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

An elongated cushion cut laboratory grown diamond turned east west, lying across the finger in four claws on a plain thin band. The soft corners of a cushion and the sideways set make a large stone sit quietly, which is not easy at three carats and above.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Elongated cushion 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: Four claws on a plain thin band
• Accent stones: None
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Why east west, and what it does to the finger

Set the usual way, a long stone runs up the finger and draws the eye along it. Turned sideways it spans the finger instead, and because the eye reads the width of the hand against the width of the stone, the fingers themselves look longer and more slender. It is the opposite of what most people expect, and it is the reason east west settings have become the quiet alternative to a north south solitaire.

A cushion is the right shape for it

Rectangular cuts with sharp corners can look severe lying across the hand. A cushion has its corners and sides rounded, so the outline follows the curve of the finger rather than cutting across it. Elongated, it has the length to make the sideways set obvious without the hard edges.

Plainly set

No halo, no pave, no shaping at the shoulders. A cushion has large soft facets that shift as the hand moves, and small stones around it only interrupt that. The thin band keeps everything on the diamond.

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 ring was photographed in yellow gold, but 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. With no accents anywhere, that report describes the whole ring.

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 head is built to the measured stone so the claws sit on the corners rather than across the curved sides, and the band is polished as one continuous surface. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

About the photographs

The photograph on the hand shows this ring worn with a plain band. That band is a separate piece and is not included.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing underneath the stone from both open sides. An east west setting gives the brush better access than most. 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.

Will a large east west stone overhang my finger? On slim fingers, a four or five carat stone set sideways can reach the edges. We will send you the millimetre measurements before you order so there is no surprise, and a slightly less elongated cushion solves it if needed.

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 band is plain and straight and the stone sits above it, so a straight band meets it cleanly.

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

Can I have it set north south instead? Yes, at the same price. Tell us when you order.

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