrating the stone at a variety of angles. Luckily, we have an expert on retainer who can easily dispel this myth! Founder and designer Melanie is adamant that with the right cut grade, a bezel setting will not make your ring look dark.
Light enters and exits from the top of the diamond, therefore well cut diamond facets will appear no less brilliant in a bezel setting than any other. When sourcing a diamond for a bezel herself, Melanie always looks for an exceptional cut grade because the precision of the facet cuts will determine how much light can be filtered through your diamond.
It’s also important to consider the cut precision of the diamond’s shape. According to Melanie, “symmetry in the length and width ratio is hugely important for square stones like asscher cut and princess cut. A bezel setting will enhance the ‘squareness’ of the stone and if it’s not a perfect square it will be more noticeable in a bezel.”
While each of the 4 c’s are important to consider when selecting a diamond, once it’s yours, that diamond will only look as good as you care for it. To keep your ring as radiant as possible, clean it regularly with blue dish soap, warm water, and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Let’s Recap
Phew! That was a lot of info. Need a recap? Here are the highlights.
- Choose a cut that fits your style.
- Find a diamond with a G+ color rating to make that white pop against the metal.
- Find a diamond with an exceptional cut grade to ensure brilliance.
Finally, if you're considering a square stone, be sure to pay close attention to shape symmetry. Now, go select that diamond with confidence!
