Emerald Cut Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Solitaire Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An emerald cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws on a thin plain band, with a halo of small diamonds set into the basket beneath it. From above it reads as a plain step cut solitaire, a clean rectangle with nothing around it. From the side the hidden halo appears as a line of light under the stone.

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 with a hidden halo in the basket
• Accent stones: Round brilliant laboratory grown diamonds, E colour, VVS2
• Band: Thin plain round band
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Why a hidden halo suits a step cut

An emerald cut has no brilliance of its own. It is a row of long flat planes that you look straight through, and in a solid basket the underside can go dark. Setting a halo below the girdle puts small brilliant cut stones under the pavilion, so light bounces back up through the table and the stone reads brighter without anything appearing on the top face to interrupt the step cut lines.

Nowhere for a flaw to hide

Because there is no sparkle to distract the eye, everything inside a step cut 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 at the corners

One claw on each corner facet, which is the only part of an emerald cut that chips easily. They are filed thin and pulled low so they do not break the outline of the rectangle, and the long sides of the stone are left completely open.

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 white metal, and 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. Every halo accent is matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters here because the light from the halo passes up through the centre stone.

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 set into the basket before the head is joined to the shank, since it cannot be reached afterwards, and the claws are cut to fit the corners of that particular emerald. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing upward into the basket from underneath. A step cut shows a film of soap faster than a brilliant does and a dirty hidden halo dulls the whole stone, so clean it from below regularly. 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 are the diamonds? The centre emerald and every halo accent are E colour and VVS2 clarity, on all metals and all carat weights.

Does the carat weight include the hidden halo? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre emerald. The halo stones are in addition.

Can you see the halo when you are wearing it? Not from directly above. You see it from the side and at an angle, and so does anyone looking at your hand across a table.

How big does a 2 carat emerald cut look? Larger than a 2 carat round, because an emerald cut spreads its weight along the length of the stone.

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 thin 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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