East West Radiant Cut Lab Grown Diamond Solitaire Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A radiant cut laboratory grown diamond turned on its side and set across the finger rather than along it, held in four claws on a plain band. Nothing else on the ring. The whole idea rests on the one decision to rotate the stone ninety degrees, and it changes the ring completely.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Radiant cut laboratory grown diamond, set east to west
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Four claw, east west orientation
• Band: Plain, slim
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

What east west actually does

Almost every engagement ring sets an elongated stone lengthways, pointing up the finger. Turning it sideways spans the finger instead, which makes the ring look wider and more architectural and gives it a modern, deliberate look that a conventional setting cannot. It also sits lower and flatter, so it slides under a coat sleeve and does not catch.

Why a radiant takes to it

A radiant has cropped corners and a rectangular outline with brilliant faceting inside. Set east west, the long edge runs across the finger and the cropped corners keep the silhouette from looking blunt at the ends. Emerald cuts work this way too, but a radiant brings brilliance rather than the quieter flash of a step cut, so the ring stays lively despite the plain band.

The band is plain for a reason

An east west setting is already an unusual line. Adding pave or a halo competes with it and the orientation stops registering. A slim plain shank keeps the eye on the stone and its direction, which is the entire point of the design.

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. 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. On a solitaire this matters more than on any other design, because there is nothing else on the ring to look at.

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. An east west head has to be built to the individual stone, since the claws sit on the long edges where a conventional setting would have corners. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing underneath the stone where a solitaire collects most of its dirt. A plain band is the easiest of all designs to keep clean. Take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? E colour and VVS2 clarity, on all metals and all carat weights.

Does an east west setting look smaller? No, usually the opposite. Spanning the finger makes the stone read wider than the same diamond set lengthways.

Does it suit a short finger? It is worth knowing that a lengthways stone elongates the finger while an east west one does not. Many people choose this design precisely because they want the wider, flatter look.

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

Will a wedding band sit flush? Yes. The head sits low and the band is plain, so a straight wedding band meets it cleanly.

Can it be resized? Yes. A plain band is the simplest of all to size, up or down.

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