Cushion Cut Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Ring on a Pave Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws, with a halo of small diamonds hidden in the basket beneath it and pave running down both shoulders. From above the outline stays a clean rounded square with nothing around it. From the side the hidden halo shows as a line of light under the stone, sitting above a second line on the band.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Cushion cut laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Four claw centre with a hidden halo in the basket
• Accent stones: Round brilliant laboratory grown diamonds in the hidden halo and pave band, E colour, VVS2
• Band: Pave set shoulders, plain at the back
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

A halo you do not see from above

A conventional halo surrounds the stone on the top face and changes its outline. A hidden halo sits below the girdle, inside the basket, so the view from above is the cushion alone. On a cushion that matters, because the shape is soft and rounded and a visible halo tends to square it off. Keeping the halo underneath preserves the outline and still gets the extra light.

Why it brightens the centre

Light entering the pavilion from below bounces off the halo stones and back up through the table. A cushion has a deep pavilion and benefits from this more than a shallow cut does, so the stone reads noticeably brighter than the same cushion over a solid basket.

Pave that stops halfway

The shoulder stones run about halfway down each side and then the band goes plain. Stones set under the finger take the abrasion, wear loose first and make the ring impossible to size without cutting through set metal. Stopping the pave where it does keeps the sparkle where you see it and leaves solid metal at the back.

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 design is photographed in white metal, yellow gold and rose gold, and 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. The halo and pave accents are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters here because light from the hidden halo passes up through the centre stone.

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. The hidden halo goes into the basket before the head is joined to the shank, since it cannot be reached afterwards, and the pave is bead set by hand with both shoulders matched before the band is closed. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing upward into the basket from underneath as well as along the pave. A hidden halo collects hand cream where you cannot see it, and when it is dirty the centre stone goes dull for no apparent reason. Take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity are the diamonds? The centre cushion, the hidden halo and all the pave are E colour and VVS2 clarity, on all metals and all carat weights.

Does the carat weight include the halo and pave? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre cushion. Everything else is in addition.

Can you see the hidden halo when wearing it? Not from directly above. You see it from the side and at an angle, and so does anyone looking at your hand across a table.

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

Will a wedding band sit flush? Almost. The hidden halo lifts the stone slightly, so a straight band leaves a very small gap. A contoured band closes it, and we make those to match.

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

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