Engagement Rings
The Head: Trellis, Basket, Peg and Compass
The component that holds the stone is a separate part with its own name, and choosing it changes more than the prong count.
Written by the Mapple Gems workshop, Surat ยท Updated 15 September 2026
Short answer
The head is the assembly holding the stone, and it is usually made separately from the shank. A basket has horizontal rails connecting the prongs โ the most common and most secure. A trellis has prongs that cross and interweave, which is elegant and sits lower. A peg head is minimal, letting in the most light. Compass prongs point north-south-east-west rather than diagonally. Because the head is a separate component, it can be made in a different metal from the band โ and later replaced without remaking the ring.
Most ring conversations treat the setting as one thing. In the workshop it is two: a shank and a head, made separately and joined. Knowing that opens up options that are otherwise invisible.
The main types
| Head | Construction | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Basket | Prongs joined by horizontal rails | Most secure; the sensible default |
| Trellis | Prongs cross and interweave | Elegant from the side; sits lower |
| Peg head | Prongs rising from a minimal base | Maximum light; least metal |
| Cathedral | Shoulders sweep up to support it | Architectural; usually needs a contour band |
| Compass | Prongs at NโSโEโW | A distinct look on rounds and ovals |
| Crown | Decorative points around the rail | Vintage character; more to clean |
Because the head is a separate component, it can be replaced without remaking the ring โ and that is worth knowing before you need it. Prongs thin over decades, and eventually re-tipping stops being the answer because there is not enough original metal left to work with. At that point a jeweller can fit an entirely new head: the shank, the engraving, the hallmarks and the shape of the ring you have worn for twenty years all stay, and the part that wore out is renewed. It costs far less than a new ring. It is also why a platinum head on a gold band is such a sensible build โ platinum displaces metal rather than losing it, so the component that does the wearing is made from the material that wears best, while the band stays whatever colour you want.
Height: where the head decides everything
The head is what sets profile height, and profile height is fixed at casting.
- A tall basket lets light in from every side and looks generous from the side view โ and catches on gloves, knitwear and pockets, and rolls more when the ring is slightly loose.
- A low basket or trellis sits closer to the finger, snags far less, and takes a straight wedding band flush more often.
- A hidden halo adds a millimetre or two of height, which is worth accounting for rather than discovering.
Ask for the side elevation and the height in millimetres before approving a render. Three of the most consequential decisions in ring design are invisible from above, and this is one of them.
Matching the head to the stone
- Points need V-prongs. Pear, marquise and heart shapes need the point wrapped from both sides โ a head without one is a construction fault regardless of how it looks.
- Corners need cover. Emerald, Asscher and princess want a prong over each cut corner.
- Large stones want six prongs and thicker stock. Above about 8ย mm the leverage on impact increases substantially.
- Rose cuts want a bezel. A flat-backed stone has no depth for prongs to grip.
- The head must be sized to the exact stone. A stock head adapted to a stone it was not made for is where a lot of poorly-seated settings come from.
Open versus closed underneath
Whether the head is open beneath the stone matters more than people expect. An open basket lets light enter from below, which a faceted stone returns โ and it can be cleaned with a soft brush, which is where the film that dulls stones actually collects.
A closed back blocks that light and traps residue where nothing can reach it. It is genuinely useful for fragile or very softly-set gemstones, and rarely necessary for moissanite or diamond, which do not need the protection.
Choose open unless there is a specific reason not to.
How to judge one
Ask for a photograph from underneath. It is the most revealing image of any piece and nobody publishes it, because it is not a selling angle.
From below you can see whether the rail is even, whether the prongs seat cleanly into it rather than being tacked on, whether solder joins are tidy, and whether the metal was finished at all or left with casting texture. A workshop sends it in two minutes. A reseller cannot, because they have never had the piece in their hands.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
What is the head of a ring?
The assembly that holds the centre stone โ prongs, rails and basket โ usually made as a separate component and joined to the shank. Because it is separate, it can be made in a different metal from the band and replaced later without remaking the ring.
Can a worn ring head be replaced?
Yes. When prongs have thinned past the point where re-tipping works, a jeweller can fit an entirely new head โ keeping the shank, engraving, hallmarks and the shape of the ring you have worn for years. It costs far less than a new ring, and it is one reason a platinum head on a gold band is a sensible build.
What is the difference between a basket and a trellis setting?
A basket has horizontal rails connecting the prongs, which makes it the most secure and the sensible default. A trellis has prongs that cross and interweave, which reads as more elegant from the side and generally sits lower โ useful if profile height or wedding band fit matters to you.
Should the head be open or closed underneath?
Open, in almost all cases. It lets light enter the stone from below and can be cleaned with a soft brush, where a closed back blocks light and traps residue permanently. A closed back mainly helps with fragile softer gemstones, which moissanite and diamond are not.
Ask for a platinum head on your gold band.
The part that does the wearing, made from the metal that wears best โ and replaceable decades later without touching the rest.
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