East West Marquise Cut Lab Grown Diamond Split Shank Engagement Ring with Pave in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A marquise laboratory grown diamond set low across the finger, on a band that divides into two slim rails as it comes forward. One rail is polished, the other is set with pave, and the two run parallel beneath the stone before rejoining at the back. It is a delicate ring that gets its presence from the gap between the rails rather than from bulk.

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: Low east west marquise on a split shank, one plain rail and one pave
• Accent stones: Round laboratory grown diamonds, E colour, VVS2
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Two rails, not one band

The shank splits well before it reaches the stone, so the marquise appears to bridge a gap rather than sit on a shoulder. Because the two rails are much thinner than a single band would be, the ring reads as fine even at larger carat weights, and the line of daylight between them keeps it from looking heavy on the finger.

One rail set, one left plain

Paving only one rail gives the ring an asymmetry you notice without being able to name. The bright rail catches the eye and leads it to the stone; the plain one reads as structure. Setting both would have made a wide band of glitter and lost the gap altogether.

Why the marquise lies sideways

Turned east west the stone spans the split, which is what the design is built around: the two rails pass underneath it and the points reach out over them on either side. Set upright the marquise would run along one rail and the split would be invisible.

Both points are guarded

A marquise is thinnest where its curves meet. Each tip here sits in a v claw wrapping the two edges that meet at the point, and because the stone sits low between the rails it is naturally sheltered rather than standing proud.

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. Two thin rails carry less metal than one solid band, so a harder alloy holds the shape better over years of wear: 10K or 14K rather than 18K, particularly at 4 and 5 carat. 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 pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

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 shows more on an east west setting because it then runs along the finger in plain view. 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. The two rails are cut from one piece of metal and the gap between them is filed and polished by hand, since the inside edges are visible from above. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work the brush through the gap between the rails, which is where lotion collects and the one place a cloth cannot reach. 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. The pave is matched to the same grade.

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

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? Yes, because the stone sits low and the rails rejoin into an ordinary band at the back. A slim wedding ring sits neatly beside it.

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

Is a split shank weaker? Not when it is made from a single piece as this one is. The two rails share the load, and the join at the back is solid metal.

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