Emerald Cut Lab Grown Diamond Halo Engagement Ring with Pave Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An emerald cut laboratory grown diamond framed by a rectangular halo of small round diamonds that follows the corners of the stone rather than rounding them off, with pave continuing down both shoulders. It is the most traditional way to set a step cut, and the reason it has lasted is simple: the halo gives back the sparkle that a step cut does not produce on its own.

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: Rectangular halo around a four claw emerald cut, with a pave band
• 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

What the halo does for a step cut

An emerald cut works by reflection, not scintillation. Its long parallel facets return light in broad flashes, which is calm and architectural but never busy. Ringing it with small round brilliants puts a band of fast, fine sparkle directly against those still planes, and the contrast makes both read more strongly. The halo also makes the centre stone look noticeably larger, usually by close to half a carat of apparent size.

The corners are kept square

A lazy halo rounds the corners and turns a rectangle into a soft blob. Here the halo is built with the corner stones angled so the frame keeps four true corners, echoing the cut corners of the emerald itself. It costs more time at the bench and it is the difference between a halo that flatters the stone and one that fights it.

Why the grade is fixed at E and VVS2

Open step cut facets hide nothing. Any tint of colour or any inclusion near the surface is visible straight through the table, in a way it would not be in a brilliant cut. That is why we do not offer a range on this ring. Every centre stone is E colour and VVS2 clarity, and the halo and pave stones are matched to it.

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. White gold is photographed here, and on a halo ring a colourless metal lets the frame disappear so it reads as diamond rather than metal. In yellow or rose gold the halo instead becomes a visible warm outline, which is a very different and equally good look. 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 halo and pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

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 halo is laid out around your particular centre stone, so the gap between frame and diamond is even on all four sides. Every accent is set by hand under a microscope. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. A halo has a lot of small crevices, so brush around the outside of the frame and underneath it, then rinse well. 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 halo and pave stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the halo? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre emerald cut stone. The halo and the pave are 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. The shank is straight and the halo sits above the band line, so a straight wedding ring sits close on both sides.

Can it be resized? The pave runs part way round and there is plain metal at the back. One or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Do halo stones fall out? Not if they are set properly. Each accent sits in its own bead of metal raised from the frame, and we recommend a check every couple of years, the same as for any pave ring.

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