While people tend to think of diamond engagement rings as being enormous, sparkly pieces that glitter dramatically and draw all eyes, this is not everyone’s idea of a romantic occurrence! For those who prefer to underplay things with modest displays and understated jewelry, here are some solutions for you.
Simple and Elegant
If you opt for a simple band with a solitaire stone mounted in it, you should pay attention to the width of the band and the size of the stone. Bigger stones look proportional against wider band, rather than over-sized and gaudy as against a slender band that seems hardly strong enough to support its weight.
If you choose a smaller stone, whether for reasons of economy or personal preference, you can add a touch of sophistication with a slender pave band with the accent stones either running all the way around the band, or just covering the shoulders (the part of the band immediately next to the stone and its setting).
An unusual configuration can give you a modest but attractive engagement ring. For example, usually marquise cut stones are mounted across the band, pointing down the finger, but they can very effectively fit along the band, almost disguised by the band except for the slight swelling of the oval shape.
No Glitter Please!
If you find large showy diamonds to be a little tasteless, but still want the traditional engagement ring stone, you can opt for an emerald cut stone instead of the more traditional round brilliant or princess cut stones, both of which are designed to maximize sparkle. Emerald cut diamonds tend to be shallow cut – it is a very good cut for a diamond that is wide but flat – which means that they do not sparkle in the same way deeper cut stones do. They still have that authentic diamond fire and scintillation, but on a more muted, subtle level that can be even more satisfying to see.
Another glitter-free option is to have your diamond securely set into a bezel setting which holds the diamond all around, curving around the girdle to give the diamond a secure setting. The placement of the bezel means that a lot of the light that would usually enter the diamond through the bottom is blocked, which in turn mutes some of the fire that the diamond would usually display.
Price Matters
If you would love a large glittery stone but are forced along an understated route by circumstances and your finances, you can enhance your smaller stone with pave halo band encircling the stone to make it look a little larger. In the same spirit, you can opt for a cluster of smaller stones, rather than one single larger, and possibly unaffordable, stone.
No matter your reason for going understated, browse diamonds with some idea of what you would like and set yourself a range of both price, quality and size, so that you are not overwhelmed by the huge array on offer!
