Emerald Cut Lab Grown Diamond Claw Solitaire Ring on a Slim Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An emerald cut laboratory grown diamond held in four slender claws, on a slim round band with nothing else on it. The long table lies down the finger, the band stays narrow so the stone is the only thing you see, and the basket underneath is left open so light reaches the pavilion from below.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Emerald cut laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Four claw solitaire on an open basket
• Band: Slim plain round band, no accent stones
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Why an emerald cut needs a clean stone

An emerald cut is a step cut. Instead of the small triangular facets of a brilliant, it has long parallel planes that work like a row of mirrors, and you look straight through them into the body of the diamond. There is no sparkle to hide behind. Anything inside the stone shows, and so does any tint of colour. That is why we grade every centre emerald at E colour and VVS2 clarity rather than dropping a grade to save money. On this shape the grade is the ring.

Four claws and nothing else

One claw at each corner, filed thin and pulled tight over the corner facet, which is the only part of an emerald cut that chips easily. The claws sit low so they do not break the outline of the rectangle, and the sides of the stone are left completely open. From above you see an unbroken step cut table with four small points of metal at the corners.

A band kept deliberately narrow

The shank is a plain round wire that stays slim all the way around and rises gently into the basket. A wide band next to a long stone makes the stone look shorter, so we keep the metal thin and let the diamond carry its own length. It also means the ring sits flat against a wedding band with no gap.

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 design was photographed in both white metal and yellow gold, and the photographs show both. 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.

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 around the individual stone rather than pulled from a stock size, the claws are cut to fit the corners of that particular emerald, and the basket is soldered to the shank last so the stone sits square to the finger. 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 through the open basket where lotion collects. A step cut shows a film of soap faster than a brilliant does, so clean it more often than you think you need to. The corners are the vulnerable part, so 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 every metal and every carat weight.

Does an emerald cut sparkle? Not in the way a round brilliant does. It flashes in broad planes rather than small points, and it reads as glassy and clear rather than fiery. People choose it for exactly that reason.

How big does a 2 carat emerald cut look? Larger than a 2 carat round. An emerald cut spreads its weight along the length of the stone, so it covers more of the finger for the same carat.

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? Yes. The band is slim and plain and the basket is narrow, so a straight band sits against it without a gap.

Can it be resized? Yes. The shank is plain all the way around, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

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