East West Marquise Lab Grown Diamond Curved Half Bezel Solitaire Engagement Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A marquise laboratory grown diamond lying across the finger, cradled by a band that curves up around it and holds it from two sides. There are no claws. The metal itself rises into a half bezel, so the ring is one continuous sweep of gold interrupted only by the stone.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Marquise 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: East west marquise in a half bezel on a curved wave shank
• Accent stones: None, the centre stone stands alone
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

A marquise turned sideways

The marquise is the longest of the fancy shapes, a boat outline with a point at each end. Worn the usual way it runs up the finger and makes a strong vertical statement. Turned east west it does the opposite: it settles into the width of the finger, sits low, and reads as a sculptural object rather than a raised stone. It is the version people choose when they want something unmistakable but quiet.

Why a half bezel

Only the two long sides of the stone are covered. The points at each end stay open, so the outline is never lost, while the vulnerable girdle is wrapped in metal. A half bezel also has nothing to catch on wool, hair or gloves, which matters more here than on most rings because the stone sits across the finger where it meets everything first.

The curved shank

The band does not simply meet the setting, it becomes it. Each shoulder lifts and twists slightly as it approaches, so the ring has a wave to it when seen from the side and the stone appears held rather than mounted. The curve also lets the ring sit flat against the finger, with no gap underneath.

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. Yellow gold is photographed here, and on a bezel design the metal is a large part of what you see, so the colour choice carries more weight than usual. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K the everyday balance, 18K the deepest yellow. 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.

About the bow tie

Every marquise can show a bow tie, a dark band across the waist of the stone caused by the proportions of the cut rather than by colour or clarity. It is more visible on an east west setting because it runs the same way as the finger. No certificate grades it. We check every marquise by eye and reject the ones that show 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. A bezel is made to the exact stone, not to a standard head, so the metal is burnished down onto that particular diamond by hand. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. A bezel is the easiest setting to keep clean because there are no claws to trap anything, but do brush along the two open points. 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 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 against it? Not flat, because the shank waves as it rises. A gently curved or contoured band follows the shape and sits closer than a straight one.

Can it be resized? Only slightly, since the curve of the shank is shaped to the finger size. Please measure carefully and we will build to your size.

Is a bezel safer than claws? For an east west stone, yes. The metal takes the knocks instead of the girdle, and there are no claws to bend or wear thin.

• All payments are processed securely through PayPal, one of the world's most trusted payment gateways
• Pay with your PayPal balance, or with any major credit or debit card through PayPal's secure checkout
• No PayPal account required — guest checkout available
• PayPal Purchase Protection applies to eligible orders