Cushion Cut Lab Grown Diamond East West Split Shank Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond set east west, gripped from either side by the two arms of a split shank that rise out of the band and hold the stone directly. There is a clear open gap between the arms, and nothing underneath the diamond at all.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Cushion cut laboratory grown diamond, set east west
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Held between the arms of a split shank
• Accent stones: None
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

No basket, no gallery

Conventional settings sit the stone in a basket with metal running underneath it. Here the two arms of the split shank grip the girdle from opposite sides and that is the entire setting. Light passes straight through the stone from below, and the ring sits low enough that the diamond appears to be held in mid air.

Set east west

Turned across the finger rather than along it, the cushion spans the hand and sits close to it. The sideways set also puts the two arms where they work best, gripping the long sides of the stone rather than its rounded corners.

Why the gap matters

The space between the arms is what makes this design work. Close it up and you have a solid shank with a stone on top. Left open, the ring reads as two fine lines converging on a diamond, which is a far lighter object than its weight of metal suggests.

What laboratory grown means here

A laboratory grown diamond is a diamond. It is crystallised carbon with the same cubic structure, the same 10 on the Mohs scale, the same refractive index of 2.42 and the same dispersion as a mined stone. Ours are grown by chemical vapour deposition and high pressure high temperature methods, then cut and polished by hand. This is not moissanite, not cubic zirconia and not a simulant. A gemmologist testing it will read diamond, because it is diamond.

Metals

Choose 925 sterling silver, or 10K, 14K or 18K gold in yellow, rose or white. This ring was photographed in yellow gold, but every metal is made to order and priced above. White gold is rhodium plated and will want replating every one to two years.

Every centre stone arrives IGI certified

The centre diamond is graded by IGI, the International Gemological Institute, and the certificate comes with the ring at no extra charge. It states the carat weight, the E colour grade, the VVS2 clarity grade, the measurements and the girdle inscription, and confirms in writing that the stone is laboratory grown. With nothing else on the ring, that report describes all of it.

Made to order in our own workshop

Mapple Gems is a family run workshop in Surat, India, where most of the world's diamonds are cut and polished. Both arms are formed from the shank itself and filed until they mirror each other exactly, because on a symmetrical split any difference between the two sides shows immediately. The stone is set last, between them. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

About the photographs

Some of the photographs on the hand show plain bands worn on other fingers. Those are separate pieces and are not included.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, working between the two arms and under the stone. With no basket beneath it, this is one of the easiest settings we make to rinse clean. Take it off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? Every centre stone is E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight.

Is a two point grip secure at four or five carats? Yes. The arms hold along the long sides rather than at small points, and they brace each other through the shank. We thicken them slightly on the larger weights.

Is the certificate really free? Yes. The IGI report is included in the price on every variant.

Will a wedding band sit flush? Close. The shank is single and plain where a band meets it, with the split rising just above. A slightly shaped band follows the line exactly, and we will make one to match.

Can it be resized? Yes, at the back where the shank is single. One or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Can I have a different stone shape? An oval, an emerald cut or a radiant all suit this setting, since all have long straight sides for the arms to grip. Tell us when you order.

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