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

An oval laboratory grown diamond laid across the finger and sunk into a heavy band that splits open on either side of it. The two arms curve out around the stone and rejoin underneath, leaving a clear window of light on each side. There are no accent stones. The ring is one carved piece of metal with a diamond set into it.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Oval brilliant 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 oval in a heavy split shank with open side windows
• 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

An oval turned across the finger

Set the usual way, an oval runs up the finger and lengthens the hand. Turned east west it settles into the width of the finger, sits noticeably lower and reads as an object rather than a raised stone. On a band with this much presence, that horizontal line is what keeps the ring balanced.

The split shank

The band is heaviest at the back and divides as it comes forward, each arm arcing out and around the stone before meeting the setting. The two openings do three things: they let light through so the diamond appears to float in the gap, they take a good deal of weight out of a substantial ring, and they give the side view something to look at where most settings have a blank wall of metal.

Why no pave

Accent stones fill the windows and the design stops working. Keeping all the metal polished leaves the oval as the only bright thing on the top of the ring, and lets the curves of the shank read cleanly.

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 ring where metal is most of what you see the alloy is worth thinking about: 10K holds a polish hardest, 14K is the everyday balance, 18K gives the deepest colour. 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 oval can show a bow tie, a dark band across the middle of the stone caused by the proportions of the cut rather than by colour or clarity. It matters more on an east west setting because the bow tie then runs the same way as the finger and is in plain view. No certificate grades it. We check every oval 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 split shank is carved from solid rather than assembled, so the arms are part of the same piece of metal as the band and every opening is cut and finished by hand. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work through both side windows and underneath the stone. With no pave to worry about this is a simple ring to keep bright. 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? The shank widens toward the front, so a straight band meets the narrow back section rather than lying flush along the side. Most people wear this ring alone.

Can it be resized? Only slightly. The shank is shaped to a specific size and resizing moves where the arms divide. Please measure carefully and we will build to your size.

Does an east west stone catch on things? Less than an upright one. It lies within the width of the finger and the metal sits proud of the girdle on both sides.

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